Relationship Satisfaction Across the Transition to Parenthood Among Interracial Couples: An Integrative Model

Abstract

As the number of multiracial families in the United States steadily increases, so does the need for more relevant conceptual frameworks that capture the structures and processes in these families. Much of the theoretical and empirical literature on the multiracial experience has focused on identity development, which has resulted in a body of scholarship heavily steeped in the individual level of analysis that neglects dyadic process‐oriented perspectives. More specifically, multiracial families experience complex life transitions just as their monoracial counterparts do, yet there is little recognition and/or understanding of their strengths and challenges, both as a family unit and as individuals within these family structures. This article proposes a conceptual model to describe and explain the relationship satisfaction of interracial couples across the transition to parenthood. We pay particular attention to the factors that are particular to interracial couples across this life transition.

Couple Adaptation to the Birth of a Child: The Roles of Attachment and Perfectionism

“…Relationship satisfaction-the degree to which each member of a couple is satisfied with their relationship (Graham, Liu, & Jeziorski, 2006)-has been widely studied in the last 20 years (Candel & Turliuc, 2019;Fincham, & Beach, 2010;Mitnick, Heyman, & Smith Slep, 2009;Roy, James, Brown, Craft, & Mitchell, 2020). In the context of transition to parenthood, a majority of studies has documented a decrease in relationship satisfaction among partners (Doss & Rhoades, 2017;Doss et al, 2009).…”

An Introduction to the Special Section on Multiracial Families: The Challenges, Strengths, and Work that Remains

“…For example, a couple may be more inclined to examine who will be at an event or try to read a room to ensure that both partners feel comfortable and, in some cases, safe. These tactics become important for couples across family life stages such as the transition to parenthood, as couples attempt to protect not only themselves and their relationship but also their child's exposure to potential harm (see Roy et al, 2020).…”

“…A Black father in a store with his visibly lighter skinned child might be asked what is your relation to the child? These questions might appear to be simple moments of curiosity but on a weekly or even daily bases, they exert impact (Roy et al, 2020). The impact is not just on an individual level but can also affect the couple's relationship.…”

“…Roy et al (2020) proposed a conceptual model (see Fig.1) for evaluating the relationship satisfaction of interracial couples across the transition to parenthood. The Interracial Couples' Life Transition Model merges factors from both macro-and micro-level concepts to capture how an individual's race and experiences of discrimination influence…”

Biracial Families: Crossing Boundaries, Blending Cultures, and Challenging Racial Ideologies

“…By drawing attention to the stresses, strains, and supports associated with biracial parenting, Biracial Families makes it clear that to fully comprehend their experiences, it is essential to consider the impact of social stressors and supports on the well-being of biracial parents. To this end, the interracial couple's life transition model is a newly conceived theoretical perspective that can be used to investigate the affects risk and protective factors have on an interracial couple's transition to parenthood (Nazarinia Roy et al, 2020). The model can be used to assess the degree to which biracial children affect the psychosocial well-being of interracial couples as they transition to biracial parenthood.…”