A couple-focused intervention during transition to parenthood: a protocol for evaluation the Family Foundations program

The transition to parenthood is a period of excitement and stress that can affect couples' psychological well-being and relationships. Despite the significance of this period, there are limited effective, evidence-based couple-focused prevention programs. Research indicates that interventions emphasising enhancing co-parenting can be effective. This study is based on the hypothesis that enhancing co-parenting quality at the transition to parenthood can improve well-being, relationship quality and reduce destructive conflicts. This protocol is a randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate the Family Foundations Program in Iran. Family Foundations is a global, comprehensive program designed to support couples in fostering cooperative co-parenting during the transition to parenthood. The study will include both in-person and online sessions. Participants in the intervention group will attend five group sessions during pregnancy and four online sessions postpartum. The control group will receive standard prenatal and postnatal care. Participants in this study will be evaluated in three phases: pre-test (Pregnancy < 25 weeks), post-test (week 10 after delivery), and two-month follow-up (Iranian Clinical Trials Registry: IRCT20230709058725N1). Most research on transition to parenthood programs has been conducted in developed Western societies. Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of such programs in societies with differing economic and cultural conditions is essential. This study seeks to address gaps in the literature by providing insights into program evaluation in such a context.