Development of first‐time mothers' sense of shared identity and integration with other mothers in their neighbourhood

Seppälä, Tuija; Riikonen, Reetta; Paajanen, Paula; Stevenson, Clifford; Finell, Eerika

doi:10.1002/casp.2592

Cited by 18 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 38 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Although including ethnicity and socio-economic status as covariates did not alter the findings of the present research, future research should investigate how different stigmatised categories experience loneliness and transition processes. Mixed methods research may be particularly useful in this regard to help disentangle some of the nuance and complexities surrounding life transitions and loneliness (Ballentyne, Drury, Barrett, & Marsden, 2021; Ng, Haslam, & Haslam, 2018; Seppälä, Riikonen, Paajanen, Stevenson, & Finell, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Research has demonstrated that life transitions lead to heightened experiences of loneliness, in part because they engender isolation. We tested whether the degree of isolation during a transition influences loneliness, and if this is due to their effects on social identity processes. Employing an experimental paradigm, Study 1 (N = 213) found that when the transition involved isolation from new networks, in this case studying at university online as opposed to in person, it led to more loneliness, and this was mediated through reduced social identification and continuity of group memberships. Study 2 (N = 215) replicated these effects using a different experimental paradigm in which the transition involved isolation from old group memberships, namely moving to a new neighbourhood from interstate. Study 3 (N = 2346) employed a quasi-experimental repeated-measures design to assess the impact of a highly isolating life transition on loneliness–COVID lockdown. Australians in prolonged lockdown experienced increases in loneliness and this was mediated through (lack of) continuity of group memberships. Overall, these results suggest that isolation needs to be considered when assessing the impact of life transitions on loneliness. Moreover, the mediation results indicate that isolating transitions may be responsible for loneliness because these make it difficult to maintain crucial group memberships and form a sense of identification with relevant new groups.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This especially affects culturally different and other minority mothers for whom attaining the hegemonic “normality” or ideals in parenting is not similarly possible or desired due to race, class, or resources (Peltola 2016). These mothers, therefore, particularly need to negotiate and manage such ideals in their everyday lives (see Seppälä et al 2022).…”

Section: Norms Producing and Maintaining Informal Segregationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Keeping Apart on the Playground: Construction of Informal Segregation on Public Playgrounds in Multiethnic Neighborhoods

et al. 2022

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Informal segregation has been widely studied in various public settings but not on public playgrounds. Drawing on an 11-month ethnography among mothers of young children, we examine how informal segregation is (re)produced on public playgrounds in two ethnically diverse neighborhoods in Finland. Our findings reveal different normative practices. First, normative rhythms and parenting practices structure playground activities by limiting opportunities for contact between ethnic minority and majority groups and producing exclusive spaces. Second, group norms and the seeking of ethnic/racial ingroup members together regulate mothers’ interaction with outgroup mothers on playgrounds; mothers are inclined toward their ingroup while outgroup mothers are often ignored, resulting in only illusory contact. Based on our analysis, we argue that by better understanding the normative roots of segregation, more comprehensive and effective interventions can be designed to facilitate positive contact in this population.

show abstract

“…The transition to motherhood is a significant and often stressful process in women's lives. They need to learn to take care of their infants' well-being at the same time as experiencing radical changes in their social networks (Mercer, 2004;Miller, 2005;Seppälä et al, 2021). For immigrant mothers, the intersections of different social categories, such as moth erhood, "immigrant" identity, ethnicity, gender, class, and religion produce qualitatively novel and distinct experiences (Bettencourt et al, 2019), which can greatly affect their social contacts and produce barriers to their integration with the host society.…”

Section: Context and Focus Of The Study: Immigrant Mothers In Finlandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Child’s presence shapes immigrant women’s experiences of everyday intergroup contact

Paajanen

Seppälä

Stevenson

et al. 2022

J. Soc. Polit. Psych.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Research on intergroup contact has considered how the occurrence and experience of contact is affected by ingroup members. Qualitative studies of contact in real-life settings have additionally highlighted how multiple actors can affect the manifestation of contact. This article shows how the presence of one’s child can shape immigrant mothers’ contact experiences in multi-ethnic neighbourhoods. Ten immigrant mothers living in Helsinki, Finland, were interviewed twice over a six-month period about their intergroup interactions in their locale. Using a thematic analysis, we identified three themes depicting immigrant mothers’ experiences of intergroup contacts in their child’s presence: i) feeling visible to others, ii) seeking harmonious contact, and iii) anticipating problems. The results illustrate how a child affords unique opportunities for an immigrant mother to engage in interethnic contact, but also brings distinctive threats. This suggests the need to further consider how different types of intragroup dynamics can shape intergroup contacts.

show abstract

Development of first‐time mothers' sense of shared identity and integration with other mothers in their neighbourhood

Cited by 18 publications

References 38 publications

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

Social Identities Mediate the Relationship Between Isolation, Life Transitions, and Loneliness

Keeping Apart on the Playground: Construction of Informal Segregation on Public Playgrounds in Multiethnic Neighborhoods

Child’s presence shapes immigrant women’s experiences of everyday intergroup contact

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About