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Relationship in Japan between maternal grandmothers’ perinatal support and their self‐esteem
Author(s) -
Iseki Atsuko,
Ohashi Kazutomo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
nursing and health sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.563
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1442-2018
pISSN - 1441-0745
DOI - 10.1111/nhs.12079
Subject(s) - grandparent , childbirth , social support , psychology , medicine , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , pregnancy , psychotherapist , genetics , biology
This study investigated the influence on their mental well‐being of the perinatal support given by Japanese grandmothers. The Rosenberg self‐esteem and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression ( CES ‐ D ) scales were used to assess grandmothers’ mental well‐being before and after their daughters’ childbirth. Of 198 grandmothers, 176 (88.9%) supported their daughters and three patterns of perinatal support were observed: grandmothers’ support at the grandparents’ house before childbirth ( n = 95) (Satogaeri bunben; Japanese traditional perinatal support), grandmothers’ support at the grandparents’ house after childbirth ( n = 53); and grandmothers’ support at the daughters’ house ( n = 28). Those who supported their daughters at the grandparents’ house before childbirth – especially the middle‐aged (less than 60 years old) – showed significantly lower scores of self‐esteem. Scores of CES ‐ D did not significantly change before and after childbirth in either subgroup of grandmothers. It was concluded that grandmothers play an important role in supporting their daughters, and Satogaeri bunben is a typical event in modern J apan. However, Satogaeri bunben is a burden for middle‐aged grandmothers, and we need to support them.