The Contribution of Self-awareness and Sources of Support to Personal Growth – A Comparison between First-time Mothers and Fathers

The transition to parenthood entails challenges and difficulties for new parents, causing varying degrees of stress. In the last two decades, the literature dealing with stressful events has also recognized positive consequences as results of stressful events; one of them being personal growth. The literature has dealt extensively with the experience of personal growth among mothers and much less with the experience among fathers.

Moreover, studies conducted thus far have suggested that parental stress is related to personal growth, but have presented a complex relationship that requires further examination to understand it in depth. These studies have also found that personality traits are related to personal growth, yet an in-depth examination of this relationship with self-awareness has not yet been conducted. Furthermore, it was found that social support is related to personal growth, but few studies have distinguished between the various sources of support which may contribute to personal growth. Thus, the aim of the present study was to provide a deeper understanding of the personal growth experience among parents after the birth of their first child. The intention was to identify internal resources (parental stress and self-awareness in aspects of rumination and reflection) and external resources (maternal support, spouse support, and professional support) that contribute to personal growth among mothers and fathers.

The study was comprised of 271 first time parents (152 mothers and 119 fathers), whose first child was between six months and two years. The research method was a quantitative study using self-report questionnaires. Questionnaires examined personal growth, parental stress, self-awareness, and social support (maternal, spouse, and professional support).

The study’s findings show that mothers reported higher personal growth than fathers on all dimensions. A positive linear relationship was also found between parental stress and personal growth on the following dimensions: new possibilities, relating to others, and spiritual change. Thus, the higher the parental stress levels, the more parents reported personal growth on: new possibilities, relating to others, and spiritual change. Moreover, a curvilinear relationship was found between parental stress and the dimensions of personal growth: personal development and new opportunities. In addition, it was found that spouse support contributed to the parents’ experience of growth on the dimensions of personal development, new possibilities, relating to others and appreciation of life. Mother support similarly contributed to personal growth in new possibilities and relating to others.  Likewise, professional support contributed in dimensions relating to others and a spiritual change.

The importance of the present study lies in shedding light on the resources contributing to personal growth of mothers and fathers after the birth of their first child. The insights that emerge from the findings of the present study may form the basis for planning intervention programs for both mothers and fathers after the birth of their first child. These programs would provide resources and assistance to those experiencing distress so they could also experience personal growth during this significant life transition.