Effects of mastery and intimacy on anxiety following pregnancy: For whom is support supportive and from whom?

Abstract

Ninety-nine women were interviewed regarding their sense of mastery, intimacy with significant others, and state anxiety immediately following normal or complicated pregnancy outcome. They were then interviewed again three months later. It was found that women with high mastery experienced less state anxiety at both times. Greater intimacy with spouse was related to lower anxiety levels, but greater intimacy with family was related to greater anxiety. It was noted, however, that both the positive effect of intimacy with spouse and the negative effect of intimacy with family were most apparent among low mastery women. High mastery women, in contrast, were relatively unaffected by intimacy. The results were interpreted as indicating that high mastery is a robust stress resistance resource, and that those who possess it are more independent of both environmental stressors and their social environment. Those low in mastery are both less capable of directly resisting stress, and are more volatile (for better or worse) in their reponse to their social environment.

Key Words:

• State anxiety
• social support
• mastery
• Israel