1. Maternal self‐efficacy during infancy: Investigating the roles of depression and social support among mothers in rural Pakistan.
- Author
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Frost, Allison, Hagaman, Ashley, Haight, Sarah, Ikram, Naira, Turner, Liz, Bhalotra, Sonia, Sikander, Siham, and Maselko, Joanna
- Subjects
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GENERALIZED estimating equations , *SOCIAL support , *MENTAL health , *CHILD care , *MATERNAL health - Abstract
Maternal self‐efficacy during infancy is shaped by many factors, including maternal mental health and social support. This study examines how depression, emotional support, and childcare support relate to maternal self‐efficacy among mothers of infants in rural Pakistan. Participants included 885 mothers assessed at 3 and 6 months postpartum. At 3 months postpartum, mothers completed interview measures of depression, emotional social support, support with day‐to‐day childcare tasks (daily childcare support), and childcare support when they were unable to care for their child (childcare support when needed). At 6 months postpartum, participants reported on maternal self‐efficacy. Generalized estimating equations were used to test the associations between depression and social support at 3 months and maternal self‐efficacy at 6 months, as well as the interaction between depression and social support. Depression at 3 months was not associated with maternal self‐efficacy at 6 months when controlling for depression at 6 months. Emotional support was associated with increased self‐efficacy, but daily childcare support was not. We found weak evidence that childcare support when needed was associated with increased self‐efficacy only among mothers with depression. Results suggest that emotional support and childcare support when needed may be helpful for promoting mothers’ self‐efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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