PREPARATION FOR CHILDBIRTH STRESS: EFFECTS OF SENSORY INFORMATION INSTRUCTION AND BEHAVIORAL COPING INSTRUCTION ON THE STRESS LEVEL IN SELECTED THAI WOMEN.
Contributors: Catholic University of America.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 222
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Preparation for childbirth stress in the early stage of labor is a major part of nursing intervention, especially for unprepared pregnant women. Based on the parallel process model of emotion (Johnson & Leventhal, 1974; Leventhal, 1979), providing accurate sensory information and suggesting coping behaviors are effective in reducing stress. Sensory information instruction and behavioral coping instruction were developed and experimentally tested for childbirth stress reduction in selected Thai pregnant women.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of sensory information instruction and behavioral coping instruction, given at the beginning of labor, on the stress level in selected Thai women during childbirth. The problem statement was: What are the effects of sensory information instruction and behavioral coping instruction on the stress level in selected Thai women during the childbirth process?.

The subjects were 100 first-time pregnant women who were hospitalized and admitted to the labor and delivery room in the early stage of labor for giving birth. Subjects who agreed to participate were selected according to criteria and randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups. Each group received one of the following instructions shortly after admission: (a) sensory information instruction, (b) behavioral coping instruction, (c) combination of sensory information and behavioral coping instruction, and (d) no specific instruction. Four trained data collectors were used to collect data at the transition, delivery, and after delivery stage. Selected major indicators of stress level were systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, facial expression, and self-report. Data were analyzed according to the repeated measure design (4 x 3), and three stated hypotheses.

The results obtained in this study did not confirm the effects of sensory information and behavioral coping instruction on reducing childbirth stress level in selected Thai women. An additional finding was that the length of labor in the subjects who received the behavioral coping instruction was shorter than those who received sensory information instruction. The results also indicated the usefulness of blood pressure, self-report, and facial expression for measuring stress but not for heart rate.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-07, Section: B, page: 2572.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA, 1988.

School code: 0043.