The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of a workbook program on percieved stress levels, maternal role confidence and breastfeeding practices of mothers of premature infants.

This study employed a quasi-experimental non-equivalent pre-and-post test to compare the two groups. Data was collected from 32 subjects from March 10. to September 5, 2003 at an NICU located in S. city. In the sample, fifteen mothers were in the experimental group and seventeen were in the control group. A workbook program was provided twice during a period from two-three days after the baby's admission to one week after the first intervention. The instruments used were the PSS and self confidence scale. Data was analyzed by means of frequency, SD, χ²-test, Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney test, and the Wilcoxon signed rank test.

There was a significant difference in perceived stress levels between the experimental and control group (U=2.366, p=.018). There was not a significant difference in maternal role confidence between the two groups (U=1.002, p=.316). There was a significant difference in breastfeeding practice between the two groups (χ²= 4.910, p=.035).

It is concluded that a program using a workbook has a positive effect on decreasing the perceived stress level and increasing breastfeeding practice.

The purposes of this study were to describe the relationship between depression and resilience and to identify variables associated with depression among children with nephrotic syndrome.

Data was collected from 45 children who were registered at one hospital in Seoul. The criteria for sample selection were 10 to 15 year-old children who were diagnosed at least 6 month prior. The instruments included a self-reported questionnaire on resilience by Kim, CDI by Beck, and MBRI by Kwak. Descriptive, Pearson correlation and multiple regression analyses were done.

The mean score of depression was 11.44 (range:0-54) and resilience was 97.47 (range:32-128). There were significant positive relationships between depression and age (r=0.302, p<.005) and academic achievement (r=-0.318, p<.005). In addition, negative relationships between depression and maternal attitude (r=-0.412, p<.001) and resilience (r=-0.649, p<.001) occurred. The results of multiple regression analysis showed that maternal behavior (β=-0.421, p<.005) and resilience (β=-0.639, p<.001) were related to depression.

Children with higher resilience and with an affectionate mother were less depressed. Thus, it is important to identify strengths of children and help them to increase resilience and implement parenting and counseling programs for parents' of these children. Similar studies with children with other chronic illnesses are needed.

The study was done to construct and test a structural model to explain primipara breastfeeding behavior.

The participants were 213 primiparas on postpartum wards. Data were analyzed using the PASW 18.0 and AMOS 19.0 programs.

Fitness statistics for the hypothetical model were appropriate (χ² =38.50, p=.070, GFI=.96, RMSEA=.05, AGFI=.93, NFI=.95, TLI=.97, CFI=.98, PNFI=.57, χ²/df=1.43). Breastfeeding behaviors were directly influenced by intention to breastfeed, perceived effectiveness of breastfeeding, and the amount of supplementary feeding. The amount of supplementary feeding had the largest direct impact on breastfeeding behavior. The largest total effect on breastfeeding behavior was intention to breastfeed. The environment of the maternity hospital indirectly influenced breastfeeding behavior. These factors explained 18.9% of variance in the primipara breastfeeding behavior.

The results of the study indicate that in order to promote primipara breastfeeding the amount of supplementary feeding immediately after the birth should be limited and an environment that encourages exclusive breastfeeding in the hospital should be provided. The results also suggest it is necessary to provide nursing interventions that increase the intention to breastfeed and the perceived effectiveness of breastfeeding.

The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing maternal identity of Korean primiparas.

The data were collected by a self-report questionnaire in 2006. The participants were 210 healthy primiparous women who delivered at one of three medical centers and revisited the outpatient department for follow up between 4 to 6 weeks after childbirth. Data were analyzed using the SPSS WIN 17.0 program with descriptive statistics, t-test, one way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression.

Maternal identity was significantly correlated with Taekyo accomplishment, the culturally based prenatal preparation (p<.001). Transitional gratification to motherhood (p<.001), postpartum depression (p<.001), childcare stress (p<.001), infant temperament (p<.001), and social support (p<.001) were also significantly correlated with maternal identity. The stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that maternal identity was significantly predicted by transitional gratification to motherhood, infant temperament, childcare stress, and Taekyo accomplishment. These variables explained 31.0% of the variance of maternal identity.

The results of this study suggest that postpartum nursing interventions to promote maternal identity should focus on reinforcing education and support for reducing childcare stress and infant difficulty, and increasing transitional gratification to motherhood. Also, prenatal encouragement and education for improving Taekyo accomplishment may be helpful to promote maternal identity after birth.

This study was done to develop a model which explains factors influencing caring behavior of mothers who have children with disabilities, and to verify the appropriateness of the model and the relationship among variables.

The participants in the research were the mothers who had a 3 to 12 yr-old children with disabilities. The data were collected from 451 mothers through self-reported questionnaires from July 14 to 31, 2008. A total of the 371 data sets were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 11.5 and AMOS 5.0 version.

The children's behavior characteristics, social support, objective burden and parenting self-esteem had an impact on the mothers' caring behavior. Especially, parenting self-esteem including parenting satisfaction and self-efficacy was the most influential factor. These variables explained 77% of the mothers' caring behavior for these children.

The results suggest that some strategies for promoting mothers' parenting self-esteem focused on parenting satisfaction and self-efficacy should be developed in order to help mothers in caring for their child who is disabled.