Biopsychology of transition to fatherhood

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This work focuses on fathers during the transition to fatherhood, examining the relationship between testosterone (T) levels and paternal investment, along with personality traits and relationship quality. Providing paternal care correlates with reduced competitive behavior and increased protective actions. Research indicates that T levels decrease in men transitioning to fatherhood, promoting paternal care over mating efforts. Additionally, there is evidence of declining relationship quality among parents during this transition, suggesting a link between T levels and relationship dynamics. Sensation seeking (SS) is also thought to relate to mating efforts and T, prompting its inclusion in the studies. The research involved 37 fathers and 38 childless men in committed relationships, with saliva samples collected for T measurement and questionnaires completed at two time points: four weeks before and eight weeks after birth for fathers, and three months later for controls. Results showed that fathers had significantly lower T levels than controls at the second measurement and experienced a decline in relationship quality, particularly in the subscale of Tenderness. This decline was linked to changes in T levels, supporting the “challenge hypothesis,” which posits that T is positively associated with mating efforts and negatively with paternal activities. The second study revealed that SS moderates T levels, with low SS father