Marital status and distress among low-income couples transitioning to parenthood

The transition to parenthood is associated with declines in couple relationship functioning and increases in psychological distress. Cohabiting and economically disadvantaged couples are at particular risk during this life transition. This study examined cohabitation as a potential risk factor for pregnancy-specific distress (women only), psychological distress, and relationship distress during late pregnancy. 21 low-income heterosexual couples provided self-report data during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy as part of a larger study. I hypothesized that partners in cohabiting relationships would report individual and relationship distress relative to those in married relationships. Results supported the hypothesis that women in cohabiting relationships would report greater pregnancyspecific distress relative to married women (p = .04). However, I did not find support for the hypothesis that partners in cohabiting relationships would report higher levels of individual and relationship distress relative to their married counterparts. These findings have implications for future research and policy related to the transition to parenthood.