The Dyadic Association of Testosterone With Perceived Social Support in Couples Across the Transition to Parenthood

Abstract

Social support is associated with positive health outcomes and may be protective during sensitive life periods. Importantly, biological factors, including hormones, are associated with psychological and interpersonal functioning, but less is known about the link between biological factors and perceived social support during the transition to parenthood. The current study examined prenatal testosterone levels as a predictor of postpartum perceived social support among first-time parents. Participants (N = 110 husband–wife dyads) engaged in an ecologically valid laboratory-based infant simulator task involving an inconsolable doll. Saliva samples were collected prenatally before and after the infant simulator task. Perceived social support was self-reported prenatally and at 6 months postpartum. On average, fathers’ baseline testosterone levels were higher than mothers’ (p < 0.001). Most fathers and mothers demonstrated an increase in testosterone in response to the parenting task (n_fathers = 66; n_mothers = 67). An actor–partner interdependence model tested the association of prenatal baseline testosterone and testosterone reactivity predicting postpartum perceived social support, accounting for prenatal perceived social support. Findings revealed that (1) lower mother prenatal baseline testosterone was associated with higher mother postpartum perceived social support and (2) lower father prenatal testosterone reactivity was associated with higher mother postpartum perceived social support. No paths predicted fathers’ postpartum perceived social support. Interpretations and implications of these findings are discussed.