A review on the relationship between marital adjustment and maternal attachment

Abstract

Objective: To determine the relationship between marital adjustment of mothers who have babies between 1-4 months old and their maternal attachment; as well as the relationship of maternal attachment and marital adjustment with sociodemographic characteristics. Method: The research is descriptive and correlational. Its sample consists of 113 mothers. Maternal Attachment Index (MAI) and Marital Adjustment Scale (MAS) are used as data collection tools. Results: We found that, for mothers who participated in this research, the average level of maternal attachment is 92.17 ± 8.49, and the average level of marital adjustment is 43.06 ± 7.90. We discovered that the maternal attachment level is higher for mothers who have completed high school and university, those who breastfeed their babies exclusively and whose spouses help care for the baby. We also discovered that the Marital Adjustment Score is higher among mothers who are employed, get married by companionship (not arranged), continue attending pregnancy classes and whose duration of marriage is between 1-5 years and 10-15 years. There is weak positive relationship (r=0.38; p=0.00) between marital adjustment and maternal attachment; and the regression analysis that is run to explain this relationship is statistically significant (F=26.131; p<0.05). Conclusion: In our study, the level of maternal attachment was high, while the level of marital adjustment was liminal. There are many factors affecting sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy and baby care. The level of marital adjustment for mothers increases the maternal attachment.

Does maternal attachment to her infant mediate the link between perceptions of infant crying at 6 months and parenting stress at 24 months? A structural equation modelling approach

“…Unplanned pregnancy, father's negative reaction to the pregnancy, long duration of labour, method of delivery, absence of early contact with the newborn, infant feeding method, and maternity blues have been identified as impacting early maternal attachment (Cetisli et al, ; Nagata et al, ; Pascoe & French, ; Troy, ). During the months after birth, pre and post‐partum depressive symptoms, low level of partner satisfaction, low social support, separation with the baby during the first days, prenatal attitudes and expectations, and a history of childhood sexual abuse increase the risk of low maternal attachment to the child (Boztepe, Ay, Kerimoglu Yildiz, & Cinar, ; Mutlu, Erkut, Yıldırım, & Gündoğdu, ; Nieto, Lara, & Navarrete, ; Peterson & Mehl, ). In addition, having an infant who suffers from excessive crying has been associated with lower levels of maternal attachment (Bond, Prager, Tiggemann, & Tao, ).…”

Marital Adjustment and Prenatal Breastfeeding Efficacy of First Time Mothers in A Low-Income Community in The Philippines

“…Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (1-tailed) level of satisfaction with their relationship and being sensitive parents. The consistency in the relationship between spouses is also important for the baby to understand relationship connections (Mutlu, Erkut, Yildirim, & Gündoğdu, 2018). Further, it was also demonstrated that family functions, especially, problem solving, communications and family roles as well as marital adjustment, can explain more than half of the quality of life in women.…”

Psychological Stress and its Relationship to Marital Adjustment among Working Mothers in Jordanian Society and its Impact on Raising Children

“…3. Love and Emotion: Mutual love is an important factor and an essential manifestation of marital adjustment, as Peterson-Post et al 2014mentioned that it is a requirement for the growth of the normal personality, in which there are feelings in the marriage that accompany the relationship between the spouses where they share each other, as both feel the need to meet the needs of the other party (Mutlu et al, 2017).…”

“…Negative experiences contribute to the negative impact on the personality of the child, which makes him vulnerable to infection with various mental illnesses and psychological contract. Mutlu et al (2017) added that the nature of the relationship between the parents is considered another influencing factor on the child's personality. If the relationship was bad, it certainly leads to the disintegration of the family, which creates an unhealthy atmosphere that leads to the affect the child's development, psychological development.…”

“…Some see that work places the prospects of women and develops their personality, and contributes to increasing the level of national income and enhancing the economic level of the family. Others believe that working women live in a state of tension, stress and excitement at home and at work, due to the assumption of multiple responsibilities that contribute to not enabling them to achieve compatibility between their work and good education for their children (Mutlu et al, 2017). Consequently, the multiplicity of opinions and their divergence necessitates the need to conduct a modern study that supports the results of previous studies.…”