Ingeborg Hedegaard Kristensen1, Marianne Simonsen2, Tea Trillingsgaard3, Maiken Pontoppidan4, Hanne Kronborg5. 1. Section of Nursing, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 6A, DK 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. Electronic address: Ihk@ph.au.dk. 2. Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University, Fuglesangs Allé 4, 8210 Aarhus V, Denmark. Electronic address: msimonsen@econ.au.dk. 3. Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, Bartolins Allé 9, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. Electronic address: teatri@psy.au.dk. 4. The Danish National Centre for Social Science Research, Herluf Trollesgade 11, 1052 Copenhagen K, Denmark. Electronic address: mpo@sfi.dk. 5. Section of Nursing, Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Høegh-Guldbergs Gade 6A, DK 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. Electronic address: hk@ph.au.dk.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The aims were to describe first-time mothers' confidence, mood and stress 2 and 6 months postpartum and to investigate the extent to which the tools measuring maternal confidence and maternal mood used alone or together at 2 months postpartum predict first-time maternal confidence, mood and stress 6 months postpartum. DESIGN: A cohort including 513 first-time mothers' self-reported questionnaires concerning three scales: The Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) collected 2 and 6 months postpartum. Descriptive statistic, simple and multiple linear regression analysis were used. RESULTS: First-time mothers' with confidence scores below the clinical cut-off (KPCS <40) fell significantly from 25% to 14% (p < 0.001), symptoms of depression above the clinical cut-off (EPDS ≥ 8) fell significantly from 16% to 12% (p < 0.001), and parental stress as a mother fell significantly from a mean of 32.88 to 30.98 (p < 0.001). The KPCS assessed at 2 months postpartum was the strongest predictor for both maternal confidence (R2 = 0.38) and parental stress (R2 = 0.26) 6 months postpartum. CONCLUSION: The results support the assumption that parenthood is a complicated period for first-time mothers characterised by low confidence, symptoms of depression and high stress which improve over time for the majority of mothers. The KPCS at 2 months postpartum was the strongest predictor of the measures used. Further research is needed to identify parents who are struggling, especially for health professionals' whose role is to support parents in their parenthood the first period after birth.
OBJECTIVES: The aims were to describe first-time mothers' confidence, mood and stress 2 and 6 months postpartum and to investigate the extent to which the tools measuring maternal confidence and maternal mood used alone or together at 2 months postpartum predict first-time maternal confidence, mood and stress 6 months postpartum. DESIGN: A cohort including 513 first-time mothers' self-reported questionnaires concerning three scales: The Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) collected 2 and 6 months postpartum. Descriptive statistic, simple and multiple linear regression analysis were used. RESULTS: First-time mothers' with confidence scores below the clinical cut-off (KPCS <40) fell significantly from 25% to 14% (p < 0.001), symptoms of depression above the clinical cut-off (EPDS ≥ 8) fell significantly from 16% to 12% (p < 0.001), and parental stress as a mother fell significantly from a mean of 32.88 to 30.98 (p < 0.001). The KPCS assessed at 2 months postpartum was the strongest predictor for both maternal confidence (R2 = 0.38) and parental stress (R2 = 0.26) 6 months postpartum. CONCLUSION: The results support the assumption that parenthood is a complicated period for first-time mothers characterised by low confidence, symptoms of depression and high stress which improve over time for the majority of mothers. The KPCS at 2 months postpartum was the strongest predictor of the measures used. Further research is needed to identify parents who are struggling, especially for health professionals' whose role is to support parents in their parenthood the first period after birth.
Authors: Leah A Grande; Aviva K Olsavsky; Andrew Erhart; Alexander J Dufford; Rebekah Tribble; K Luan Phan; Pilyoung Kim Journal: Cogn Affect Behav Neurosci Date: 2021-06-14 Impact factor: 3.526
Authors: Alice Mannocci; Azzurra Massimi; Franca Scaglietta; Sara Ciavardini; Michela Scollo; Claudia Scaglione; Giuseppe La Torre Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-04-12 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Alice Mannocci; Sara Ciavardini; Federica Mattioli; Azzurra Massimi; Valeria D'Egidio; Lorenza Lia; Franca Scaglietta; Andrea Giannini; Roberta Antico; Barbara Dorelli; Alessandro Svelato; Luigi Orfeo; Pierluigi Benedetti Panici; Antonio Ragusa; Giuseppe La Torre; Happy Mama Group Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-01-27 Impact factor: 3.390