Self-Consciousness, Couple’s Satisfaction, Maternal-Fetal Attachment and Psychological Distress in Women during Pregnancy

Abstract

Identification of psychological distress, especially in first time pregnant women, is fundamental due to its negative impact on physical and mental health of the mother and the child to be born. The purpose of the present study was to find out the relationship between self-consciousness, couple’s satisfaction, maternal-fetal attachment and psychological distress among first-time pregnant women. The sample (N=100) included first time pregnant women with an age range of 18-37 years (M= 26.23; SD= 3.36) from different hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan. Participants were administered Self Consciousness Scale; The Couple’s Satisfaction Index; Cranley’s Maternal- Fetal Attachment Scale; Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and Demographic Form. The Correlation research design was used. The results of regression analyses revealed that private self-consciousness and social anxiety were positive predictors of psychological distress whereas, public self-consciousness and couple satisfaction emerged to be negative predictors of psychological distress.  The current findings have clear implications for mental health practitioners, researchers, and social workers wishing to identify and develop social and clinical therapeutic interventions which enhance positive well-being and decrease psychological distress in pregnant women.