title: Competence and responsiveness in mothers of late preterm infants versus term infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare maternal competence and responsiveness in mothers of late preterm infants (LPIs) with mothers of full-term infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  A nonexperimental repeated-measures design was used to compare maternal competence and responsiveness in two groups of postpartum mothers and the relationship of the theoretical antecedents to these outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urban academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mothers of late preterm infants (34-36, 6/7-weeks gestation) and mothers of term infants (≥37-weeks gestation), including primiparas and multiparas. Data were collected after delivery during the postpartum hospital stay and again at 6-weeks postpartum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive and inferential analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 70 mothers completed both data collection periods: 49 term mothers and 21 LPI mothers. There were no differences between the two groups related to their perception of competence or responsiveness at delivery or 6-weeks postpartum. At 6-weeks postpartum, none of the assessed factors in the model was significantly related to competence or responsiveness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results, which may have been limited by small sample size, demonstrated no difference in the perceptions of LPI and term mothers related to competence or responsiveness. Maternal stress and support were significantly related to other factors in the model of maternal competence and responsiveness.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980567, Richmond, VA 23298, USA. bbaker3@mcvh-vcu.edu
authors.forename: Brenda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: McGrath
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pickler
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jallo
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001294:Attitude to Health; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult