First‐time mothers: social support, maternal parental self‐efficacy and postnatal depression

Social support conceptualised and measured in different ways has been found to positively influence the mothering experience as has maternal parental self-efficacy. No research exists which has measured the relationships between social support, underpinned by social exchange theory and maternal parental self-efficacy using a domain-specific instrument, underpinned by self-efficacy theory and postnatal depression, with first-time mothers at 6 weeks post delivery.

A quantitative correlational descriptive design was used. METHOD: Data were collected using a five-part questionnaire package containing a researcher developed social support questionnaire, the Perceived Maternal Parental Self-Efficacy Scale and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Four hundred and ten mothers completed questionnaires at 6 weeks post delivery.