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Biomedical subjects

R T Mercer

Publications and source records attributed to R T Mercer.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Experienced and inexperienced mothers' maternal competence during infancy.

In an exploratory study 136 experienced (multiparous) mothers and 166 inexperienced (primiparous) mothers were studied to determine differences in their self-reported maternal role competence, and variables predicting their competence at postpartal hospitalization, 1, 4, and 8 months following birth. The two groups did not differ in their maternal role competence over the 8 months. Inexperienced mothers' competence was higher at 4 and 8 months than at early postpartum and 1 month, indicating a developmental process in maternal role achievement, but no change was observed in experienced mothers' maternal competence. From 45% to 56% of the variance in experienced mothers' maternal competence was explained over the four test periods, and from 43% to 50% among inexperienced mothers. Self-esteem was a consistent, major predictor of maternal competence for both groups. Maternal fetal attachment, readiness for pregnancy, and pregnancy risk variables were explanatory of experienced mothers' maternal competence only. Sense of control was explanatory only of inexperienced mothers' competence at 1, 4, and 8 months.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Predictors of partner relationships during pregnancy and infancy.

The partner relationship of 153 women hospitalized for a high-risk pregnancy, 75 of their partners, 218 women who experienced a low-risk pregnancy and 147 of their partners was studied to determine risk-status or gender differences at pregnancy, the postpartal hospitalization, 1, 4, and 8 months following birth. A theoretical causal model predicting partner relationships was tested, followed by model respecification to derive the best explanatory model for each group. No differences were observed between low- and high-risk mothers' partner relationship; however, high-risk fathers scored lower than low-risk fathers. Partner relationships for all groups were significantly higher during pregnancy and at birth than at 4 and 8 months after birth. Respecified models explained from 26% to 63% of the variance in partner relationship during pregnancy, and from 31% to 52% at 8 months after birth.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Focus on psychometrics. Aggregating family data.

Instruments to collect data about families are often administered to all or some individuals within the family. Researchers may wish to use these individual scores to describe the family. The purpose of this article is to describe the special issues with aggregation of data when only a small number of family members are used as respondents. A refinement of the definition of aggregation for family researchers is proposed to assist researchers to focus on specific issues when data are to reflect subgroups within the family. A few examples of changes in findings are reported to illustrate the effects of different aggregation schemes when two members of the family are used as respondents.

Anxiety Disorders↗
PubMed1990

Predictors of parental attachment during early parenthood.

Parental attachment of 121 high-risk women, 61 partners of high-risk women, 182 low-risk women, and 117 partners of low-risk women, was studied at the first week postpartum and 8 months following birth. The tests of theoretical models showed low predictive ability explaining from zero to 21% of the variance in parental attachment in the four groups over the two test periods. Empirical respecified models predicting parent-infant attachment at the first week postpartum and 8 months explained 31% and 29% of the variance among high-risk women, 69% and 45% among high-risk partners, 41% and 53% among low-risk women, and 35% and 38% among low-risk partners. Parental competence was a major predictor of parental attachment over all test periods for all four groups. Early parent-infant contact following birth was never a predictor except at 8 months when, among low-risk women, the opposite effect than that expected was observed; the later women held their infants the higher was their attachment. High-risk women scored significantly higher than low-risk women during the first week postpartum only.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Effects of antepartal stress on health status during early motherhood.

A group of high-risk women who were hospitalized for a pregnancy-risk complication, and a group of low-risk women experiencing normal pregnancy were compared for differences in health status and the effects of antepartal stress on their health status from pregnancy through early motherhood. High-risk women reported a statistically significant poorer health status during pregnancy, early postpartal hospitalization, and at eight months following birth. High-risk women reported greater stress from negative life events in addition to their greater pregnancy risk. Among both groups of women, negative life events' stress had indirect effects on health status over time through either self-esteem, family functioning, mate relationships or perceived support. The effects of a high-risk pregnancy on health status were evident at eight months following birth; high-risk women's feelings about their pregnancy and the extent of stress from hospitalization had direct effects on their health status, while negative life events had indirect effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Men's health status during pregnancy and early fatherhood.

The findings in this study of 147 men agreed with earlier research that health status declines over the first 8 months of fatherhood. The study extends previous work in that causes of this decline were tested. Empirical respecified models predicting health perception during pregnancy, early postpartum 1, 4, and 8 months were able to predict from 20 to 60% of the variance. These models were substantively more powerful than the hypothesized theoretical model that was tested, which explained from 12 to 38% of the variance. At all time periods there was a link between negative life events and a direct or indirect predictor of health perception. Other variables that consistently entered the models with either direct or indirect links were self-esteem, mastery, and either depression or anxiety. The empirical respecified models showed moderate to strong predictive power and provide a base for future model testing and subsequent intervention studies.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Further exploration of maternal and paternal fetal attachment.

Fetal attachment of four groups of expectant parents were studied during the 24th to 34th weeks of pregnancy: 153 high-risk women hospitalized for a complication, 75 high-risk women's mates, 218 low-risk women, and 147 low-risk women's mates. No differences in fetal attachment scores were observed between high- or low-risk women or their mates; women scored significantly higher than their mates. Very little variance (7% to 14%) in fetal attachment was explained by the test of causal models except for high-risk women's mates for whom 31% of the variance was explained.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1988

Stress and social support as predictors of anxiety and depression during pregnancy.

Four groups, 153 high-risk women, 75 high-risk mates, 218 low-risk women, and 147 low-risk mates, were studied during the 24th to 34th weeks of pregnancy. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to study the effect of stress, social support (perceived, received, and network size), self-esteem, and mastery on anxiety and depression. These variables predicted 26.25% of anxiety among low-risk women, 44.70% among low-risk mates, 10.04% among high-risk women, and 16.00% among high-risk mates. Prediction of depression was better for all groups except high-risk mates (15.50%); 31.93% of the variance in low-risk women's depression was predicted, with 51.91% for low-risk mates and 29.63% for high-risk women. Neither received support nor network size entered the regression models for any of the groups.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

The relationship of developmental variables to maternal behavior.

Developmental differences in self-concept, personality integration, flexibility, empathy, and temperament, and the relationship of these variables to maternal behavior, were investigated using three age groups of first-time mothers. The age groups also were tested for change in self-concept and personality integration from 1 to 3 days postpartum to 8 months postbirth. The longitudinal study included 60 mothers aged 15-19 years, 138 aged 20-29 years, and 90 aged 30-42 years. Self-completed instruments were used to measure the personality variables, and an interviewer-rated instrument measured maternal behavior. Personality integration and flexibility increased significantly and correlated significantly with age indicating that both are developmental constructs. Empathy and temperament traits did not increase with age, although teenage scores were significantly lower in empathy, self-concept, several temperament traits, and maternal behavior. The two older groups' self-concept decreased significantly the first eight months of motherhood. In the teenage group personality integration, empathy, activity level, intensity and threshold to stimulus were significantly correlated with maternal behavior. In the 20-29 year-old group, self-concept, personality integration, flexibility, rhythmicity, adaptability, intensity and mood quality correlated significantly with maternal behavior. In the older group, self-concept, flexibility, approach/withdrawal, adaptability, intensity, and mood quality correlated significantly with maternal behavior.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1984

Adolescent motherhood. Comparison of outcome with older mothers.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were differences in maternal role attainment behaviors for three age groups (15-19, 20-29, 30-42 years) of 294 first-time mothers over a 1-year period. Interviews and questionnaires were completed at early postpartum, 1, 4, 8, and 12 months. Findings are in agreement with more recent research that the health status of adolescent mothers and their infants does not differ greatly from that of older mothers during the first year of motherhood. The adolescent's infant's growth and development were not handicapped. There were no group differences in feelings of love for the infant. The adolescent mother consistently scored lower than older mothers on observed and self-rated maternal competency behaviors. The adolescent mother derived greater gratification in the mothering role than older mothers through 8 months; at 12 months, the 20-29-year-old mother scored higher in gratification. The help received from the adolescent's mother declined at 8 and 12 months suggesting an increased need for social support from other sources at this time.

Adolescent↗