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Relationship Between Positive Self-Recognition of Maternal Role and Psychosocial Factors in Japanese Mothers with Severe Mental Illness

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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.

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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.

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Correspondence to Rie Ueno.

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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

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