MATERNAL ANXIETY, SOMATIC SYMPTOMS, MARITAL ADJUSTMENT, AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS IN SECOND PREGNANCY (SECUNDIGRAVIDA, SIBLING BIRTH, DYADIC ADJUSTMENT, PRENATAL HEALTH).
Contributors: University of California, San Francisco.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 170
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study described and compared characteristics of maternal health and perceptions of family relationships throughout the course of second pregnancy, guided by developmental concepts and propositions from the psychology of pregnancy literature. Hypotheses predicted that the four dependent variables of maternal anxiety, somatic symptom levels, marital adjustment, and maternal concerns about family relationships would be dynamic over the three antenatal trimesters and the fourth postnatal trimester; that somatic symptom occurrence would be perceived as more frequent during second than first pregnancy; and that the dependent variables would demonstrate intercorrelations.

One hundred and ninety-one obstetrically low risk, partnered women delivering their second baby through private or prepaid health insurance plans participated in a passive observational study employing a modified cross-sectional sequential design. Subjects were recruited into one of four cross-sectional trimester groups and completed the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Spanier Dyadic Adjustment Scale, an original Family Relationships Questionnaire, an original Somatic Symptoms checklist, and a Demographic sheet. The design called for repeated testing of 135 subjects three months after first testing.

Analysis of variance and two-sample t-test procedures revealed higher levels of family relationship concerns in the third trimester than the second trimester, and lower somatic symptom levels in the midtrimester than in early or late pregnancy. Contrary to study hypotheses, state anxiety and marital satisfaction were found to be stable across the four perinatal trimesters. Somatic symptom frequency was perceived as greater in second pregancy than previous pregnancy, with notably greater fatigue. Using correlational statistics, highly significant associations were demonstrated among all four dependent variables. Major concerns of secundigravidae antepartally were anticipated jealousy of the firstborn about the baby, other aspects of sharing maternal affection and attention between baby and firstborn, and fear for the expected baby's health after the good fortune of having had one healthy child. Major postpartal concerns were firstborn misbehavior, maternal regret at the lack of an exclusive relationship with the new baby, and firstborn difficulty with sharing maternal affection and attention.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-11, Section: B, page: 3785.

Thesis (D.N.S.)--UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, 1985.

School code: 0034.