Enhancing resilience in the transition to parenthood: a thematic analysis of parents’ perspectives

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: Investigate parents’ recollections of resilience enhancing experiences in the first year of parenthood. Background: Resilience is a concept of emerging interest in transition to parenthood research. Little is known about parents’ descriptions and experiences of resilience in the first year of parenthood and existing research is based on data about mothers only. Methods: We conducted a thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 10 parents (including four fathers) and created a thematic network of factors which participants described as enhancing their resilience in the first year of parenthood. Results: The thematic network comprised a number of subthemes (such as personal skills and support structures), and 39 specific resilience enhancing factors. These included personal skills such as acceptance, compassion, assertiveness and help-seeking; sources of support with the most preferred source for parents their partner, followed by mothers, peers, and midwifery; and important engagement characteristics displayed by support providers including attunement to the parent’s needs and good communication skills. Conclusion: Our work contributes to an important gap in the literature and identifies factors for future research to explore and develop.