AN ECOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF BREAST FEEDING OUTCOMES WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING INTERVENTION STRATEGIES.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 206
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to describe the relationships between selected components of a synthesized model of breast feeding. It was hypothesized that two groups of mothers, those successful and those unsuccessful with breast feeding would be differentiated between on the variables of (1) self-confidence, (2) state/trait anxiety, (3) evaluation of self as mother, (4) infant responsivity, (5) length of labor, (6) amount of pre-anesthesia, (7) education, (8) age, (9) social support, and (10) employment status.

During the immediate postpartum period, 204 subjects completed the Pharis Self-Confidence Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the "Myself As Mother" semantic differential, the Infant Behavior Questionnaire, the Hospital Interview Schedule, and the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire. Additional data was obtained from subjects' medical records. At four months after delivery, the subjects received a mailed follow-up questionnaire, the Infant Feeding Inventory. The response rate was 86 percent.

The hypothesis that successful and unsuccessful subjects would be differentiated on the basis of the ten discriminating variables was supported. However, self-confidence, evaluation of self as mother, infant responsivity, state anxiety, length of labor, and amount of pre-anesthesia did not contribute significantly to the hypothesized model. After further model refinement, the findings suggested that subjects who were successful with breast feeding (those who breast fed longer and were more satisfied with breast feeding) were more likely to have larger social networks, receive more affirmation from their social networks, have higher education levels, and be older than unsuccessful subjects. A less significant finding was that successful subjects also tended to return to work later and have lower trait anxiety than unsuccessful subjects.

Clearly, there is still a need to further identify the factors associated with successful breast feeding and to identify and test effective nursing intervention strategies. Recommendations for future research include: (1) exploring the variables in this study with a less educated, medically high-risk sample, and (2) nurse practices that would enhance breast feeding success.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-12, Section: B, page: 4187.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1985.

School code: 0227.