A comparative study of values and attitudes of inner-city and middle-class postpartum women

Judith Minton1, Juanita Shell, Linda Zener Solomon

  • 1New York University School of Medicine, USA. Judymm@aol.com

Psychological Reports
|October 6, 2004
PubMed

This study compared postpartum women from the inner city (n = 94) and postpartum women from the urban middle class (n = 80) on values and goals for themselves and their newborn children. Terminal values of inner-city women for themselves related more to social and religious goals in contrast to the more intrapersonal and personal goals of middle-class women. Instrumental values of inner-city women for their newborn children demonstrated concern with conformity and control, whereas for the middle class there was more concern with competence. Goals for the near future of the inner-city mothers were based on a desire for jobs and education.

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