Bonnie Lee Harbaugh

Differences in Parenting Stress between Married and Single First Time Mothers at Six to Eight Weeks After Birth

Parenting stress has been shown to affect relationships between mothers and their infants. Single mothers may experience more parenting stress due to exposure to stressors that are unique to their environment. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to determine the differences between married and single first-time mothers on the Parenting Stress Index/Short Form (PSI/SF ). A convenience sample of 22 single and 52 married first-time mothers were recruited from postpartum units in two large metropolitan hospitals in the southeastern United States. During hospitalization, participants completed a demographic sheet and at six weeks postpartum, were mailed the PSI/SF. T-tests were assessed for differences between mean scores. Study findings indicate significant differences between single and married first-time mothers on the Parental Distress subscale (t = −3.468, p = .001), the Difficult Child subscale (t = −2.032, p = .046), and Defensive Responding subscale (t = −3.720, p = .000), with single mothers consistently scoring higher than married mothers; however, there was not a significant statistical difference between mothers on the Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction subscale (t = −1.290, p = .201). Overall, single mothers scored higher on the Total Parenting Stress scores of the PSI/SF than married mothers (t = −2.858, p = .005), suggesting that single women experience more stress as a new mother than married new mothers. It is important to understand the specific stressors of new, single mothers and to develop nursing interventions that decrease parenting stress in single mothers.

Transition of Maternal Competency of Married and Single Mothers in Early Parenthood

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.

Depression and the Use of Conventional and Nonconventional Interventions by Rural Patients

BACKGROUND: Depression is a serious condition that is often ignored or overlooked by health care professionals. Improvement in the recognition, treatment, and prevention of this disease is a public health priority, especially in rural areas. PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were (a) to determine if participants in rural areas from four sub-groups—patients with breast cancer, caregivers, patients with myocardial infarction, and patients who have had a stroke—were depressed, and (b) to compare and identify conventional and nonconventional interventions being implemented for depression. DESIGN: A comparative descriptive design was used. Using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Index, the authors questioned 120 participants. RESULTS: Forty-four (37%) of the participants in this study reported depression; 70% were not being treated with antidepressants. Unemployment and marital status were significant predictors of depression. No differences among groups were identified in the treatment of depression. CONCLUSION: Health care providers should be aware that screening and treatment for depression are necessary, especially in rural areas where isolation, poverty, and lack of mental health services are common.

Obesity and Overweight Prevalence among a Mississippi Low-Income Preschool Population: A Five-Year Comparison

Purpose. This study determined 2010 rates of overweight/obesity in a representative sample of low-income preschoolers in Mississippi, USA and compared rates between 2005 (N = 1250) and 2010 (N = 1765). Significance. Obesity is a significant global health issue because of its well-established negative health consequences. Child obesity is a concern due to risk of early-onset obesity-related illnesses and the longevity of lifetime exposure to those illnesses. Methods. Identical measures were used in 2005 and 2010 with complex-stratified sampling designs. Results. Chi-square tests revealed that overall obesity/overweight rates between 2005 (20.6%/17.9%) and 2010 (20.8%/17.0%) had not changed significantly for the samples as a whole, nor by gender or race. Age group comparisons indicated a significant decline in obesity rates of 3 year olds (20.3% in 2005, reduced to 13.1% in 2010, P = 0.035). These findings mimic the trend toward stabilization of obesity rates noted in national low-income preschool populations.

Early Maternal-Efficacy and Competence in First-Time, Low-Income Mothers

ABSTRACT Mothers with higher maternal competence in early parenthood are more comfortable performing infant skills and interpreting their infants’ cues. Further, maternal perceptions of self-efficacy are related to her ability to take care of her infant. First-time, low-income mothers’ new role, life stressors, and economic hardships can increase psychological distress resulting in less positive parenting practices. Purpose: This secondary analysis of a mixed methods study compared qualitative interview responses of mothers with the highest and lowest maternal competence scores to determine if interview responses reflected maternal competence, and to validate aspects of Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory. During a routine Women, Infant, Children’s (WIC) nutrition visit at 1–6 months after birth, 21 mothers completed 3 measures of self-esteem, sense of mastery, and maternal competence and were interviewed privately using a 9-item semi-structured interview guide that elicited reflections about early mothering experiences. The sample for this study (n = 8) was arrived at by taking mothers with upper (75th, N = 5) and lower (25th, n = 3) percentiles on the Parenting Sense of Competence (PSOC) and directed content analysis to compare their interview responses. In addition, efficacy expectations from Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Theory were validated in this sample by analyzing the interview responses. The findings revealed that mothers with the highest (n = 5) and lowest (n = 3) PSOC scores reported similar concerns with maternal role adaptation. However, mothers who reported lower PSOC scores verbalized more problems in the category “feelings about being a mother.” Health care professionals need to be aware of maternal competence and self-efficacy in new mothers and assist them as they assume the maternal role.