| Summary: | Thesis (M.N.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland. Nursing Bibliography: leaves 116-121. This descriptive, correlational study was designed to investigate factors that influence postpartum adaptation by first-time mothers. One purpose was to examine how first time mothers perceive their network structure, perceived social support, and postpartum adaptation. A second purpose was to investigate the relationships among network structure, perceived social support, personal factors, and postpartum adaptation. A third purpose was to assess the affects of personal factors on network structure, perceived social support, and postpartum adaptation. -- A non-probability, convenience sample of sixty-five women were recruited from four physician clinics in St. John's and the surrounding area, and the Eastern Health Unit. Two instruments, the Social Network Inventory (SNI) and Postpartum Self-Evaluation Questionnaire (PSQ) were used for data collection in this study. Demographic Data Sheet (DDS) was also used for data collection. -- Descriptive data were generated for the PSQsubscales, social network, perceived social support, and personal characteristics. Intercorrelations were derivedfor each of the PSQ subscales and the SNI types of support variables. Correlation coefficients were computed for the subscales of the PSQ and the SNI. The t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used to examine the effects of personal factors on the PSQ subscales, social networks and perceived social support. Step-wise multiple regression analysis was also used to identify the best predictors (social support or personal properties) of postpartum adaptation. -- Study results indicated that most demographic, health, and knowledge and experience variables had a significant effect on at least one of the PSQ subscales. But only maternal age and prenatal class attendance demonstrated any significant effect on network structure, and maternal age, maternal occupation and prenatal class attendance on types of support provided by members of the network. Results of the relationships among network structure, types of support and psychosocial adaptation depicted low and non-significant correlations for the most part. Only material and comparison support correlated significantly with any of the PSQ scales. The resulting correlation coefficient values were also low. Additionally, the only network structure variables that revealed a significant correlation with the PSQ scales were percent kin, percent female members, percent female kin and percent male kin. Again the resulting coefficient values were low. -- One important recommendation is the need for nurses to focus on the changes that occur in social supports, extraneous variables and psychosocial adaptation over time. This suggests the need for the use of more longitudinal research designs, inclusion of findings on time dependent changes in educational curricula, and incorporation of change findings into nursing practice.
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