Authors

Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

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

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