Longitudinal associations between prenatal testosterone and postpartum outcomes in a sample of first-time expectant lesbian couples.

Although increasing numbers of gay and lesbian individuals ultimately become parents, the vast majority of research on the transition to parenthood focuses exclusively on heterosexual samples. Even less is known about the physiological implications of this major life transition among those who identify as sexual minorities. The present study begins to redress these gaps in the literature by assessing prospective links between prenatal testosterone, a steroid hormone that is negatively associated with nurturance and caregiving, and postpartum outcomes in a sample of 25 first-time expectant lesbian couples (N = 50 individuals). Consistent with prior work in heterosexual samples, which suggests that lower testosterone promotes both partnering and parenting, we found that, in both partners, lower testosterone during the prenatal period predicted better romantic relationship and parenting outcomes at three-months postpartum (e.g., higher relationship quality, more time spent doing baby care). There was also evidence for dyadic associations; for instance, birth mothers reported more overprotective behavior, and non-birth mothers reported greater commitment, when their female partners had lower testosterone. Together, our findings contribute important new knowledge about the functionality of testosterone in close relationships contexts, including some of the first evidence among sexual minorities.

Prospective and dyadic associations between expectant parents' prenatal hormone changes and postpartum parenting outcomes.

During the transition to parenthood, both men and women experience hormone changes that are thought to promote parental care. Yet very few studies have explicitly tested the hypothesis that prenatal hormone changes are associated with postpartum parenting behavior. In a longitudinal study of 27 first-time expectant couples, we assessed whether prenatal hormone changes were moderated by self- and partner-reported parenting outcomes at 3 months postpartum. Expectant fathers showed prenatal declines in testosterone and estradiol, and larger declines in these hormones were associated with greater contributions to household and infant care tasks postpartum. Women whose partners showed larger testosterone declines also reported receiving more support and more help with household tasks. Expectant mothers showed prenatal increases in testosterone and estradiol, and larger increases in these hormones were associated with lower partner-rated support. Together, our findings provide some of the first evidence that prenatal hormone changes may indeed be functional and that the implications of these changes may be detectable by co-parents.

The Clinical Relevance of Impulsivity in Substance Use Disorder Treatment: Examining Within-Treatment Changes and Relationship to Psychiatric Symptoms and Cravings in a Large Inpatient Sample.

OBJECTIVE: Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct consistently associated with problematic substance use, but less is known about its relevance to clinical outcomes. The current study examined whether impulsivity changed over the course of addiction treatment and whether the changes were associated with changes in other clinical outcomes. METHOD: Participants were patients in a large inpatient addiction medicine program (N = 817; 71.40% male). Impulsivity was assessed using a self-report measure of delay discounting (i.e., overvaluation of smaller immediate rewards) and the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale, a self-report measure of impulsive personality traits. Outcomes were psychiatric symptoms including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and drug cravings. RESULTS: Within-subjects analyses of variance revealed significant within-treatment changes in all UPPS-P subscales, all psychiatric indicators, and craving (ps < .005), but not delay discounting. Changes in all UPPS-P traits, except for sensation seeking, were significantly positively associated with changes in psychiatric symptoms and cravings over the course of treatment (ps < .01). CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal that facets of impulsive personality change across addiction treatment and are generally related to positive changes in other clinically relevant outcomes. Evidence of change despite no explicit intervention targeting suggests that impulsive personality traits may be viable treatment targets in substance use disorder treatment.