Towards a relational self: social engagement during pregnancy and psychological preparation for motherhood

Smith, Jonathan A. (1999) Towards a relational self: social engagement during pregnancy and psychological preparation for motherhood. British Journal of Social Psychology 38 (4), pp. 409-426. ISSN 0144-6665.

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1348/014466699164248

Abstract

This study works towards a theoretical model of the relational self derived from the intensive examination of a small number of case studies of women going through their first pregnancy. The study is idiographic, grounded in the women's own accounts of the experience, and it is primarily qualitative. It employs interviews, diaries, repertory grids and interpretative phenomenological analysis. The theory argues that pregnancy can accentuate the symbiotic relation of one's perception of self and others, and that this aids psychological preparation for mothering. Increasing contact with key others can be psychologically informative: the woman may perceive herself as becoming more like key other(s); close involvement with existing family can facilitate the woman's preparation for taking on the new role of mother. The model is explicated with illustrations from the women's accounts. It is then discussed in relation to the existing literature.

Metadata

Item Type:	Article
School:	Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Science > School of Psychological Sciences
Depositing User:	Sarah Hall
Date Deposited:	09 Mar 2020 15:18
Last Modified:	02 Aug 2023 17:58
URI:	https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/31211

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