Background: Multi-dimensional self-compassion is one of the important factors predicting fetal-maternal attachment which vary among different cultures and countries. So the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between multi-dimensional, self-compassion, and fetal-maternal attachment in the prenatal period.
Subjects and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried on 394 primigravida women to Mashhad Health Care Centers in with two stage sampling method (cluster-convenience) in the year 2014. Demographic/prenatal characteristics, multi-dimensional self-compassion (26Q) with five dimension (including self-kindness, self-judgment, common humanity, isolation items, mindfulness, over-identified), and fatal-maternal attachment (21Q) were completed by the participants. The statistical analysis was performed with various statistical tests such as Pearson correlation coefficient, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and linear regression using SPSS statistical software (version 14).
Results: Based on the findings, the mean (standard deviation) value for multi-dimensional self-compassion was 59.81 (6.4) and for fatal-maternal attachment was 81.63 (9.5). There was a positive correlation between fatal-maternal attachment and total self-compassion (P = 0.005, r = 0.30) and its dimension including self-kindness (P = 0.003, r = 0.24), self-judgment (P = 0.001, r = 0.18), common humanity (P = 0.004, r = 0.28), isolation items (P = 0.006, r = 0.17), mindfulness (P = 0.002, r = 0.15), over-identified (P = 0.001, r = 0.15).
Conclusions: There was a correlation between the multi-dimensional self-compassion and fetal-maternal attachment in pregnant women. Hence, educating people like caregivers by community health midwives regarding psychological problems in during pregnancy can be effective in early diagnosing and identifying such disorders.
Keywords: Attachment; Iran; compassion; prenatal.