Longitudinal Evaluation of a Prenatal Mentoring Program for Decreasing Maternal Anxiety in a Military Sample

Sunday, 30 July 2017: 9:10 AM

Karen L. Weis, PhD
Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing & Health Professions, University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, TX, USA
Regina P. Lederman, PhD, MA
School of Nursing, University of Texas Medical Branch, Houston, TX, USA
Katherine C. Walker, MSN
Nursing Research Department, 59th Medical Wing, Marion, TX, USA
Wenyaw Chan, PhD
School of Publich Health, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA

Purpose: A relationship exists between prenatal maternal anxiety to pregnancy complications, poor birth outcomes and infant/childhood cognitive delays.1-3 Traditionally, high-risk groups of young, unmarried, undereducated primigravidas have been the focus of prenatal assessment and interventions.4 Less understood is anxiety in differing samples. The aim of this project was to assess the efficacy of the Mentors Offering Maternal Support (M-O-M-STM) program for decreasing prenatal maternal anxiety in a military sample.

Methods:  Two hundred and forty-six military women were consented and randomized to either the M-O-M-STM intervention or prenatal care without M-O-M-S.TMThe PSEQ-SF, EPDS, RSES and BRIEF were administered in each trimester. Women in the intervention attended 8, 1-hr mentored sessions aimed at decreasing prenatal pregnancy-specific anxiety and depression. The efficacy of the intervention across pregnancy was examined for prenatal anxiety, self-esteem, depression and resilience using linear mixed models with autoregressive correlation. Demographic covariates were: age, employment, parity, marital status, education, deployment history, military branch, race, and active duty status.

Results:  M-O-M-S™ participants had significantly greater decreases in prenatal anxiety related to Identification with a Motherhood Role (p = .049) and Preparation for Labor (p = .017). Nulliparous women had significantly lower anxiety related to Acceptance of Pregnancy (β = 1.32; se = 0.56) but five times the anxiety for Preparation of Labor (β = -5.01; se = 0.51). Women with deployed husbands had significantly greater anxiety for Identification of a Motherhood Role (β = 1.04; se = 0.50). All participants had significantly greater increases in resilience (β = 0.04; se = 0.02). There were no significant findings for depression.

Conclusion: The findings reflected significant decreases in prenatal anxiety for women who received the M-O-M-STM program. The impact of the father’s absence on a women’s identification as a mother is extremely important. Military leaders recognize that the well-being of the military family is integral to the morale and readiness of service members.5 The findings provide evidence of the effectiveness of a mentored support program for decreasing pregnancy-specific prenatal anxiety predictive of preterm birth and low birthweight in military women. The findings also highlight the need for appropriate assessments and interventions for differing populations.