The Role of Prenatal Empowerment in Predicting Parent and Infant Outcomes Among Working Women

• In Event: Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Topic - Family Context & Processes

Abstract

Purpose: In this longitudinal study, we examined (a) how working women’s prenatal empowerment and the quality of mother-infant relationships are associated with infants’ social-emotional competence and (b) whether parental stress plays the mediator role in the relation between women’s prenatal empowerment and the quality of mother-infant relationships.

Background: Children’s social-emotional learning (i.e., the knowledge and skills needed to recognize and regulate feelings in order to successfully interact with others) begins developing in infancy and is importantly influenced by the quality of caregiving that the infant receives (Epstein, 2009; Marti et al., 2016). Children’s positive social-emotional development provides a basis for their lifelong learning, relates to their later school success, and prevents future social and behavioral difficulties (Head Start Bureau, 2007). There is vast literature that supports the relationship between mother-infant relationships and children’s social emotional outcomes. However, there is more to learn about the factors that may influence the mother-infant relationships, such as their pscyhological well-being (e.g., parental stress) and prenatal empowerment defined as pregnant women’s perceived ability to seek for knowledge of health care and child care, receive social support, and gain confidence and capacity to handle pregnancy and delivery (Kameda & Shimada, 2008). Mothers who were more empowered during pregnancy tended to seek more information about parenting and child development and perceived less stress; mothers experiencing lower-level stress tended to build closer relationships with their infant and, in turn, are more likely to enhance infant’s social emotional competence (Kunseler et al., 2014; Verhaegen et al., 2013).

Methods: Thirty-eight pregnant women working full-time participated (95% White, 79% with BS/BA or higher) by completing online surveys at two time points: the third trimester of pregnancy (Time 1: T1) and three months after the infant’s birth (Time 2: T2). Questions were related to women’s prenatal empowerment (Empowerment Scale for Pregnant Women; Kameda & Shimada, 2008; T1); mothers’ perceived quality of mother-infant relationships (Maternal Attachment Inventory; Muller, 1996; T2); the infant’s social-emotional development (Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment; Briggs-Gowen et al., 2006; T2); and parental stress (Parental Stress Scale; Berry & Jones, 1995; T2).

Results: Bivariate correlations were also examined using Pearson’s r among the main study variables (Table 1). Multiple linear regression analyses showed that (a) there was no significant, direct association between prenatal empowerment and infant’s social emotional competence; however, (b) the prenatal empowerment was found indirectly associated with the quality of mother-infant relationships through parental stress (t=-3.85, p<.001) (Figure 1).

Discussion: Parental stress seems to be an important mediator of the relation between how mothers perceived their capability to seek for knowledge and support (i.e., mothers’ prenatal empowerment) and the quality of relationships with which they build with their infant. Our finding provide potential implications for the development of programs or practices that enhance the quality of mother-infant relationships by empowering pregnant women and reducing parental stress.

Authors

• Yao Yao, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
  Presenting Author

• Soo-Young Hong, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  Non-Presenting Author

• Holly Hatton-Bowers, University of Nebraska - Lincoln
  Non-Presenting Author