Abstract
Mothers with mental illness have positive self-recognition of maternal role (PM), and it is important for parenting. The purpose of this study was to determine the psychosocial factors related to the PM. We recruited a total of 74 women diagnosed as having schizophrenia or mood disorders according to the DSM-IV-TR and who had minor children. Participant completed devaluation-discrimination measure, The social support questionnaire, self-efficacy for community life scale (SECL), parenting stress-short form scale (PS-SF), and Acceptance of maternal role scale. To identify factors predicting the PM, we utilized hierarchical regression analysis. The variables in all blocks explained 53% of the variance in the PM. In the final model, ‘hard’ living conditions (β = −0.31, P < 0.05), SECL (β = 0.34, P < 0.01) and PS-SF (β = −0.45, P < 0.01) were significant predictors of the PM. Our result indicates that psychosocial approach could enhance the PM.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abidin, R. R. (1990). Introduction to the special issue: The stresses of parenting. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 19, 298–301.
Abidin, R. R. (Ed.). (1995). Parenting stress index (3rd ed.). Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources Incorporated.
American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-IV-TR (4th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
Araki, A., Kanematsu, Y., Yokosawa, S., Arayashiki, S., Aizumi, I., & Hujishima, K. (2005). A study for developing parenting stress-short form scale. The Journal of Child Health, 64, 408–416 (in Japanese).
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986). The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 51, 1173–1182.
Bassett, H., Lampe, J., & Lloyd, C. (1999). Parenting: Experiences and feelings of parents with a mental illness. Journal of Mental Health, 8, 597–604.
Beardslee, W. R., Keller, M. B., Seifer, R., Lavori, P. W., Podorefsky, D., Staley, J., et al. (1996). Prediction of adolescent affective disorder: Effects of prior parental affective disorders and child psychopathology. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35, 279–288.
Bennett, J. A. (2000). Focus on research methods mediator and moderator variables in nursing research: Conceptual and statistical differences. Research in Nursing and Health, 23, 415–420.
Berge, M., & Ranney, M. (2005). Self-esteem and stigma among persons with schizophrenia: Implications for mental health. Care Management Journals, 6, 139–144.
Brunette, M. F., & Dean, W. (2002). Community mental health care for women with severe mental illness who are parents. Community Mental Health Journal, 38, 153–165.
Bybee, D., Mowbray, C. T., Oyserman, D., & Lewandowski, L. (2003). Variability in community functioning of mothers with serious mental illness. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 30, 269–289.
Coleman, P. K., & Karraker, K. H. (2000). Parenting self-efficacy among mother of school-age children: Conceptualization, measurement, and correlates. Family Relations, 49, 13–24.
Diaz-Caneja, A., & Johnson, S. (2004). The views and experiences of severely mentally ill mothers: A qualitative study. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 39, 472–482.
Furukawa, T. A., Harai, H., Hirai, T., Kitamura, T., & Takahashi, K. (1999). Social support questionnaire among psychiatric patients with various diagnoses and normal controls. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 34, 216–222.
Kurihara, T., Kato, M., Sakamoto, S., Reverger, R., & Kitamura, T. (2000). Public attitudes towards the mentally ill: A cross-cultural study between Bali and Tokyo. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 54, 547–552.
Link, B. G. (1987). Understanding labeling effects in the area of mental disorders: An assessment of the effects of expectations of rejection. American Sociological Review, 52, 96–112.
Miller, L. J., & Finnerty, M. (1996). Sexuality, pregnancy, and child-rearing among women with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. Psychiatric Services, 47, 502–506.
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. (2002). Law related to mental health and welfare of the persons with mental disorder. Tokyo. Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (in Japanese).
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. (2004). Patients survey (vol. 1). Tokyo. Statistics and Information Department Minister’s Secretariat Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (in Japanese).
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. (2007–2008). Annual health, labor and welfare report 2007–2008. Tokyo. Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (in Japanese).
Mowbray, C. T., Oyserman, D., Zemencuk, J. K., & Ross, S. R. (1995). Motherhood for women with serious mental illness: Pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period. The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 65, 21–38.
Mowbray, C. T., Oyserman, D., & Bybee, D. (2000a). Mothers with serious mental illness. New Directions for Mental Health Services, 88, 73–91.
Mowbray, C. T., Schwartz, S., Bybee, D., Spang, J., Rueda-Riedle, A., & Oyserman, D. (2000b). Mothers with a mental illness: Stressors and resources for parenting and living. Families in Society, 81, 118–129.
Mowbray, C. T., Oyserman, D., Bybee, D., MacFarlane, P., & Rueda-Riedle, A. (2001). Life circumstances of mothers with serious mental illnesses. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, 25, 114–123.
Mowbray, C. T., Oyserman, D., Bybee, D., & MacFarlane, P. (2002). Parenting of mothers with a serious mental illness: Differential effects of diagnosis, clinical history, and other mental health variables. Social Work Research, 26, 225–240.
Narama, M., Kanematsu, M., Araki, A., Maru, M., Nakamura, N., Yakeda, J., et al. (1999). Validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the parenting stress index. The Journal of Child Health, 58, 610–616 (in Japanese).
Nicholson, J., & Biebel, K. (2002). Commentary on “community mental health care for women with severe mental illness who are parents”—the tragedy of missed opportunities: what providers can do. Community Mental Health Journal, 38, 167–172.
Nicholson, J., Geller, J. L., Fisher, W. H., & Dion, G. L. (1993). State policies and programs that address the needs of mentally ill mothers in the public sector. Hospital & Community Psychiatry, 44, 484–489.
Nicholson, J., Geller, J. L., & Fisher, W. H. (1996). “Sylvia Frumkin” has a baby: A case study for policymakers. Psychiatric Services, 47, 497–501.
Nicholson, J., Sweeney, E. M., & Geller, J. L. (1998). Mothers with mental illness: I. The competing demands of parenting and living with mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 49, 635–642.
Nicholson, J., Nason, M. W., Calabresi, A. O., & Yando, R. (1999). Fathers with severe mental illness: Characteristics and comparisons. The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 69, 134–141.
Nicholson, J., Biebel, K., Hinden, B., Henry, A., & Stier, L. (2001). Critical issues for parents with mental illness and their families. Rockville, MD: Center for Mental Health Services/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Nicholson, J., Biebel, K., Williams, V. F., & Katz-Leavy, J. (2004). The prevalence of parenthood in adults with mental illness: Implications for state and federal policy, programs, and providers. In R. W. Manderscheid & M. J. Henderson. (Eds.), Mental health, United States 2002. Rockville, MD: United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services.
Ohinata, M. (1988). Research on motherhood. Tokyo: Kawashima Shoten (in Japanese).
Okawa, N., Oshima, I., Cho, N., Makino, H., Oka, I., Ikebuchi, E., et al. (2001). Development of self-efficacy for community life scale for schizophrenia: Reliability and validity. Clinical Psychiatry, 43, 727–735 (in Japanese).
Oyserman, D., Mowbray, C. T., Allen-Meares, P., & Firminger, K. (2000). Parenting among mothers with serious mental illness. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 20, 296–315.
Oyserman, D., Bybee, D., Mowbray, C. T., & Kahng, S. K. (2004). Parenting selfconstruals of mothers with a serious mental illness: Efficacy, burden and personal growth. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 34, 2503–2523.
Oyserman, D., Bybee, D., Mowbray, C. T., & Hart-Johnson, T. (2005). When mothers have serious mental health problems: Parenting as proximal mediator. Journal of Adolescence, 28, 443–463.
Ritsher, J. E., Coursey, R. D., & Farrell, E. W. (1997). A survey on issues in the lives of women with severe mental illness. Psychiatric Services, 48, 1273–1282.
Rutter, M. (1966). Children of sick parents: An environmental and psychiatric study. Maudsley Monographs. London: Oxford University Press.
Rutter, M., & Quinton, D. (1984). Parental psychiatric disorder: Effect on children. Psychological Medicine, 14, 853–880.
Sands, R. G. (1995). The parenting experience of low-income single women with serious mental disorders. Families in Society, 76, 86–96.
Sarason, I. G., Levine, H. M., Basham, R. B., & Sarason, B. R. (1983). Assessing social support: The social support questionnaire. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 44, 127–139.
Sarason, I. G., Sarason, B. R., Shearin, E. N., & Pierce, G. R. (1987a). A brief measure of social support: Practical and theoretical implications. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 4, 497–510.
Sarason, B. R., Shearin, E. N., Pierce, G. R., & Sarason, I. G. (1987b). Interrelations of social support measure: Theoretical and practical implications. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 813–832.
Shimotsu, S., Sakamoto, S., Horikawa, N., & Sakano, Y. (2006). Reliability and validity of the link’s devaluation-discrimination scale. Japanese Journal of Psychiatric Treatment, 21, 521–528 (in Japanese).
Sidani, S. (2003). Self-care. In D. M. Doran (Ed.), Nursing-sensitive outcomes. State of the science. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
Soares, M. V. B., & Carvalho, A. M. P. (2009). Women with mental disorders and motherhood. Revista Latino-americana de Enfermagem, 17, 632–638.
Survey and Research Committee for the Kyushu Network of Persons with Mental Illness. (2005). A report of the survey for consumers of mental health: Current status and opinions of the 1000 consumers. Kyushu: Survey and Research Committee for the Kyushu Network of Persons with Mental Illness (in Japanese).
Survey and Research Committee on Kawasaki City Mental Health and Welfare Needs. (2003). Report on Kawasaki City mental health and welfare needs. Kawasaki, Kanagawa: Kawasaki City Mental Health and Welfare Center (in Japanese).
Takahashi, Y. (2007). Parenting stress and associated factors in mothers of infants. Journal of Faculty of Nursing, Iwate prefectural University, 9, 31–41 (in Japanese).
Test, M. A., & Berlin, S. B. (1981). Issues of special concern to chronically mentally ill women. Professional Psychology, 12, 136–145.
Thara, R., Kamath, S., & Kumar, S. (2003a). Women with schizophrenia and broken marriages doubly disadvantaged? Part I: Patient perspective. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 49, 225–232.
Thara, R., Kamath, S., & Kumar, S. (2003b). Women with schizophrenia and broken marriages doubly disadvantaged? Part II: Family perspective. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 49, 233–240.
Ueno, R., & Kamibeppu, K. (2008). Narratives by Japanese mothers with chronic mental illness in the Tokyo metropolitan area: Their feelings toward their children and perceptions of their children’s feelings. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 196, 522–530.
White, C. L., Nicholson, J., Fisher, W. H., & Geller, J. L. (1995). Mothers with severe mental illness caring for children. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 183, 398–403.
Yamaguchi, M. (2004). Relationships between maternal identity and parenting stress. Japanese Journal of Family Psychology, 18, 17–28 (in Japanese).
Yamaguchi, T., & Hotta, N. (2005). A study on the mental state of mothers with 6-month-old child (part 3): The relationship among their anxiety, depression, feelings for their child and reception of the mother’s role. The Journal of Child Health, 64, 752–759 (in Japanese).
Acknowledgements
This study was supported by the YAMJI FUMIKO NURSING RESEARCH FUND. We sincerely appreciate the contribution of the mothers who participated in the research. We also gratefully acknowledge the help and cooperation given by Dr. Naohiro Fujimura, Dr. Shigeyuki Eguchi, Dr. Yoshihiro Yamashita, Dr. Kiyoto Kasai, Dr. Masatoshi Shibayama, Dr. Takashi Okudera, Dr. Naoki Hayashi, and Dr. Yasushi Iwatani for their contributions to the study.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ueno, R., Kamibeppu, K. Relationship Between Positive Self-Recognition of Maternal Role and Psychosocial Factors in Japanese Mothers with Severe Mental Illness. Community Ment Health J 47, 520–530 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-010-9344-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-010-9344-y