A study to assess the relationship of resilience, self-efficacy and social support among mothers who experienced stillbirth

Introduction: Person-centered health care involves exploring what matters most to individuals. It requires identifying their needs and preferences in clinical care and treatment and supporting and guiding them gently to achieve health goals. The person-centered approach also can provide parents with their own space rather than just following the rituals associated with an unexpected death. In a stillbirth context, taking pride as a bereaved mother and negotiating support could correspond to self-efficacy. Taking something positive from the stillbirth experience can relate to resilience. Also, helping others in a similar situation and finding positives in loss proposes the presence of resilience. With these perspectives, this study aimed to examine the relationship between social support, self-efficacy and resilience among mothers who have experienced stillbirth. Method: This was a correlational descriptive design using an online survey to examine the relationship between resilience, self-efficacy, and social support among mothers (n=117) who experienced a stillbirth in the previous five years. Results: The findings endorse the study hypotheses that a significant relationship exists between support (r=0.481, p<0.01), self-efficacy (r=0.755, p<0.01) and resilience. Regression analyses indicated that both social support and self-efficacy were significant predictors of resilience and explained 4% and 38% variance, respectively. Mothers reported that formal and informal social network resources provided various categories of functional social support. Mothers reported that high functional social support and having moderate action and coping self-efficacy might have helped them to manage and continue their efforts in dealing with stillbirth. No significant relationships were found between mothers age, education, and type of work with social support, self-efficacy and resilience. Conclusion: The study results identified a significant relationship between social support, self-efficacy and resilience in a present sample of mothers who experienced stillbirth. Mothers who have higher levels of self-efficacy and social support are more likely to have higher resilience. That may be helping them to navigate their way through stillbirth experience and negotiate the necessary resources they need. Social support for mothers who experienced stillbirth was necessary, which involved their self-efficacy and resilience. It further suggests that each woman’s needs will differ depending on their social networks, access to formal support, availability and functionality. More research is necessary to explore these relationships further. The simultaneous consideration of social support, self-efficacy and resilience demonstrated new insights in relation to stillbirth experience.

Grantor dc:publisher

University College Cork

Year dc:date.issued

2021

Author dc:creator

• Pandit, Nilima J.

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Leahy-Warren, Patricia
• O'Connell, Rhona

• Resilience
• Self-efficacy
• Social support
• Stillbirth

Statement dc:rights

• © 2021, Nilima J. Pandit.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10468/11957

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:cora.ucc.ie:10468/11957