Group prenatal training boosts self-efficacy, happiness and marital satisfaction in first-time mothers

A structured, parent-centered group training program delivered during pregnancy significantly improved parental self-efficacy, happiness, and marital satisfaction among first-time expectant mothers, according to a quasi-experimental study conducted in Shahrekord, Iran, and published in BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth.

The study recruited 100 first-time pregnant women from prenatal care centers and allocated them to an intervention group of 50 women and a control group of 50 women. Participants in the intervention group attended a six-session parent-centered group training program grounded in the ASSURE instructional design model, in addition to routine prenatal care, while the control group received routine care only.

The program emphasized experiential learning, peer support, observational learning, and skill-based training related to infant care and marital relationship management.

Researchers assessed outcomes at two time points: baseline, before the intervention began, and six weeks postpartum. Three validated instruments were used: the Self-Efficacy in the Nurturing Role (SENR) scale for confidence in parenting, the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) for subjective well-being, and the Couples Satisfaction Index–Short Form (CSI-SF) for marital satisfaction.

Of the 100 women originally allocated, 80 participants were included in the final analysis: 42 in the intervention group and 38 in the control group.

At six weeks postpartum, the intervention group showed significantly greater improvements in parental self-efficacy, happiness, and marital satisfaction compared with the control group, with all comparisons reaching a significance level of P < 0.001. Within-group analyses indicated significant improvements across all three outcomes in the intervention group, whereas changes in the control group were minimal or non-significant.

The researchers also examined mean change scores from baseline to follow-up. These change scores were significantly greater in the intervention group for all variables (p < 0.001), which the authors describe as indicating a robust effect of the intervention. Data were analyzed using independent-samples and paired-samples t-tests in SPSS version 16.

The transition to parenthood is described in the study’s background as a profound developmental milestone accompanied by extensive psychological, emotional, and relational changes, particularly for first-time expectant mothers. The authors note that inadequate preparation for this transition may compromise maternal self-efficacy, subjective well-being, and marital quality, thereby affecting family functioning, and that evidence on prenatal educational interventions addressing multiple psychosocial outcomes simultaneously has remained limited.

Based on their findings, the study’s authors conclude that the parent-centered group training program demonstrated significant effectiveness in enhancing parental self-efficacy, happiness, and marital satisfaction among first-time expectant mothers. They suggest that structured, theory-driven, and participatory prenatal education programs could be integrated into routine maternity care to promote maternal psychosocial well-being and facilitate a more adaptive transition to parenthood.

Several caveats are worth keeping in mind when interpreting these results. The study used a quasi-experimental design rather than randomization, so participants were allocated to groups without the safeguards of a randomized controlled trial, and unmeasured differences between groups could have influenced the outcomes. The findings come from a single setting, with participants recruited from prenatal care centers in one Iranian city, and the analysis was based on 80 participants assessed with t-tests. The reported results reflect this specific six-session program and population, and further research would be needed to establish whether similar benefits would generalize to other settings or to more diverse groups of expectant parents.

Subject of Research: A quasi-experimental study of a parent-centered group prenatal training program for first-time expectant mothers in Iran

Article Title: Effectiveness of a parent-centered group training program on maternal self-efficacy, happiness, and marital satisfaction among first-time expectant mothers: a quasi-experimental study

Article References: Sharifi, F., Dadkhah, N., Kheiri, S., & Safdari–Dehcheshmeh, F. (2026). Effectiveness of a parent-centered group training program on maternal self-efficacy, happiness, and marital satisfaction among first-time expectant mothers: a quasi-experimental study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-026-10066-8

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12884-026-10066-8

Keywords: prenatal education, parent-centered training, maternal self-efficacy, happiness, marital satisfaction, first-time mothers, quasi-experimental study, postpartum, Iran, ASSURE model, BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, transition to parenthood