Abstract
[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of family function on antenatal depression and parenting self-efficacy of Japanese primiparas in their second and third trimesters of pregnancy. [Methods] In this study, 502 primiparas participated. During the two study periods (i.e., second and third trimesters), a self-administered questionnaire that comprised of questions about personal attributes and the following scales were administered : i) Family Functioning Scale (FFS) ; ii) Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) ; iii) Parenting Self-efficacy (PSE) Scale. Data from the valid responses of 310 women (second trimester, 151 and third trimester, 159) were analyzed. [Results] The prevalence rates of women suspected of having depression were as follows : 47.7% in the second trimester and 47.8% in the third trimester. The results of the path analysis showed a significant negative path from "cognitive and attentional symptoms" to PSE Scale score and a significant positive path from "affective bonding" and "external relationships" to PSE Scale score. However, "affective bonding", "roles and responsibilities", and "external relationships" alleviated "cognitive and attentional symptoms" "communication" and "family norm" strengthened "roles and responsibilities" and "communication" "roles and responsibilities" strengthened "affective bonding" furthermore, "communication" "financial resources" and "roles and responsibilities" strengthened "external relationships". The adaptations of this model yielded the following values : CMIN/df=.989 ; NFI=.98 CFI=1.000 ; AIC=76.87 and RMSE=.000 (n=310). [Discussion] In the present study, we found that encouraging effective "communication" among family members in order to solve problems that arise during the pregnancy period and clarifying "roles and responsibilities" enhanced the family's "affective bonding" and "external relationships", leading to alleviation of "cognitive and attentional symptoms" improvement of parenting self-efficacy. These findings suggest that families would be able to deal as a system with psychosomatic and physical changes among primiparas by invigorating family functions from early pregnancy. Consequently, antenatal depression can be prevented and parenting self-efficacy of primiparas can be improved.
