Dissertation Title:

From Maiden to Mother: A Qualitative Study of Contemporary Transformations

Candidate:

Michelle L. Evans

Date, Time & Place:

April 1, 2019 at 3:00 pm
Studio, Lambert Road campus


Abstract

The literature on new mothers speaks to the common experiences of women, including their personal reflections and interpersonal patterns as well as the collective influence of society on the experience of motherhood (Besser & Priel, 2001, 2003; Churchill & Davis, 2010; Coo, Milgrom, & Trinder, 2014). It suggests that surviving the vulnerability of motherhood is connected to a woman’s developing identity, ability to manage fear and demands, possession of necessary resources, and faith in herself and others (Akerjordet & Severinsson, 2010). Contemporary women are increasingly utilizing social media for support (O’Connor & Madge, 2004), leading to a greater collective influence on the expectations of motherhood and amplifying archetypal elements of the ‘Mother’ image (Jung, 1977/2014b; Neumann, 2015). Utilizing interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009), this dissertation illuminates the transformative experience of contemporary women when they became mothers. The findings reflect that new mothers undergo pervasive changes to their interior and exterior worlds that could result in emotional distress. These findings also highlight the need for new mothers to have secure relationships that can serve as a protective factor against emotional distress and promote their individuation. Further, the findings revealed that many contemporary women do not experience supportive relationships. However, new mothers who benefited from supportive relationships described the experience as a positive transformation. The results of the study provide insight into the deeply transformative experience of becoming a mother and into clinical implications for the treatment of women who experience psychological distress as new mothers.

Note

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Details
  • Program/Track/Year: Clinical Psychology, Track OP, 2013
  • Chair: Dr. Juliet Rohde-Brown
  • Reader: Dr. Lee Weiser
  • External Reader: Dr. Terry Marks-Tarlow
  • Keywords: Postpartum Depression, Anxiety, Mothers, Psychotherapy