Logo image
Back
Associations between social support, mental wellbeing, self-efficacy and technology use in first-time antenatal women: data from the BaBBLeS cohort study
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Associations between social support, mental wellbeing, self-efficacy and technology use in first-time antenatal women: data from the BaBBLeS cohort study

Samuel Ginja, Jane Coad, Elizabeth Bailey, Sally Kendall, Trudy Goodenough, Samantha Nightingale, Jane Smiddy, Crispin Day, Toity Deave and Raghu Lingam
BMC pregnancy and childbirth, Vol.18(1), p.441
2018
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-2049-x
PMCID: PMC6233574
PMID: 30419842
pdf
Published645.59 kBDownloadView
CC BY V4.0,  Open Access

Abstract

Life Sciences & Biomedicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Science & Technology
Background: Information and communication technologies are used increasingly to facilitate social networks and support women during the perinatal period. This paper presents data on how technology use affects the association between women's social support and, (i) mental wellbeing and, (ii) self-efficacy in the antenatal period. Methods: Data were collected as part of an ongoing study - the BaBBLeS study - exploring the effect of a pregnancy and maternity software application (app) on maternal wellbeing and self-efficacy. Between September 2016 and February 2017, we aimed to recruit first-time pregnant women at 12-16 gestation weeks in five maternity sites across England and asked them to complete questionnaires. Outcomes included maternal mental wellbeing (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale), and antenatal self-efficacy (antenatal version of the Tool to Measure Parenting Self-Efficacy). Other variables assessed were perceived social support (Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support), general technology use (adapted from Media and Technology Usage and Attitudes Scale). Potential confounders were age, ethnicity, education, socioeconomic deprivation, employment, relationship status and recruitment site. Linear regression models were developed to analyse the relationship between social support and the outcomes. Results: Participants (n=492, median age=28years) were predominantly white British (64.6%). Half of them had a degree or higher degree (49.3%), most were married/living with a partner (83.6%) and employed (86.2%). Median (LQ-UQ) overall scores were 81.0 (74.0-84.0) for social support (range 12-84), 5.1 (4.7-5.4) for technology use (range 1-6), 54.0 (48.0-60.0) for mental well-being (range 14-70), and 319.0 (295.5-340) for self-efficacy (range 0-360). Social support was significantly associated with antenatal mental well-being adjusting for confounders [adj R-2=0.13, p<.001]. The addition of technology use did not alter this model [adj R-2=0.13, p<.001]. Social support was also significantly associated with self-efficacy after adjustment [adj R-2=0.14, p<.001]; technology had limited impact on this association [adj R-2=0.13, p<.001]. Conclusions: Social support is associated with mental well-being and self-efficacy in antenatal first-time mothers. This association was not significantly affected by general technology use as measured in our survey. Future work should investigate whether pregnancy-specific technologies yield greater potential to enhance the perceived social support, wellbeing and self-efficacy of antenatal women.

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

Metrics

1 File views/ downloads
26 Record Views
47 Times Cited - Web of Science

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
International collaboration
Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.72 Obstetrics & Gynecology
1.72.1072 Perinatal Mental Health
Web Of Science research areas
Obstetrics & Gynecology
ESI research areas
Clinical Medicine
Logo image