Abstract
Primiparous women usually experience various parenting problems after childbirth that have negative effects on the well-being of mothers and infants. Although e-Support technology could provide an innovative and easily accessible intervention approach, mobile-phone interventions remain limited for Chinese primiparous women. Therefore, a new mobile application (APP) called the “Internet-based Support Program” (“ISP”) was designed, incorporating the self-efficacy theory and the social-exchange theory for Chinese first-time mothers to improve their levels of maternal self-efficacy (MSE), social support, and satisfaction, as well as to reduce their postpartum depression symptoms. The research was conducted to develop and optimize the “ISP” APP for new mothers via a theory-, evidence-, and person-based approach. Five modules of “learning forum”, “communication forum”, “ask-the-expert forum”, “baby home forum”, and “reminder forum” were included in the APP to meet various parenting needs of first-time mothers; and its contents and functions were validated by the experts and primiparous women. The majority of participants gave positive feedback on the APP’s perceived ease of use and usefulness. The “ISP” APP was the first designed for Chinese primiparous women, and a multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to measure its effectiveness on parenting outcomes.
Highlights
Having a baby is an event that irrevocably alters a woman’s life [1]
Owing to the little parenting experience, primiparous women after childbirth usually suffer from various parenting problems, which have negative effects on the physical and mental well-being of mothers and infants [3,4,5]
Maternal self-efficacy (MSE), as a significant indicator of parenting outcomes, is the belief women hold about their capability to organize and perform the different parenting tasks [6]
Summary
Owing to the little parenting experience, primiparous women after childbirth usually suffer from various parenting problems, which have negative effects on the physical and mental well-being of mothers and infants [3,4,5]. Maternal self-efficacy (MSE), as a significant indicator of parenting outcomes, is the belief women hold about their capability to organize and perform the different parenting tasks [6]. Women with a high level of MSE are identified to have positive parenting outcomes [7]. Research found that Chinese primiparous women had a moderate level of MSE and were frequently confronted with many parenting problems, i.e., unsuccessful parenting tasks and negative mother–child attachment [8]
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