Maternal Perceptions of Neighborhood Characteristics are Associated with Postpartum Adjustment

• In Event: Poster Session 09
  In Poster Session: PS 09 Topic - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Abstract

Background
Developmental scientists recognize that children develop within the context of multiple systems of influence. Much research has been conducted examining individual and family-level influences on children’s outcomes; however, notably less attention has been paid to the neighborhood context in which families live. While the census tract has been the smallest unit on which to base neighborhood quality, some research studies have shown that the correlation between neighborhood and health may be stronger for perceived than for actual (i.e., objective tract data) neighborhood characteristics (Hogue & Bremner, 2005). Therefore, the current study utilized mothers’ subjective appraisals of their families’ neighborhood characteristics at the time of giving birth to examine individual variation in postpartum adjustment.
Methods
Participants included 551 mothers, ranging from 18-49 years of age (M=30; SD=5.8). Half reported having a Bachelor’s Degree or higher, while 27% had some post-secondary education and 23% had a high school diploma or less. A large amount (42.5%) reported having a household income of below $50,000; 47% owned their home compared to 43% who rented and 10% who reported other household status. Mothers were enrolled in a multi-site ongoing longitudinal study seeking to validate a new web-based parent-report measure designed to track infant development from birth to 18 months. Within 30 days of giving birth, mothers completed the web-based survey which included questions about the quality of their different neighborhood characteristics, nine items ranging from crime to air quality to access to healthy food and exercise, on a 1-5 Likert-scale, with higher scores representing better neighborhood quality. In addition, they completed validated, published questionnaires including the Maternal Self-Report Inventory (MSRI-SF; Shea & Tronick, 1998) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; Cox et al., 1987) at birth and 2 months postpartum, respectively.
Results
Bivariate analyses demonstrated significant correlations (p<.05) between mothers' perceptions of their neighborhood quality and postpartum adjustment, such that subjective appraisals of better neighborhood quality were related to higher self-efficacy around caring for the infant and fewer postpartum depressive symptoms (see Table 1). As indicated in parentheses, partial correlations revealed that when demographics were controlled for, there remained a significant, positive correlation with maternal self-efficacy, as hypothesized; however, there was no longer a significant association with postpartum depressive symptoms.
Discussion
It is important to understand how the neighborhood context influences mothers during the transition to parenthood. Results in the current study suggest that mothers’ perceptions of their neighborhood are associated with their own adjustment after the birth of a child. Because mothers play a critical role in protecting their children from neighborhood adversity, they may be more aware of potential neighborhood influences on the health and well-being of the child and their ability to care for the child. In addition, they are aware that despite protective demographic factors, the environment has a strong influence. The impact of neighborhood characteristics, in addition to those variables more typically studied, on maternal postpartum adjustment is of great importance because of the subsequent effects on parenting and the parent-infant relationship.

Authors

• Jazmine Alexus Kirkland, Case Western Reserve University
  Presenting Author

• Najae Bolden, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kirsten Oard, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
  Non-Presenting Author

• Yanisa Robbins, Case Western Reserve University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Alissa Christine Huth-Bocks, Wayne State University
  Non-Presenting Author