Marital Satisfaction and the Quality of Mother–Father–Child Triadic Interactions: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT Objective This systematic review aimed to characterize the link between marital satisfaction and triadic interactions. Background Current literature has demonstrated a link between marital satisfaction and dyadic parent–infant interactions, two concepts that are known to impact infant development. These results obtained for dyadic interactions cannot be transposed to triadic interactions. Method A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analysis) method. An electronic search was conducted in four databases for all articles published on the topic. A total of 11 articles met the inclusion criteria. The findings differ between studies; no link, a positive link, and a negative link were found between marital satisfaction and triadic interactions. Results We discuss the adaptive and nonadaptive nature of marital satisfaction during the perinatal period. A decrease in marital satisfaction allows the parents' relationship to evolve from a couple‐centered relationship to a triadic relationship. Triadic interactions are of poorer quality when this decrease reaches a distress threshold, however. Conclusion and Implications Future studies should explore this link before the infant is 3 months old, for early prevention of the potential negative effects of low marital satisfaction or poor‐quality triadic interactions on infant development. Although more research is required on this topic to generalize the effects to the general population, identifying marital distress in couples—as early as during pregnancy—appears important to prevent its effects on their interactions with the infant.