Study on attendance at mother's class and social support

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Health Education and Promotion Vol. 4; no. 1; pp. 3 - 10
• Main Authors: NOZAKI, Sadahiko, TAKEDA, Fumi, MIYAJI, Fumiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: JAPANESE SOCIETY OF HEALTH EDUCATION AND PROMOTION 1997; 日本健康教育学会
• Subjects: formation of social network; level of anxiety decreasing; mother's class; social support; ソーシャルサポート; 不安解消; 母親学級; 社会的ネットワーク形成
• ISSN: 1340-2560; 1884-5053
• DOI: 10.11260/kenkokyoiku1993.4.3

The purpose of this study is to examine the benefits derived from attendance at mother's classes. The participants in the study included mothers of 3-4 month old infants who were residing in an urban area. A questionnaire survey was used to study several factors: 1) class attendance, 2) level of anxiety decreasing related to maternity life, nutrition and hygiene, delivery, and child rearing, and 3) forma-tion of social networks. Based on the results of the survey, relationships between these factors, the place of attendance, and social support were analyzed. 1. 84.8% of the subjects participated in mother's classes, and 64. 6% of those took the classes at medical institutions. Those who participated in the classes tended to be older and had completed a high-er level of schooling than those who did not participated. 2. 90% of the subjects stated that their anxiety levels regarding nutrition and hygiene of both before and after birth, decreased significantly. 70% reported decreased anxiety regarding delivery and child rearing. Those living in apartment houses reported a lesser decrease in anxiety regarding child rearing than others. The level of anxiety decreasing was lower at medical institutions than at adminis-trative institutions as to the lectures on maternity life, delivery and others, but lower only on dental hygiene and baby bathing. 3. Approximately 40% of the subjects established friendships through attendance in mother's classes, and 30% increased interest in social and informational resources in the local community. This finding was noted regardless of lecture location or the mother's characteristics. 4. The subjects who attended mother's classes reported receiving more social support than those who did not attend. Also, it was noted that among the subjects who attended mother's classes, those whose anxiety was reduced-regarding nutrition, maternity life, delivery, and baby rearing-and . those who established friendships with class participants, acquired more social support. This suggests that attendance at mother's class effects to decrease anxiety and to establish a social network, and to lead to the increase of one's social support. [J.J.H.E.P, 1997 ; 4 : 3-10]