Korean J Women Health Nurs.  2017 Jun;23(2):99-108. 10.4069/kjwhn.2017.23.2.99.

Relationship among Emotional Clarity, Maternal Identity, and Fetal Attachment in Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

• Lee SM
• Park HJ

• KMID: 2424145
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2017.23.2.99

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among emotional clarity in emotional intelligence, maternal identity, and fetal attachment to measure how emotional clarity and maternal identity impact on fetal attachment and to determine mediating effects of maternal identity in pregnant women at the time of diagnosis with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
METHODS
This study used a correlational survey design. 88 pregnant women with GDM completed a study questionnaire of emotional clarity, maternal identity, and fetal attachment immediately after the diagnosis of GDM. Data were analyzed Mann-Whitney U test, and ANOVA with Duncan test, Pearson correlation, three-step regressions to test mediating effect, and Sobel test.
RESULTS
The emotional clarity was positively related with maternal identity and fetal attachment. It affected maternal identity with 21.9% of explained variance. The emotional clarity and the maternal identity were significant predictors of fetal attachment by 57.7% of explained variance. The maternal identity mediated the relationship between emotional clarity and fetal attachment.
CONCLUSION
The results suggest that a nursing program to enhance the emotional clarity and the maternal identity needs to be developed as an effective strategy to improve fetal attachment.

Keyword

Emotional clarity; Identity; Attachment; Gestational diabetes mellitus

MeSH Terms

Diabetes, Gestational*
Diagnosis
Emotional Intelligence
Female
Humans
Negotiating
Nursing
Pregnancy
Pregnant Women*