Women's evaluation of the labor and delivery experience

The purpose of this study was to identify how women described and evaluated their labor and delivery experience and what factors were related to their responses. Sixty Lamaze-prepared, married multigravidae, aged 21 to 37 years, participated in this qualitative field study. Detailed, open-ended tape-recorded interviews were conducted on the postpartum unit of a community hospital or in the women's homes early during the postpartum period. Women evaluated their labor and delivery experience according to how well they perceived they had managed their own childbirth performance. Women who managed well viewed childbirth as positive, whereas women who had difficulty or managed poorly viewed it as both positive and negative. Women who managed well thought their own performance and the nature of labor and delivery (physical aspects) went well; women who had difficulty thought labor and delivery and the performance of others went well, but women who managed poorly had problems identifying anything that went well. There was overall agreement that the baby was the best part of the experience and that pain and pushing were the worst parts. Since women's evaluation of their labor and delivery experience may be related to the quality of their subsequent mothering, it is important to enhance their perceptions of their own performance, and thus their evaluation of the childbirth experience.     

Fathers' childbirth experience and nursing interventions

The purpose of the study was to describe the childbirth experience of fathers and nursing interventions used during labour and delivery. The data were collected by questionnaires from fathers attending delivery room during one month (n = 137). Five fathers refused to participate. The return rate was 81% out of 132 fathers. Data analysis included cross tabulations, factor analysis as well as content analysis for open ended questions. Nursing interventions which fathers found supportive were infant care, getting information and attention from the staff. Most of the respondents felt they got encouragement to take care of the infant. They also got information of the delivery and newborn's welfare. However, about half felt they got little encouragement to show their own feelings. Fathers found that being present at the delivery was an important part of their fatherhood. The best moments were attached to enjoyment of taking care of the newborn. Fathers felt themselves unable to help their partner enough. They felt very difficult to see their partner in pain. Most of the father were quite satisfied with nursing interventions used during labour. They wanted more attention to be paid to pain management. Fathers would like to get more advice during labour.     

Experience of pregnancy, delivery, motherhood and knowledge transfer in 3 generations of mothers

The purpose of the study was to describe how three generations of mothers have reacted to their pregnancies and deliveries and also how they feel about their maternity. Furthermore, the purpose was to illustrate the transfer of knowledge from one generation to another. Interviews have been made with three triads of generations, in all nine mothers. A phenomenological-hermeneutic onset has been chosen in order to analyse the narratives of the mothers. In the structural analyses the following themes came to hand: positive experiences/feelings, negative experiences/feelings, internal and external network and knowledge. The life-experiences of the maternity of the mothers were chiefly positive while experiences from pregnancy and childbirth were positive as well as negative. The knowledge of the mothers regarding childbirth and the bringing up of children were mostly conveyed in the everyday-contact during their early years, amongst mother-daughter-granddaughter. For the feeling of a successful experience during pregnancy, delivery and maternity, the internal network as well as the external turned out to be of great importance. In order to even better be able to provide for the needs of the expectant mothers or of those who have recently become mothers, an individual planning of care of both in- and out-patients within maternity- and childwelfare can be valuable.     

Same-sex attraction, social relationships, psychosocial functioning, and school performance in early adolescence.

The authors examined whether 13- to 15-year-old adolescents who experience feelings of same-sex attraction (SSA) differ from those without such feelings in the quality of relationships with parents, peers, and class mentors and in psychosocial functioning (health status and school performance). The authors also assessed whether differences in psychosocial functioning resulted from differences in the quality of social relationships. Data were collected from 866 Dutch high school students (mean age 13.61 years) by means of a computer-based questionnaire. Of the participants, 74 (8.5%) reported having feelings of SSA. The participants with SSA rated the quality of their relationships with their fathers and their peers lower than did those without SSA. Participants with SSA also had poorer mental health (higher levels of depression and lower levels of self-esteem) and lower school performance. A mediation analysis revealed that differences in psychosocial functioning resulted from differences in the quality of the same-sex attracted youths' social relationships, especially with fathers and peers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Child custody mediation and litigation: An experimental evaluation of the experience of parents.

In this study, 40 pairs of separated parents were randomly assigned to attempt to settle their child custody dispute either in mediation or through adversary procedures. Outcomes of the two methods of dispute resolution were compared in regard to diversions from court, parents' evaluations of the court experience, and parents' psychological adjustment. It was found that mediation successfully diverted a significant number of families from the child custody hearing and that settlements were reached more quickly in mediation than in litigation. Fathers clearly prefered mediation, but between-groups differences generally were not large for mothers. Some differences found for mothers indicated favorable effects of mediation, but the women who went through litigation felt that they had won more and lost less relative to the mothers in mediation. Mothers in litigation also tended to report fewer depressed feelings than did mothers in mediation or fathers in either group. The custody mediation seems to have created excess psychological satisfaction compared with litigation. However, most of the psychological benefits were experienced by fathers who were likely to lose court custody battles. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The doula: an essential ingredient of childbirth rediscovered

Eleven randomized control trials examined whether additional support by a trained lay person (called a doula), student midwife or midwife, who provides continuous support consisting of praise, encouragement, reassurance, comfort measures, physical contact and explanations about progress during labor, will affect obstetrical and neonatal outcomes. The women were healthy primigravidas at term. Meta-analysis of these studies showed a reduction in the duration of labor, the use of medications for pain relief, operative vaginal delivery, and in many studies a reduction in caesarian deliveries. At 6 weeks after delivery in one study a greater proportion of doula-supported women were breastfeeding, reported greater self-esteem, less depression, a higher regard for their babies and their ability to care for them compared to the control mothers. Observations during labor showed that fathers remained farther away from mothers than doulas, talked and touched less. When the doula was present with the couple during labor the father offered more personal support. The father-to-be' s presence during labor and delivery is important to the mother and father, but it is the presence of the doula that results in significant benefits in outcome.     

The use of different fixatives and hydrophilic embedding media (Historesin and Unicryl) for the study of embryonic tissues

As part of a research project exploring ways through which we can understand the crying infant and its family, this study focuses on the experiences of fathers during labour and delivery of their infant. In a previous part of the project it was shown that fathers' negative experiences during the childbirth were correlated with the amount of crying in the infant during the first months after birth. The aim of the present study was to explore and interpret the experiences that fathers reported in an interview when the infant was between six months and one year of age. A hundred and nine fathers were interviewed. The interviews, which took place in the families' homes and with both parents present, were carried out in dialogue form with open-ended questions. The results reveal that complications during the delivery were significantly correlated with the amount of crying in the infant. Feelings of helplessness, of guilt and that staff behaviour had been negative were more common in the group of fathers who experienced the delivery as a negative event. 'Locus of control' seems to be the most relevant concept.     

Changes in the marital relationship during the transition to first time motherhood: Effects of violated expectations concerning division of household labor.

This research combined cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses to evaluate the hypothesis that violated expectations with respect to sharing child care and housekeeping responsibilities contribute to women's dissatisfactions with their marital relationships after the birth of their first child. The cross-sectional sample consisted of 670 women who completed questionnaires at one of six phases in relation to birth. The longitudinal sample consisted of 48 women who filled out questionnaires late in pregnancy and at three periods postpartum. The results showed, consistent with previous findings, that women reported less positive feelings about their husbands during the postpartum period than during pregnancy, and that women reported doing much more of the housework and child care than they had expected. Moreover, regression analyses indicated, as predicted, that violated expectations concerning division of labor were related to negative feelings postpartum concerning some aspects of the marital relationship. Additional findings suggested that the negative implications of the birth of a baby for the marital relationship may not be as great as has been emphasized in previous literature, and that expectancy violations affect some parts of the relationship but not necessarily the core affective feeling. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Who wants the children?: Some relationships among attitudes toward children, parents, and the liberation of women.

Investigated the relationship between attitudes toward child rearing, the quality of childhood experiences, and agreement with women's liberation. A self-report measure of these variables was administered to 101 male and 117 female undergraduates and to 42 women in a continuing education program (CEWs). Results show that (a) CEWs had the most positive attitudes toward child rearing and males had the least positive; (b) no relationship was found between desire to have children and having a father who was home during most of childhood or a working mother; (c) Ss with positive attitudes toward children ranked child rearing as more creative and of more value to society and remembered more nuturant mothers and fathers; (d) males had the least favorable attitudes toward women's liberation, while CEWs had the most; (e) the most child-oriented men had more favorable attitudes toward women's liberation than males with moderately or unfavorable attitudes; and (f) proliberation women were less eager to have children, remembered less attention from their parents, and had more positive feelings toward mothers than fathers. (27 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Adjustment in first-time mothers: Changes in mood and mood content during the early postpartum months.

This longitudinal study investigated changes in the content of mood and in mood levels of primiparous mothers. Interview responses were collected from a core sample of 32 women during pregnancy and at 1, 3, and 16 months postpartum. Correctional analyses of interview mood scores across time indicated consistency in mothers' moods from one point to the next, although mothers felt considerably better at 3 and 16 months postpartum than at earlier time points. Despite this overall improvement in mood, mothers showed different temporal patterns in relation to the different referent categories. It was found that positive feelings about the infant increased linearly, whereas positive feelings about the spouse showed a U-shaped function, with least positive feelings experienced during the 1st and 3rd postpartum months. Self-directed affects remained relatively constant throughout the 16-month postpartum period. The results are discussed in terms of changes over time that occur during the transition to parenthood. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

5- to 18-year follow-up study of cemented total knee arthroplasty for patients 55 years old or younger

BACKGROUND: Although both expectant mothers and expectant fathers complain of fatigue during the last trimester of pregnancy, studies have focused exclusively on mothers. This pilot study examined parents' levels of morning or evening fatigue, number of uninterrupted sleep periods and length of sleep during the last trimester of pregnancy; and the relationship of sleep to parents' reports of fatigue. METHODS: Data were collected from 24 midwestern, nulliparous couples, who completed the Visual Analog Scale for Fatigue each morning and each evening on 4 consecutive days during the last trimester. Concurrently, the couples recorded sleep and wake periods in an activity diary. RESULTS: Expectant mothers but not expectant fathers reported increasing levels of fatigue, especially morning fatigue, as the pregnancy progressed. Expectant fathers and mothers did not differ either in the night-time mean number of minutes of sleep obtained, or in the mean number of night-time uninterrupted 90-minute sleep cycles obtained. Fatigue and sleep were not significantly related for either mothers or fathers. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the multidimensional nature of fatigue and indicate a need for perinatal health caregivers to develop individualized interventions for mothers during the last trimester of pregnancy. Fathers should also participate in future research of factors influencing the prenatal and postpartum experience.     

Incidental encounters between therapists and clients: The client's perspective.

A questionnaire concerning clients' feelings about incidental encounters with therapists was administered to 147 university counseling center clients. Results indicated that most clients had experienced brief incidental encounters with their therapists. Clients generally felt comfortable with their therapists' responses, but some wanted a more involved response from their therapist. The feelings that clients reported experiencing most frequently were confidence, surprise, awkwardness, enjoyment, curiosity, and anxiety. Implications for further research and training are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Understanding donors' motivations: a study of unrelated bone marrow donors

Medical advances in bone marrow transplantation techniques and immunosuppressive medications have dramatically increased the number of such transplants performed each year, and consequently, the demand for bone marrow from unrelated donors. Although physiological aspects of bone marrow donation have been thoroughly investigated, very few studies have examined psychosocial factors that may impact individuals' donation decisions and outcomes. To examine one particular set of donor psychosocial issues, this study investigated motives for bone marrow donation among 343 unrelated bone marrow donors who donated through the National Marrow Donor Program. Six distinct types of donor motives were identified from open-ended questionnaire responses. Donors most frequently reported motives reflecting some awareness of both the costs (to themselves) and potential benefits (to themselves and the recipient) of donation. A desire to act in accordance with social or religious precepts, expected positive feelings about donating, empathy for the recipient, and the simple desire to help another person were also commonly cited reasons for donating. Among a series of donor background characteristics, donors' gender was the variable most strongly associated with motive type; women were most likely to cite expected positive feelings, empathy, and the desire to help someone. Central study findings indicated that donor motives predicted donors reactions to donation even after the effects of donor background characteristics (including gender) were controlled. Donors who reported exchange motives (weighing costs and benefits) and donors who reported simple (or idealized) helping motives experienced the donation as less positive in terms of higher predonation ambivalence and negative postdonation psychological reactions than did remaining donors. Donors who reported positive feeling and empathy motives had the most positive donation reactions in terms of lower ambivalence, and feeling like better persons postdonation. These finding add substantially to the body of work concerning medical volunteerism generally, and also have important practical implications for the recruitment and education of potential bone marrow donors.     

Infant affect and affect regulation during the still-face paradigm with mothers and fathers: the role of infant characteristics and parental sensitivity

This laboratory study examined mothers' and fathers' sensitivity during face-to-face interactions with their infants as well as infants' affective and regulatory responses during mother-infant versus father-infant still face (SF). The degree to which infant gender and temperament as well as parental sensitivity predicted SF responses was also examined. Participants included 94 healthy, primarily White, middle-class 4-month-olds and their parents. Results indicated that mothers and fathers were equally sensitive toward their infants. Infants' affect and regulatory behaviors were also significantly stable across mother- and father-infant SF situations, although several differences in mean levels of regulation emerged. Finally, the extent to which exogenous and endogenous variables predicted infant SF responses differed as a function of which affect or regulatory variable was being examined and with which parent the infant was experiencing SF.     

Parent-Adolescent Relationship program (PARD): Relationship enhancement therapy with adolescents and their families (fathers and sons).

Parent–Adolescent Relationship Development (PARD), a relationship enhancement therapy program, was created as a way to improve the relationship between fathers and sons. Fathers and their adolescent sons are brought together in small groups to learn communication and relationship skills. This 10-session program helps fathers and sons remain engaged, improve acknowledgment of their positive feelings toward each other, and feel better about themselves. An excerpt from a PARD group with fathers and sons is presented to exemplify the process and value of this method. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Becoming a parent: The relation between prenatal expectations and postnatal experience.

The relationship between individuals' prenatal expectations about parenthood and their postnatal experience of parenthood was examined. Seventy-three primiparous couples were interviewed during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy and asked open-ended questions regarding their expectations. A content analysis of these expectations identified several themes. A cluster analysis, using these themes as variables, identified 3 clusters of women labeled prepared, fearful, and complacent and 4 clusters of men labeled prepared, fearful, complacent, and mixed. Postnatal comparisons indicated that women and men in the prepared cluster generally demonstrated better adjustment than did individuals in the other clusters. Results are discussed in terms of the content of expectations about parenthood, gender differences in these expectations, and the association between prenatal expectations and postnatal experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Loneliness among children and young adolescents.

Investigated differences in loneliness involving parents and peers and the relations between loneliness, choices of a "first comfort figure" (FCF), and social sensitivity as perceived by peers. 60 female and 52 male 5th graders, 97 female and 45 male 7th graders, and 66 female and 73 male 9th graders were given a loneliness scale and a sociometric measure of perceived social sensitivity. Results indicate that age differences in parent-related loneliness were marginally significant. Seventh graders seemed to have fewer loneliness experiences in their relationships with parents than 5th and 9th graders. Boys more frequently reported those feelings than girls. Ss who indicated both parents as their FCFs had the lowest scores for parent-related loneliness, whereas those who indicated friends as their FCFs had the highest scores for parent-related loneliness. With respect to peer-related loneliness, no age or sex differences were found. However, girls who chose both parents as their FCFs were more lonely than boys who did the same, and boys who chose their fathers as their FCFs mentioned more peer-related loneliness feelings than the girls who made this choice. Ss perceived as socially sensitive by their classmates less frequently mentioned peer-related loneliness feelings. (19 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Labor room and laboratory: clinical validation of the cold pressor as a means of testing preparation for childbirth strategies

Annually, numerous couples prepare for childbirth through Lamaze childbirth education classes. Research on various portions of the Lamaze method has used the cold pressor as an analogue for labor. In this experiment, pregnant women who had attended either (a) Lamaze classes which taught pain control methods (n = 22), or (b) Red Cross parenting classes which did not teach pain control methods (n = 7), and students who received either (c) brief Lamaze training (n = 10), or (d) no training (n = 10), were tested on the cold pressor. Pregnant women were also interviewed after the delivery of their children. On the cold pressor, clinically trained Lamaze women were superior (longer tolerance, less pain and/or distress) to clinical control (Red Cross) women, which were equal to student Lamaze trained women. All groups performed better than student controls. Post hoc analyses showed that women who managed labor pain well performed better on the cold pressor task than women who did not manage labor pain well. This experiment established some limits for applying analogue results to childbirth. Moreover, it showed that women who attended Lamaze classes received less medication during labor than women who attended Red Cross classes; however, it was not clear whether this difference was due to the Lamaze classes per se, or to other uncontrolled variables.     

Effects of interpersonal control, perspective taking, and attributions on older mothers' and adult daughters' satisfaction with their helping relationships.

Older mother-adult daughter dyads (N?=?44) were interviewed separately about 3 variables hypothesized to affect satisfaction with the help provided to mothers by their daughters: feelings of interpersonal control, perspective-taking abilities, and attributions made about the self and other dyad member during positive and negative helping interactions. The most important predictors of partner satisfaction were mothers' and daughters' ability to accurately perceive the partner's feelings about the helping relationship and their feelings of interpersonal control. The most salient predictors of mothers' and daughters' own satisfaction were the attributions they made about the partner during a negative helping situation and their feelings of interpersonal control. These findings underscore the importance of considering interpersonal psychological variables in research concerned with helping relationships in later life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)