title: Transition of maternal competency of married and single mothers in early parenthood.
abstract: Women who perceive maternal competency in early parenthood feel comfortable with infant care. A convenience sample of 58 married, first-time mothers and 22 single, first-time mothers was surveyed at six to eight weeks after childbirth to determine the differences in maternal competence perception between married and single mothers. Findings in this pilot study reveal that single mothers significantly reported less comfort in the maternal role as compared to married mothers. Implications for practice, research, and education are discussed.
authors.affiliation: D ebra C opeland is an assistant professor in the Childbearing Women and Family Nursing Department in the School of Nursing at The University of Southern Mississippi in Long Beach, Mississippi.
authors.forename: Debra Beach
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Copeland
authors.forename: Bonnie Lee
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Harbaugh