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Employed mothers' concerns about separation from the first- and second-born child
1College of Nursing, Ohio State University, Columbus 43210.
Research in Nursing & Health
|April 1, 1989
Summary
Mothers experienced less separation anxiety with their second-born infants compared to their firstborns. While maternal guilt decreased, employment-related separation concerns remained unchanged.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Maternal Mental Health
Background:
- Birth order can influence parental experiences and child-rearing.
- Maternal separation anxiety is a significant factor in infant-parent bonding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of birth order on maternal anxiety regarding infant separation.
- To compare maternal separation anxiety levels between firstborn and second-born infants.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study assessing 40 employed mothers.
- Data collected when infants were 7 months old (firstborn and second-born).
- Utilized the Interview-Based Rating Scale (IBRS) and Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale (MSAS).
Main Results:
- Mothers reported lower guilt and anxiety when separating from second-borns versus first-borns.
- Mothers held more positive views on the effects of separation for second-borns.
- Concerns about employment-related separation did not differ between birth orders.
Conclusions:
- Maternal separation anxiety may decrease with subsequent children.
- Parental experience influences perceptions of infant separation.
- Employment factors may not be significantly altered by birth order in relation to separation anxiety.