A study is under way into women’s experiences of motherhood by a Swinburne University Psychology Masters student, and she is seeking mums to help her.
Elizabeth Ford is examining how women manage the stress of being a mother to understand what factors contribute to or detract from their wellbeing and life satisfaction. The study is for her Masters degree in Counselling Psychology.
“Being a mother can be an exciting and life changing experience,” Ms Ford said.
“There is a sense of joy and fulfilment caring for and raising your child but there is also a lot of stress.
“How mothers manage this time can have consequences for their psychological wellbeing and satisfaction with life.”
Research has shown that mothers are vulnerable to developing depression and anxiety, especially in the early years of a child’s life. Ms Ford is focusing on early motherhood as this is a time of greatest change and adjustment.
If you are a mother with an infant or pre-school age child (you may have older children as well), and would like to assist with the research, you are invited to participate in an online questionnaire that takes about 20-30 minutes at http://opinio.online.swin.edu.au/s?s=13324
Ms Ford's research is supervised by Dr Roslyn Galligan of the Faculty of Life and Child Sciences.
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