Antenatal maternal mental dispositions as predictors of maternal self-efficacy: A five-year longitudinal study

Maternal self-efficacy is a crucial factor in parenting quality and child development, yet there is limited evidence on how antenatal maternal mental dispositions are related to maternal self-efficacy over the long term.

Guided by Belsky's process model of parenting determinants, this study focused on four domains of antenatal maternal mental dispositions: relational (adult attachment and recalled maternal bonding), mental health (anxiety and depression), mood (positive and negative affect), and support perception (perceived social support).

This study examined whether antenatal maternal mental dispositions predict maternal self-efficacy five years after childbirth.

The sample included 183 pregnant women recruited from all public health funds in Israel. In this longitudinal study, participants completed validated self-report questionnaires during their third trimester of pregnancy (T1) and approximately five years after giving birth (T2).

Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that maternal mental dispositions during pregnancy accounted for 27.7% of the variance in maternal self-efficacy five years later. Specifically, higher levels of anxious attachment, antenatal depression, and negative affect significantly and negatively predict maternal self-efficacy, whereas higher levels of recalled maternal bonding of care and perceived social support significantly and positively predict it.

These findings provide novel long-term evidence that diverse antenatal maternal dispositions across multiple psychological domains are associated with maternal self-efficacy five years after childbirth.

The findings emphasize the importance of implementing systematic screening and preventive interventions during pregnancy to promote maternal well-being and support maternal self-efficacy during the preschool years.