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Background: Past research has identified negative changes in new parents' psychological well-being. Less studied are the protective factors that can alleviate this transition impact. Informed by theories of psychological well-being, the protective role of pre-parenthood positive sense of self in parenthood transitions was examined.

Method: Longitudinal data for 2,588 individuals collected from adolescence through their transition to parenthood were analyzed. Pre-parenthood sense-of-self trajectory groups were formed using data collected during adolescence. Piecewise multilevel models were constructed to explore the effect of pre-parenthood sense of self on new parents' psychological well-being measured by depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and sense of mastery.

Results: Compared to nonparent peers, the transitions to parenthood lowered new parents' psychological well-being. This aforementioned change differed by pre-parenthood sense-of-self trajectory groups. Contrary to expectations, new parents with high self-esteem or sense of mastery during adolescence experienced greater negative immediate impacts at childbirth, compared to their low sense of self counterparts. Furthermore, new parents with both high pre-parenthood self-esteem and sense of mastery demonstrated gradual declines in sense of self after childbirth.