Well-being, self-esteem and body satisfaction in new mothers

Figures & data

Figure 1. Hypothesised path model.

Figure 2. Path model of predictors of well-being.

Figure 3. Alternative path model of predictors of well-being.

Table 1. Profile characteristics.

Variable		N	%
Age range (years)	22–29 30-40	87 147	37.2 62.8
Number of children	1 2	150 84	64.1 35.9
Months since birth	0–6 7-12 13–18 19-24	75 39 26 94	32.1 16.7 11.1 40.2
Marital status	Single Co-habiting Married Separated Widowed	15 24 183 9 3	6.4 10.3 78.2 3.8 1.3
Employment status	Full time Part time Mother	45 93 96	19.2 39.7 41.1

Table 2. Summary table of all descriptive statistics and correlations.

	X	SD	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13
Age	30.8	4.5
Emotional memory	3.4	1.6	−.31**
Reliving memory	2.9	1.5	−.02	−.04
Centrality of memory	3.9	2.3	.19**	.01	.21**
Sensory memory	2.8	1.4	−.04	.09	.57**	.19**
Recall memory	3.6	1.5	.07	.04	.19**	.17**	.49**
Coherence memory	4.3	1.7	.19**	−.39**	.03	.16*	−.07	.19**
Parent competence	4.5	0.8	.16*	−.11	−.19**	.12	−.19**	.07	.19**
Parent satisfaction	4.3	1.0	.14*	−.12	−.12	.13*	−.04	.20**	.13	.86**
Parent efficacy	4.5	0.9	.17**	−.14*	−.19**	.06	−.26**	.02	.31**	.84**	.51**
Body shape	26.9	10.8	.09	.06	.18**	.07	.13	.07	.01	−.38**	−.32**	−.38**
Memory total	3.5	0.9	.06	.20**	.59**	.67**	.67**	.64**	.32**	−.01	.08	−.04	.16*
Well-being	53.9	11.7	.13*	−.23**	−.25**	.13*	−.12	.14*	.18**	.52**	.46**	.52**	−.44**	−.01
Self-esteem	23.4	5.9	.01	−.11	−.08	.08	−.13	.12	.12	.41**	.28**	.50**	−.36**	.02	.52**

***p < .001; **p< .01; *p< .05.

Table 3. HMRA to identify the predictors of well-being.

	B	SE.B	β
Step 1: R^2 = .03, F(4,229) = 1.63, p = .168
Age	.377	.182	.143*
Months since most recent birth	.062	.481	.009
Marital status	−.592	1.142	−.035
Employment status	−.961	.703	−.093
Step 2: R^2 Δ = .19, F(6,223) = 8.77, p < .001
Age	.017	.180	.006
Months since most recent birth	.073	.452	.011
Marital status	−.718	1.061	−.043
Employment status	−1.358	.663	−.131*
Emotional memory	−1.879	.525	−.249***
Reliving memory	−2.310	.594	−.293***
Centrality of memory	1.002	.326	.198**
Sensory memory	−.632	.726	−.074
Recall memory	1.781	.559	.235**
Coherence memory	.033	.487	.005
Step 3: R^2 Δ = .20, F(2,221) = 37.69, p < .001
Age	−.137	.158	−.052
Months since most recent birth	.245	.396	.036
Marital status	−.238	.928	−.014
Employment status	−1.017	.581	−.098
Emotional memory	−1.725	.459	−.228***
Reliving memory	−1.799	.519	−.228***
Centrality of memory	.760	.285	.150**
Sensory memory	.279	.640	.033
Recall memory	1.128	.498	.149*
Coherence memory	−.575	.436	−.082
Parenting satisfaction	2.273	.761	.189**
Parenting efficacy	4.872	.880	.369***
Step 4: R^2 Δ = .05, F(1,220) = 19.47, p < .001
Age	.020	.156	.007
Months since most recent birth	−.100	.388	−.015
Marital status	−.412	.892	−.025
Employment status	−1.111	.558	−.107*
Emotional memory	−1.499	.444	−.198***
Reliving memory	−1.662	.499	−.210***
Centrality of memory	.808	.274	.160**
Sensory memory	.166	.615	.020
Recall memory	1.252	.479	.165**
Coherence memory	−.395	.421	−.056
Parenting satisfaction	1.780	.740	.148**
Parenting efficacy	3.638	.890	.276***
Body dissatisfaction	−.276	.063	−.254***
Step 5: R^2 Δ = .05, F(1,219) = 22.08, p < .001
Age	.069	.149	.026
Months since most recent birth	−.004	.372	−.001
Marital status	−.292	.853	−.017
Employment status	−.904	.535	−.087
Emotional memory	−1.276	.427	−.169**
Reliving memory	−1.787	.478	−.226***
Centrality of memory	.663	.264	.131**
Sensory memory	.523	.593	.062
Recall memory	.787	.468	.104
Coherence memory	−.169	.405	−.024
Parenting satisfaction	1.930	.707	.161**
Parenting efficacy	2.095	.911	.159*
Body dissatisfaction	−.213	.061	−.196***
Self esteem	.544	.116	.273***

Total R² = .48.

*p < .05. **p < .01 ***p < .001.

Table 4. HMRA to identify the predictors of self-esteem.

	B	SE.B	β
Step 1: R^2 = .01, F(4,229) = 0.75, p = .561
Age	.061	.092	.046
Months since most recent birth	−.284	.243	−.083
Marital status	−.640	.577	−.076
Employment status	−.425	.355	−.082
Step 2: R^2 Δ = .09, F(6,223) = 3.60, p < .01
Age	−.062	.096	−.047
Months since most recent birth	−.196	.242	−.057
Marital status	−.542	.568	−.065
Employment status	−.613	.355	−.118
Emotional memory	−.490	.282	−.129
Reliving memory	−.044	.318	−.011
Centrality of memory	.326	.175	.129
Sensory memory	−1.104	.389	−.260***
Recall memory	.979	.300	.258***
Coherence memory	−.077	.261	−.022
Step 3: R^2 Δ = .20, F(2,221) = 31.90, p < .001
Age	−.156	.086	−.119
Months since most recent birth	−.030	.216	−.009
Marital status	−.147	.507	−.018
Employment status	−.342	.317	−.066
Emotional memory	−.504	.251	−.133*
Reliving memory	.172	.284	.043
Centrality of memory	.246	.156	.097
Sensory memory	−.610	.350	−.143
Recall memory	.802	.272	.211**
Coherence memory	−.491	.238	−.140*
Parenting satisfaction	−.068	.416	−.011
Parenting efficacy	3.356	.481	.508***
Step 4: R^2 Δ = .03, F(1,220) = 11.17, p < .001
Age	−.091	.087	−.069
Months since most recent birth	−.175	.216	−.051
Marital status	−.221	.496	−.026
Employment status	−.382	.311	−.074
Emotional memory	−.409	.247	−.108
Reliving memory	.230	.278	.058
Centrality of memory	.266	.153	.105
Sensory memory	−.657	.342	−.155
Recall memory	.854	.266	.225**
Coherence memory	−.415	.234	−.119
Parenting satisfaction	−.276	.412	−.046
Parenting efficacy	2.836	.495	.429***
Body dissatisfaction	−.116	.035	−.214***

Total R² = .30.

*p < .05. **p < .01 ***p < .001.