Social support and anxiety in pregnant and postpartum women: a secondary analysis

Clin Nurs Res. 2012 May;21(2):183-94. doi: 10.1177/1054773811426350. Epub 2011 Oct 21.

Abstract

The purpose of study was to examine relationships between social support and anxiety in pregnant and postpartum women. Hypotheses were that there will be an inverse relationship between social support and anxiety in pregnancy and the postpartum. The sample consisted of 177 women. The Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ) 85-Part 2 and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used. The STAI demonstrated coefficient alphas from 0.90 to 0.93; 0.87 and 0.93 for the PRQ. All five hypotheses were supported--social support and state anxiety in pregnancy (r = -.308, p = .000) and trait anxiety (r = -.420, p = .000) and postpartum (r = -.497, p = .000) and social support and state anxiety in the postpartum (r = -.375, p = .000) and trait anxiety (r = -.276, p = .013). Findings are relevant to advance nursing theory, science, and practice. Nurses must understand these complex processes to effectively intervene.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adult
  • Anxiety / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Maternal-Child Nursing
  • Models, Psychological
  • Postpartum Period / psychology*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnant Women / psychology*
  • Social Support*
  • Young Adult