Maternal role development: the impact of maternal distress and social support following childbirth.
OBJECTIVE
to explore the relationship between maternal role development (MRD), maternal distress (MD) and social support following childbirth.


METHODS
prospective longitudinal survey.


METHODS
three public hospital maternity units in Brisbane, Australia.


METHODS
630 pregnant women were invited to participate in the study, with a 77% (n=473) completion rate.


METHODS
to measure MRD, the Prenatal Maternal Expectation Scale was used at 36 weeks of pregnancy, and the revised What Being the Parent of a New Baby is Like (with subscales of evaluation, centrality and life change) was used at six and 12 weeks post partum. At all three data collection points, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to measure MD, and the Maternal Social Support Scale was used to measure social support.


RESULTS
at 36 weeks of gestation, optimal scaling for MRD produced a parsimonious model with MD providing 39% of predictive power. At six weeks post partum, similar models predicting MRD were found (evaluation: r(2)=0.14, MD providing 64% of predictive power; centrality: r(2)=0.07, MD providing 11% of predictive power; life change: r(2)=0.26, MD providing 59% of predictive power). At 12 weeks post partum, MD was a predictor for evaluation (r(2)=0.11) and life change (r(2)=0.26, 54% of predictive power).


CONCLUSIONS
there is a statistically significant but moderate correlation between MRD and MD. The transition to motherhood can be stressful, but may be facilitated by appropriate acknowledgement and support with an emphasis on MRD.
Emmanuel
Elizabeth N
EN
Research Centre for Clinical and Community Practice Innovation, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. e.emmanuel@griffith.edu.au
Creedy
Debra K
DK
St John
Winsome
W
Brown
Claire
C
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations; D010298:Parity; D036801:Parturition / Q000523:psychology*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors