EASE OF PARENTAL ROLE TRANSITION: EFFECTS OF DECISION-MAKING PROCESS REGARDING PREPARATION FOR PARENTHOOD.
Contributors: University of Michigan.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 159
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Sociology, Individual and Family Studies.
Description: The purpose of this study was to identify variables which could explain the ease of parental role transition, defined as a three-dimensional concept including extent of intrarole strain, interrole strain and satisfaction with child care activites. The study focused on decision-making regarding parental role transition because role and decision-making theories have suggested a relationship between limited or inadequate preparation and ease of parental role transition. Previous research indicated that sociodemographic variables, infant characteristics and support were also associated with the ease of parental role transition.

A cross-sectional survey of parents who utilized a private practice multispeciality clinic was conducted. Two-hundred and twenty-seven parents responded to the mailed questionnaire.

Canonical correlation was used to test the relationship between the independent variable set, including sociodemographic, preparation, support, infant and decision-making variables, and the dependent variable set, including intrarole strain, interrole strain and satisfaction with child care activities' variables. Results showed that infant, support and sociodemographic variables were associated to a greater extent with ease of parental role transition than preparation and decision-making variables. While the more global variables were better predictors of ease of parental role transition, the intercorrelational data suggested that nursing interventions could affect preparation and decision making to enhance parents' abilities to deal effectively with their infant's characteristics and the parenting experience.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-07, Section: B, page: 2257.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, 1985.

School code: 0127.