Companionship in labour: Do the personality characteristics of labour supporters influence their effectiveness

Abstract

Recent research has revealed beneficial post-partum, psychosocial effects on the mother following labour which was accompanied by supportive companions. Whether these effects are obtained as a result of having companionship during labour or because of specific personality characteristics of the companions provided is important and is explored in this paper. Although findings revealed few differences in adjustment between women who were supported by different companions, some variability in the post-partum state anxiety and depression scores were noted which suggest that selection of an appropriate supporter is an important aspect of such programmes.

Saudi women’s acceptance and attitudes towards companion support during labor: Should we implement an antenatal awareness program?

“…This is similar to most previous studies. 13 , 17 – 19 However, professional support during labor may be less effective than that provided by non-trained individuals since physicians and nurses may become desensitized to the feelings of women in labor and therefore may adopt a more patronizing attitude, thereby blunting their capacity to communicate empathy. Hence, the professional ideology of the management of labor has to reflect an appreciation of the psychological and emotional processes the women undergo during delivery in addition to the technical aspects of management.…”

Why Rejection Hurts: What Social Neuroscience Has Revealed About the Brain’s Response to Social Rejection

“…A great deal of correlational research has shown that factors that reduce social pain -such as social support -are associated with less physical pain as well. Th us, individuals with more social support report feeling less pain during childbirth (Chalmers, Wolman, Nikodem, Gulmezoglu, & Hofmeyer, 1995 ;Kennell, Klaus, McGrath, Robertson, & Hinkley, 1991 ), following coronary artery bypass surgery (King, Reis, Porter, & Norsen, 1993 ;Kulik & Mahler, 1989 ), and during cancer (Zaza & Baine, 2002 ). However, because of the correlational nature of these studies, it is not clear if social support directly reduces physical pain or whether some third variable (e.g., extraversion) explains these eff ects.…”

Gender, interpersonal transactions, and the perception of pain: An experimental analysis

“…Reviews of the general 34 and pain coping 36 literatures have independently concluded that women seek instrumental support, emotional support, and spiritual comfort more than men do. Receiving social support predicts positive outcomes including reduced pain and use of analgesics during labor, 6,7 decreases in postoperative pain, 19 and reductions in cardiac pain. 21 If women are more likely to seek social support and support provision is associated with reduced pain and disability, then why do women often have lower tolerance and report more pain than men do?…”