Personality characteristics of unwed mothers
Date
1975-04
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
ORCID
Type
Degree Level
Masters
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to determine what effects (if
any) an unplanned, out of wedlock pregnancy has on various personality
characteristics of unwed mothers, both pre- and post-parturition,
and to determine if there were any differences between the girls who
decided to keep their child and the girls who decided to surrender
their child for adoption. The personality characteristics measured and
the instruments used to measure them were the following: locus of
control (James 1-E Scale); need for approval (Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability
Scale-M-e Scale); Real self concept, self-esteem, ideal
self concept, self-adjustment (Bills Index of Adjustment and Values -
BIAV); and "submissiveness" and "ego strength" (16PF - Form C). The
subjects were single women who were pregnant for the first time and were
receiving assistance from the Department of Social Services, Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan. Ten girls, with a mean age of 18.1 years, made the decision
to keep their child and nine girls, with a mean age of 18.8 years, made
the decision to surrender their child for adoption. The girls were
assessed approximately one and one-half months pre-parturition and again
completed the 16PF and the BIAV one and one-half months after parturition.
The control group consisted of twelve single, never pregnant females with
a mean age of 19.9 years. They were also assessed twice (with a three
month interval between assessments). The data obtained from the 1-E
scale and the M-C scale was analyzed by a one way analysis of variance
model. The data obtained from the BlAV and the 16 PF was analyzed by a
two factor, fixed effects analysis of variance model.
The results showed that during pregnancy, unwed mothers are low on
real self concept and self-esteem but following parturition, their real
self concept and self-esteem rises to a level equivalent to that of
single, never pregnant girls. It was also found that during pregnancy
the unwed mothers were low on "ego strength" but following delivery of
their child they were not different from single, never pregnant women
on "ego strength". In general, the psychological trauma of unwed
motherhood is not as severe as is popularly believed as is evidenced by
the fact that even the personality characteristics that are affected
during pregnancy show no differences between unwed mothers after
parturition and single, never pregnant girls.
The self-esteem level of both the girls who placed their child for
adoption and the girls who kept their child improved significantly
after delivery of the child. Following parturition the girls who kept
their child had a significantly higher real self concept and ideal self
concept than the girls who placed their child for adoption. It was
also found that the girls who kept their child were more dependent and
tended to lean on others when making decisions but otherwise they were
not more "submissive". Both groups scored equally on "ego strength"
while they were pregnant and for both groups, their "ego strength"
improved with parturition. In general, the differences between the
girls who keep their child and the girls who place their child for
adoption are slight and after parturition, both groups appear equally
able to accept and adjust to their decision of whether to keep or
place their child for adoption.
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Citation
Degree
Master of Arts (M.A.)
Department
Psychology
Program
Psychology