The Effect of an Empowerment Training Program on the Difficulty of the Transition to Parenthood and Parenting Stress: A Quasi-Experimental Study among Iranian Primiparous Women

Abstract

Background: The process of becoming a mother is one of the most satisfying and fulfilling events in women's lives. Maternity for the first time can be stressful and also can increase anxiety in women. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effect of an empowerment training program on the difficulty of transitioning to parenting as well as parenting stress of primiparous mothers. Methods: The sample of this quasi-experimental study consisted of 78 primiparous women who were selected due to convenient sampling. Participants completed the demographic, difficulty in transition to parenting, and parenting stress questionnaires before and after the study. The participants received four training sessions (the first session was face to face at 3-5 days after childbirth and subsequent training sessions were conducted by telephone at 2, 4, and 6 weeks postpartum) based on the self-efficacy model. Results: The mean age of the participants in the study was 27.012 ± 4.99 years. The results of the Wilcoxon test showed that training significantly reduced parenting difficulty (P value = 0.0001, z = -7.626) and parental stress (P value = 0.0001, z = -7.50). The mean score of parenting difficulty decreased from 97.02 ± 17.34 to 81.65 ± 15.45, and the mean parental stress score decreased from 80.08 ± 22.53 to 61.13 ± 12.20. The results also indicated that education in all four domains (responsibility and commitment, satisfaction, self-esteem, and personal commitment) significantly reduced the difficulty of the transition to parenting (P value = 0.0001). According to the results, training has also been effective in reducing the difficulty of transitioning to parenting in terms of maternal concerns, enjoyment, change in life, new challenges of mother’s postpartum feeling. Conclusions: The outcomes of the present study highlight the effectiveness of empowerment training on the difficulty of the transition to parenting as well as parenting stress in primiparous mothers.

Effect of post-discharge postnatal educational intervention on maternal self-efficacy among low-income primiparas living in informal settlements in Nairobi County, Kenya

“…37 A home-based quasi-experimental study in Iran demonstrated that follow-up empowerment training by nurses reduced parenting stress and transitioning difficulties such as maternal concerns, changes in life, negative postpartum feelings, and improved enjoyment. 28 Our study shows that home visits are especially impactful for primiparas in low-income settings. Indeed, evidence indicates that young, socio-economically disadvantaged mothers appreciate health visits by professionals as they assist them with recognizing and addressing their needs which can build their agency and thus improve MSE.…”

“…Studies on diverse SE theory-based postdischarge educational interventions demonstrate that they cost-effectively improve primiparous women's maternal outcomes, MSE, with most subsequently improving postnatal outcomes. 21,[25][26][27][28] Evidence favors home-based multimodality programs that incorporate experience, and individualized sessions with key content packages addressing self and baby care with information presented via an array of formats. 5,29 Including self-efficacyenhancing strategies in these programs is critical to improving MSE in adopting health-promoting PNPs There is however a paucity of studies establishing the influence of self-efficacy theory-based multimodality follow-up PNE interventions on MSE among low-income primiparas living in informal settlements.…”