Attachment style and prenatal expectations from a Bayesian perspective

The transition to motherhood is sometimes characterized by ambivalent emotions. This paper attempts to explore whether this transition may be triggering attachment insecurities in first-time pregnant women during their first trimester, and thus affecting their prenatal expectations and caregiving representations.

A sample of 100 first-time pregnant women during their first trimester was studied. Prenatal expectations were explored in terms of desire to have children (DTC), perceived ability to relate to children (PARC), personal meaning ascribed to motherhood, and preoccupations regarding becoming a mother.

The estimated Bayesian network shows that attachment style is a predictor for prenatal expectations, either directly or indirectly. Results also suggest that PARC mediates the relationship between attachment and the preoccupations related to motherhood. Pregnant women with an insecure attachment style reported lower PARC and higher preoccupations about becoming a mother.

Pregnant women with secure attachment have more positive pre-parenthood expectations and parenting representations than those with insecure attachment. These results may be useful in clinical settings to help women have a smoother transition to motherhood.