Stressors, coping strategies and marital adjustment of parents of fullterm and preterm infants in the adjustment to parenthood: a comparative study

The need to compare parenthood adjustment experiences for mothers and fathers of full term and preterm infants was identified. Stressors, coping strategies, and marital adjustment were variables examined. It was hypothesized that parents of preterm infants, despite gender category, would indicate experiencing greater stress and would use more emotion-focused coping strategies than parents of full term infants. Parents of full term infants were hypothesized to use more problem-focused coping strategies than parents of preterm infants. Reports of marital adjustment were expected to be different between the parent groups by infant term category, and marital satisfaction was hypothesized to remain unchanged from the time prior to conception to 0 - 3 months postpartum. A description of the investigation that includes discussion of methodological issues and suggestions for intervention is presented.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Family and Child Development

Department dc:contributor.department

Family and Child Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Year dc:date.issued

1989

Author dc:creator

• DeWeese, Myra Ann

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Sporakowski, Michael J.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Blieszner, Rosemary
• Bird, Gloria W.
• Hinkle, Dennis E.
• Sawyers, Janet K.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10919/54516

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/54516