Abstract

FELGUEIRAS, Marta Cristiana Malheiro Alegria  and  GRACA, Luís Carlos Carvalho da. Resilience and maternal adjustment in the postpartum period. Rev. Enf. Ref. [online]. 2013, vol.serIII, n.11, pp.77-84. ISSN 0874-0283.  https://doi.org/10.12707/RIII12136.

Resilient mothers have the flexibility and the inner strength necessary to bounce back from adversity. The transition to motherhood involves a new set of tasks that require the restructuring of responsibilities and behaviors. Midwives need to recognize the importance of their interventions in this process and adjust their practice to promote a healthy parenting experience. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between resilience and maternal adjustment. The sample was non-probabilistic, consisted of 106 mothers, and data collection was performed when the babies were 3 months old, by administering the Resilience Scale (RS) and the Maternal Adjustment and Maternal Attitudes (MAMA) to their mothers. There was good internal consistency in both instruments (0,86 and 0,92). Body Image and Somatic Symptoms were the sub-scales from MAMA that had more negative scores, while Marital Relationship and Attitudes to Pregnancy/ Baby had the most positive scores. Resilience showed higher scores for self-confidence and lower for self-reliance. The results indicated a negative association between maternal adjustment and maternal attitudes and resilience. In conclusion: at the postpartum period, women with higher resilience have better adjustment to motherhood and more positive attitudes.

Keywords : psychological adaptation; psychological resilience; postpartum period; maternal-child nursing.

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