A Q-ANALYSIS OF STRESSORS IN THE PRIMIPARA DURING THE IMMEDIATE POSTPARTAL PERIOD.
Contributors: University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 97
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The majority of new mothers regard the transition to parenthood as a crisis. Stressors are perceived as inherent in this adaptation process. The process of attainment of the maternal role has been described in terms of maternal tasks. The perception of stressors by the primipara may be a result of the conflict between societal and personal expectations versus the reality of the postpartal period. The purpose of this research was to identify maternal perceptions of common stressors reported by primiparous women during the immediate postpartal period. The conceptual framework was derived from Neuman's (1982) Systems Model and Gruis' (1977) maternal tasks.

Content validity was established by an initial analysis of literature on postpartal concerns by noted experts as well as through the use of two panels of experts in the area of maternal-child nursing, research, and Q methodology. Reliability was determined by the test-retest method using a related sample of 10 subjects.

The final Q-sort was administered to 20 subjects. A Q-type factor analysis of the data revealed two person types. The subject's assignment to types was influenced by negatively perceived stressors. ANOVA procedures were used to assess different patterns of response within persons. The sorts of all subjects were significant at the .01 level. Post hoc procedures revealed different response patterns for person types. One-tailed tests of significance on the Typal Z scores further confirmed the results of the post hoc procedure. Most of the stressors common to the normal primipara are perceived as positive in nature. Type 1 persons were more likely to be characterized as distressed by their physical shortcomings on the first postpartal day. Type 2 persons, while they are concerned about physical restoration, are also concerned about infant care skills as well as life-style changes.

It was recommended that the use of Q methodology determining stressors should be extended by use in other postpartal populations as well as during other time frames. Postpartal care should be based upon the presence of particular stressors.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-01, Section: B, page: 0135.

Thesis (D.S.N.)--UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM, 1985.

School code: 0005.