Title page for ETD etd-04082004-142544

Type of Document

Thesis

Author

Dilmore, Deborah Lynn

URN

etd-04082004-142544

Title

A Comparison Of Confidence Levels Of Postpartum Depressed And Non-Depressed First Time Mothers

Degree

Master of Science

Department

Nursing, School of

Advisory Committee

Advisor Name	Title
Jeanne Flannery	Committee Chair

Keywords

Postpaartum Depression
Maternal Confidence
First Time Mothers

Date of Defense

2004-03-18

Availability

unrestricted

Abstract

ABSTRACT
Ramona T. Mercer’s theory of Maternal Role Attainment was the framework that guided this study conducted to compare the maternal confidence levels of the depressed and non-depressed first-time mother 4 months after delivery. A sample of 104 women completed the First-time Mother Questionnaire, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Maternal Confidence Questionnaire (MCQ). Fifteen (14.4%) of the mothers were considered depressed with a score 12, or higher, on the EPDS. With the exception of age and income, the demographics of the depressed and non-depressed mothers were very similar. Both groups of mothers were also found to have similar personal and family histories for depression, support systems, and perceptions of their support and of their infants.
Correlation coefficients using Spearman’s rho revealed a negative association between age and maternal confidence (r = -.174). Positive correlations were found between maternal confidence and support system size (r = .241), support satisfaction (r = .319), and perception of infant temperament (r = .405). Negative associations were found between postpartum depression and support system size (r = -.112), support satisfaction (r = -.308), and infant temperament (r = -.201).
An independent samples t-test was performed to test the equality mean maternal confidence levels for the populations of depressed and non-depressed first-time mothers. The depressed mother was found to be less confident in her role (t = 2.455, p = .016, df = 102). Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to provide the correlation coefficient for the variable of postpartum depression and maternal confidence(r = -.461; p = .001). Approximately 21% of the information needed to predict depression is being provided by confidence ( r = .461, r2 = .212).

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