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Differences in maternal perception of the newborn among adolescents
Purpose:
To test the feasibility and efficacy of a Parenting Enhancement Program (PEP) on adolescent mothers' perceptions of the neonate and to ascertain the extent to which PEP reinforces the effects of maternal age or self-esteem on their perceptions.
Methodology:
Ninety-two pregnant adolescents were placed into one of two groups; one group participated in a PEP and the other group did not. A Background Information Questionnaire, Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Neonatal Perception Inventory (NPI) were used to collect data from all the subjects at five intervals beginning during pregnancy and ending at 3 months postpartum.
Results:
A t-test revealed significant differences between the two groups at 1 month postpartum on the NPI. The PEP group had a significant gain on the NPI from the second day postpartum to 1 month postpartum. The PEP subjects showed a significant gain on the SES over time. A significant relationship was found between SES and NPI at 1 month postpartum.
Conclusions:
The findings lend support for the use of the PEP. Self-esteem served to reinforce the effects of the PEP, but age did not make a difference.