The transition to parenthood is not a new topic for research and discussion. In fact, this topic has been studied at some depth for more than half a century, by researchers interested in life-span development and in the structure and functions of the family. Moreover, it has undoubtedly been discussed informally throughout most of the history of the human race, as young people have wondered about the impact of this event and their elders have tried to share their own experience and advice. In this chapter, we trace the development of studies in this area, and present the main findings that these research projects have generated.

WHY STUDY THE TRANSITION TO PARENTHOOD?

Perhaps the first question that we should consider is why the transition to parenthood arouses so much interest. At least two broad reasons can be suggested. First, parenthood is a topic that is of direct interest to most people. As children, we experience parental relationships on a personal and ongoing basis, and as adults, we may recognize that this experience plays a formative role in the way we develop and function. Further, the majority of people have at least one child during their life span, and almost everyone has seen close friends or family members dealing with pregnancy and new parenthood. This almost universal experience of parenthood applies across cultures and across eras, despite the fact that more adults in western societies are now remaining single, choosing not to become parents, or having only one or two children, than in the past.