ELLNER, BRENDA SALTZMAN; PHD

                         CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, 1991

                         PSYCHOLOGY, CLINICAL (0622); SOCIOLOGY, INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY STUDIES (0628);   PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL (0620)
 

                         The period after the birth of a first baby is universally recognized as a time of great joy, often mixed with
                         difficulty and change. The new mother, beset by the physical events of parturition, must adjust to the
                         demands of a helpless infant and adapt to a new life stage. A review of the literature concerning the
                         transition to motherhood indicated that during the months following childbirth, women are at increased
                         risk for prolonged mood disturbance. Studies among 'normal' populations also document that 30% or
                         more new mothers experience unexpectedly high stress continuing into the first year, labeled 'atypical
                         depression'. Some experts assert that these feelings are an adjustive dimension of childbirth. Since, the
                         stresses experienced by these mothers fail to fit the clinical depression model, the needs and concerns
                         of these women are often ignored. Prior research suggested that social support can facilitate good
                         health. The utilization of a situation/transition group was viewed as a way to help meet the needs of the
                         postpartum period. This study of 60 middle class, well educated new mothers evenly divided between a
                         treatment and comparison group had three purposes: (1) To understand the relationship between social
                         support, social network, personal mastery, role strain, and stressful events associated with the onset of
                         parenting; and new mother adaptation. (2) To assess the impact of a new mother situation/transition
                         group on the mothers' social support, social network, personal mastery, and stressful events associated
                         with the onset of parenting. (3) To assess the impact of a new mother situation/transition group on the
                         measures of well-being and depression. Major findings from this research are: (1) Social support,
                         personal mastery, stressful events associated with the onset of parenting and role strain are all
                         associated with well-being. Social network size is not. (2) The workshop increased the new mothers'
                         social network size. (3) The workshop reduced the new mother's role strain, although this remained a
                         significantly strained population. (4) The workshop enhanced the new mother's well-being. (5) The
                         workshop did not reduce the new mother's depression.

Social Systems Simulation Group P.O. Box 6904 San Diego, CA  92166-0904 Roland Werner, Principal Phone/FAX  (619) 660-1603