IMPACT OF PERCEIVED ROLE CONFLICT ON THE TRANSITION TO THE MATERNAL ROLE.
Contributors: University of California, San Francisco.
Published: 1983
Number of pages: 120
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: A correlational descriptive study was conducted with 86 first-time mothers to examine the relationships between employment status, role conflict, marital satisfaction, employment role attitude, and ease of transition to the maternal role. Interview and questionnaire data were collected five to eighteen months after birth of the first child.

No significant differences were observed between employed and unemployed mothers in relation to role conflict. Mothers with careers tended to experience more role conflict between their worker, self, and spouse roles than mothers with jobs. Mothers who experienced more role conflict, regardless of their work status, had more difficulty in making the transition to the maternal role. Marital satisfaction was found to be positively correlated with ease in transition to the maternal role. No significant correlation was observed between employment role attitude and ease of transition to the maternal role. Those mothers who reported a more positive attitude toward employment reported significantly less conflict between spouse and parent roles. Mothers who had attended a parent support group, regardless of their work status, experienced more conflict between the parent and self roles. These mothers also tended to have greater difficulty in making the transition to the maternal role.

The study findings suggested that mothers, especially mothers with careers, may need anticipatory guidance in preparing for the addition of the first child. Recommendations for future research include a longitudinal study using mothers from various ethnic, educational, and socioeconomic background in which interviews are conducted in the home. Attendance at parent support groups should be examined in relation to the transition to the maternal role.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-09, Section: B, page: 2870.

Thesis (D.N.S.)--UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO, 1983.

School code: 0034.