TY - JOUR
T1 - Reduced Identification as a Mother Mediates the Effect of Prenatal Risk Factors on Mother and Infant Socio-Emotional Functioning
AU - Cruwys, Tegan
AU - Corkin, Natalie
AU - Pasalich, Dave S.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - To support good outcomes for mothers and babies, it is essential to understand the prenatal factors that place both at risk, such as birth trauma, the mother's attachment history, and unplanned motherhood. However, for health professionals supporting mothers, interventions must target malleable intervening factors. One of these, we propose, is social identification as a mother. Among women who had become mothers in past 12 months (N = 317), we assessed prenatal risk factors, social identification as a mother, and three socio-emotional outcomes: mother's depression, infant temperament, and mother-infant attachment. Consistent with hypotheses, all prenatal risk factors negatively predicted social identification as a mother, which was itself positively associated with socio-emotional functioning. Model fit was excellent. Reduced social identification as a mother may be a key mechanism through which prenatal risk factors produce poorer outcomes for mothers and babies. Interventions may be enhanced by supporting the development of strong and positive social identities.Over 300 mothers of infants less than 12 months old were surveyed.Prenatal risk factors predicted lower social identification as a mother.Social identification as a mother predicted higher mother and infant socio-emotional functioning.Interventions to support mothers' role and connection to one another may have untapped potential.
AB - To support good outcomes for mothers and babies, it is essential to understand the prenatal factors that place both at risk, such as birth trauma, the mother's attachment history, and unplanned motherhood. However, for health professionals supporting mothers, interventions must target malleable intervening factors. One of these, we propose, is social identification as a mother. Among women who had become mothers in past 12 months (N = 317), we assessed prenatal risk factors, social identification as a mother, and three socio-emotional outcomes: mother's depression, infant temperament, and mother-infant attachment. Consistent with hypotheses, all prenatal risk factors negatively predicted social identification as a mother, which was itself positively associated with socio-emotional functioning. Model fit was excellent. Reduced social identification as a mother may be a key mechanism through which prenatal risk factors produce poorer outcomes for mothers and babies. Interventions may be enhanced by supporting the development of strong and positive social identities.Over 300 mothers of infants less than 12 months old were surveyed.Prenatal risk factors predicted lower social identification as a mother.Social identification as a mother predicted higher mother and infant socio-emotional functioning.Interventions to support mothers' role and connection to one another may have untapped potential.
KW - Group membership
KW - Infant wellbeing
KW - Maternal health
KW - Mental health
KW - Social cure
KW - Social identity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85185512097&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10826-024-02808-z
DO - 10.1007/s10826-024-02808-z
M3 - Article
SN - 1062-1024
VL - 33
SP - 1198
EP - 1210
JO - Journal of Child and Family Studies
JF - Journal of Child and Family Studies
ER -