Important variables for parents' postnatal sense of security: evaluating a new Swedish instrument (the PPSS instrument).
OBJECTIVE
to evaluate dimensions of both parents' postnatal sense of security the first week after childbirth, and to determine associations between the PPSS instrument and different sociodemographic and situational background variables.


METHODS
evaluative, cross-sectional design.


METHODS
113 mothers and 99 fathers with children live born at term, from five hospitals in southern Sweden.


RESULTS
mothers and fathers had similar feelings concerning postnatal sense of security. Of the dimensions in the PPSS instrument, a sense of midwives'/nurses' empowering behaviour, a sense of one's own general well-being and a sense of the mother's well-being as experienced by the father were the most important dimensions for parents' experienced security. A sense of affinity within the family (for both parents) and a sense of manageable breast feeding (for mothers) were not significantly associated with their experienced security. A sense of participation during pregnancy and general anxiety were significantly associated background variables for postnatal sense of security for both parents. For the mothers, parity and a sense that the father was participating during pregnancy were also significantly associated.


CONCLUSIONS
more focus on parents' participation during pregnancy as well as midwives'/nurses' empowering behaviour during the postnatal period will be beneficial for both parents' postnatal sense of security.
Persson
Eva K
EK
Medical Faculty, Department of Health Sciences, Division of Nursing, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. eva-kristina.persson@med.lu.se
Dykes
Anna-Karin
AK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011247:Pregnancy; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult