Motivations and Features of Co-Parenting an Infant With Complex Congenital Heart Disease

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Cardiology
• Developmental Psychology
• Family Studies

Background:

• Infants with complex congenital heart disease (CCHD) present unique challenges for parental units.
• Understanding co-parenting dynamics is crucial for supporting families navigating chronic childhood illness.
• Limited research exists on the evolution of co-parenting for parents of infants with CCHD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe co-parenting motivations and quality of co-parenting features in parents of infants with CCHD.
• To examine changes in co-parenting over time (1-12 months postpartum).
• To investigate the relationship between illness severity and co-parenting dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Directed content analysis of interview transcripts from 23 parent couples.
• Longitudinal data collection at infant ages 1 and 12 months.
• Quantitization of qualitative data for descriptive analysis.

Main Results:

• Six co-parenting motivations and five co-parenting features were identified.
• Two novel co-parenting motivations emerged: Developing the Co-Parenting Relationship and Maintaining the Couple Relationship.
• Co-parenting quality showed variability but was generally rated highly; motivations and quality evolved over time and correlated with illness severity.

Conclusions:

• This study elucidates the couple's journey in parenting an infant with CCHD, identifying key motivations and relationship qualities.
• Findings underscore the dynamic nature of co-parenting in response to infant illness severity.
• Results provide a foundation for future research and clinical interventions supporting these families.