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The Process of Maternal Role Attainment over the First Year
Abstract
A study of the process of maternal role attainment in three age groups (15 to 19 years, 20 to 29 years, and 30 to 42 years) over the first year of motherhood found that the role attainment behaviors of feelings of love for the baby, gratification in the maternal role, observed maternal behavior, and self-reported ways of handling irritating child behaviors did not show a positive linear increase over the year. Behaviors peaked at 4 months postbirth, but declined at 8 months. Interview data suggested that the challenges of the infant's developmental behaviors at 8 and 12 months contributed to feelings of role incompetency. Although age groups functioned at different levels, their patterns of behaviors over the year did not vary, except for gratification in the role, indicating that the maternal role presented similar challenges for all women. There were no significant differences by maternal age in role strain or self-image as a mother over the year.
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Parents typically find themselves highly motivated to take care of their infants' needs and find interactions with infants rewarding.
“parents typically find themselves highly motivated to take care of their infants’ needs and also find the interactions with infants rewarding (2,3).”
From Neuroendocrinology of Parental Response to Baby‐Cry (2011) · cites this paper as [2]
Negative feelings about parenting may be linked to the parents' difficulties in developing emotional bonds with their infants.
“Indeed, negative feelings about parenting may be linked to the parents’ difficulties in developing emotional bonds with their infants (Mercer, 1985; Nystrom and Ohrling, 2004) although the nature and direction of this link needs clarification.”
From Approaching the biology of human parental attachment: Brain imaging, oxytocin and coordinated assessments of mothers and fathers (2014) · cites this paper as Mercer, 1985
These positive interactions further help mothers to strengthen their attachment and heighten the experience of positive feelings toward their infants.
“These positive interactions further help mothers to strengthen their attachment and heighten the experience of positive feelings toward their infants (Mercer, 1985).”
From Approaching the biology of human parental attachment: Brain imaging, oxytocin and coordinated assessments of mothers and fathers (2014) · cites this paper as Mercer, 1985
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BackgroundEngaged Mothering: The Transition to Motherhood for a Group of African American Women
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“Nursing has described this transition in terms of maternal role attainment (MRA) (Brouse, 1988; Majewski, 1986; Martell, 1990; Mercer, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986a, 1986b, 1990; Mercer & Ferketich, 1995; Rubin 1967a, 1967b, 1984).”
Does the Length of Maternity Leave Affect Maternal Health?
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Self-citationConcept analysis of transition to motherhood: a methodological study
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InfluentialAssessment of Functioning in New Mothers
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“Therefore, the aims of this analysis are to (1) present a new, patient-centered definition of maternal functional status and (2) evaluate select maternal assessments against this definition.”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialMcVeigh, C. A. (2000) · MCN The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing · doi:10.1097/00005721-200001000-00006 · Cited by 62
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Özkan, H., & Polat, S. (2011) · Asian Nursing Research · doi:10.1016/s1976-1317(11)60019-4 · Cited by 52
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Validation of Edinburgh postnatal depression scale for adolescent mothers
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Tarkka, M.-T., Paunonen, M., & Laippala, P. (2000) · Journal of Advanced Nursing · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2648.2000.01264.x · Cited by 46
Relationship of the birth experience to later mothering behaviors
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“…of stress due to parenthood-related psychosocial, physiological and economical demands (Barclay et al., 1997), parents typically find themselves highly motivated to take care of their offspring’s needs and find the interactions with their infants to be rewarding (Mercer, 1985; Goodman, 2002).”
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“An infant can be seen as an active partner in the maternal role-taking process (Mercer 1985).”
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Understanding Interventions and Outcomes in Mothers of Infants
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“Individual attention also bolsters confidence and self esteem, both of which contribute to a successful transition to motherhood (Bullock & Pridham, 1988; Deutsch et al., 1988; Mercer, 1981, 1985, 2004; Mercer & Ferketich, 1995; Porter & Hsu, 2003).”
BackgroundInfluentialParenting Stress, Depression and Verbal Abuse of Infant's Mothers
Kim, M. Y., & Park, D.-Y. (2009) · Journal of Korean Academy of Child Health Nursing · doi:10.4094/jkachn.2009.15.4.375 · Cited by 33
“Mercer (1985)는 어머니가 자녀 양육 시 경험하 는 가장 빈번한 스트레스로 어머니의 개인시간 부족, 어머니역 할에 대한 자신감 부족, 아기간호와 수면부족, 책임감 등을 제 시하였다.”
Riordan, J. M., Woodley, G., & Heaton, K. L. (1994) · Journal of Human Lactation · doi:10.1177/089033449401000416 · Cited by 33
An Australian study of functional status after childbirth
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“While prior experience in the motherhood role could result in greater expertise in taking on and enacting that role (Mercer 1985), previous experience with motherhood may not necessarily result in women being better prepared to deal with subsequent motherhood experiences (Affonso et al 1988, Smith 1989, Pridham et al…”
BackgroundMothers' self‐reports of parenthood across the first 6 months postpartum
Grace, J. T. (1993) · Research in Nursing & Health · doi:10.1002/nur.4770160607 · Cited by 33
Depression treatment and maternal functioning
Logsdon, M. C., Wisner, K. L., Sit, D. K. Y., Luther, J. F., & Wisniewski, S. R. (2011) · Depression and Anxiety · doi:10.1002/da.20892 · Cited by 32
“Many mothers become confident and fully functional in the maternal role across the first year postbirth;[28] therefore, investigation of the impact of antidepressant treatment on new mothers is ideally longitudinal in nature.”
BackgroundThe Early Postpartum Experience of Previously Infertile Mothers
Ladores, S., & Aroian, K. J. (2015) · Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing · doi:10.1111/1552-6909.12576 · Cited by 30
“Regardless of infertility, transition to motherhood is well-documented as a challenging and important time (Mercer, 1985), particularly for first-time mothers (Nelson, 2003).”
BackgroundInfluentialMaternal Identity and Early Mothering Behavior in Previously Infertile and Never Infertile Women
Dunnington, R. M., & Glazer, G. (1991) · Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing · doi:10.1111/j.1552-6909.1991.tb01694.x · Cited by 30
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Transition of Maternal Competency of Married and Single Mothers in Early Parenthood
Copeland, D. B., & Harbaugh, B. L. (2004) · The Journal of Perinatal Education · doi:10.1624/105812404x6171 · Cited by 29
Kordi, M., Fasanghari, M., Asgharipour, N., & Esmaily, H. (2017) · Journal of Education and Health Promotion · doi:10.4103/jehp.jehp_113_15 · Cited by 29
“[3] Mercer (1985) stated that maternal role attainment is a process in which the mother attains maternal role qualifications and adds maternal behaviors to her bunch of roles.”
BackgroundMcKelvey, M. M. (2014) · Advances in Nursing Science · doi:10.1097/ans.0000000000000022 · Cited by 27
“Although the typical postpartum period is characterized as the first 6 weeks beyond birth, most mothers take much longer to fully embrace the maternal role (Mercer, 1985).”
BackgroundA feminist critique of foundational nursing research and theory on transition to motherhood
Parratt, J., & Fahy, K. M. (2010) · Midwifery · doi:10.1016/j.midw.2010.02.012 · Cited by 27
Dlamini, L. P., Hsu, Y.-Y. A., Shongwe, M. C., Wang, S., & Gau, M. (2023) · Journal of Midwifery & Women s Health · doi:10.1111/jmwh.13478 · Cited by 27
THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL SUPPORT ON MATERNAL-INFANT ATTACHMENT IN TURKISH SOCIETY
Alan, H., & Ege, E. (2013) · Journal of Anatolia Nursing and Health Sciences · doi:10.17049/ahsbd.87204 · Cited by 26
Fatigue in mothers of infants discharged to the home on apnea monitors.
Williams, P. D., Press, A., Williams, A. R., Piamjariyakul, U., Keeter, L. M., Schultz, J. A., & Hunter, K. (1999) · Applied Nursing Research · doi:10.1016/s0897-1897(99)80342-5 · Cited by 23
“Fatigue also affects maternal role gratification and maternal role attainment (Mercer, 1981) and mother-infant bonding and interaction (Phipps & Drotar, 1990; Vohr et al.”
BackgroundThe effects of music and movement on mother-infant interactions
Vlismas, W., Malloch, S. N., & Burnham, D. K. (2021) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781003090311-8 · Cited by 24
Kim, H. S., & Kim, S. (2013) · Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing · doi:10.4040/jkan.2013.43.1.69 · Cited by 23
RetractedThe Practices of Mothering in Caregiving an Adult Son with AIDS
Nelms, T. P. (2000) · Advances in Nursing Science · doi:10.1097/00012272-200003000-00005 · Cited by 23
Metadata
- Authors
- MERCER, R. T.
- Affiliations
- University of California, San Francisco (US)
- Corresponding author
- MERCER, RAMONA T.
- Venue
- Nursing Research
- Published
- 1985-07
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 198???203
- ISSN
- 0029-6562 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2029812512
- Cited by
- 258
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 14 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 3.39
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nursing Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Public Health Service (MC-R-060435)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Keywords
- maternal role attainment, maternal age, maternal behavior, infant irritability
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Child Behavior, Female, Humans, Infant, Maternal Age, Maternal Behavior, Middle Aged, Mother-Child Relations, Mothers, Role, Self Concept, Time Factors, Pregnancy, High-Risk
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