Children's Health Care, 2012
This study examined the psychological impact of preterm birth among adolescent mothers and how it... more This study examined the psychological impact of preterm birth among adolescent mothers and how it compared to the psychological impact of preterm birth among adult mothers and full term birth among adolescent mothers. Fifty two mothers completed a survey immediately prior to the discharge of their infant from hospital and approximately three months later. Contrary to our hypotheses, adult mothers of preterm infants reported higher levels of psychological distress and threat appraisal pre-discharge than did adolescent mothers. Post-discharge this difference had dissipated. At the same time, there was no difference between the mothers in the reported helpfulness of social support, although all groups reported a decline in support from pre-to post-discharge. These findings help challenge prevailing assumptions about the transition to motherhood and have implications for service delivery and interventions.
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Papers by Lisa Farnell