Prenatal screening of pregnant mothers for parenting difficulties: final results from the Queen Mary Child Care Unit.
This paper reports the results of 10 years of research into the prenatal identification of mothers likely to have major parenting problems. Previous published research reported the development of a set of criteria for determining risk status. These criteria were used to classify into four levels of risk a sample of mothers who were consecutive enrollments for prenatal care. The sample was monitored through various social agencies for 2 years. Results of this monitoring indicate the predictive validity of the risk code in an unselected sample. The value of prenatal identification of the 'at risk' is discussed together with the procedures adopted for implementing routine screening in the maternity hospital. The issue of causation, as distinct from prediction, is addressed.
Egan
T G
TG
Medical Education Development Unit, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Monaghan
S M
SM
Muir
R C
RC
Gilmore
R J
RJ
Clarkson
J E
JE
Crooks
T J
TJ
D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003152:Community Health Nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008403:Mass Screening; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009520:New Zealand; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000523:psychology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015406:Single Parent / Q000523:psychology