MATERNAL-FETAL ATTACHMENT, ANXIETY, AND SELF-ESTEEM IN NORMAL AND PREVIOUSLY INFERTILE CHINESE WOMEN (TAIWAN).
Contributors: University of Pittsburgh.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 186
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Personality.
Description: The purposes of this study were: (a) to examine whether differences occur over the first and second trimesters of a normal pregnancy and a pregnancy after infertility, with respect to maternal-fetal attachment, anxiety and self-esteem level; and (b) to examine how well the four key variables of anxiety, self-esteem, sonography and type of pregnancy could predict maternal-fetal attachment during the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. A longitudinal, comparative design was implemented. A total of 77 Chinese women participated in this study: 40 who had a normal pregnancy and 37 who had a history of infertility.

Four instruments were used in data collection: the Demographic Data Questionnaire, the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale, the Taylor's Manifest Anxiety Scale and the Coopersmith's Self-Esteem Inventory.

Repeated measures ANOVA and multiple regression were utilized to test the study hypotheses. The repeated measures ANOVA results indicated that no significant difference existed in the scores of the two groups on anxiety, self-esteem or maternal-fetal attachment. Total Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale scores and subscale scores increased significantly as time progressed. Anxiety scores decreased significantly as time progressed. A significant interaction effect for type of pregnancy by time existed in the Interaction with the Fetus Subscale of the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale.

The results of multiple regression indicated that the best subset for predicting the Interaction with the Fetus Subscale of the Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale at the first trimester was the one including only type of pregnancy, whereas the best subset for predicting the Interaction with the Fetus Subscale at the second trimester was the one including only self-esteem. At each point of time, the combination of the four variables of anxiety, self-esteem, sonography and type of pregnancy did not contribute significantly to prediction of maternal-fetal attachment.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-06, Section: B, page: 2787.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, 1992.

School code: 0178.