ผลของโปรแกรมการสนับสนุนทางสังคมต่อการปรับตัวด้านจิตสังคมของหญิงตั้งครรภ์ที่มีอายุมาก

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aimed to test the effect of social support program on psychosocial adaptation among women of advanced maternal age. The sample consisted of 60 women of advanced maternal age attending the antenatal department at a hospital in Yala Province. They were purposively selected and assigned into control group and experimental group. There were 30 subjects in each group. The control group received standard care, while the experimental group received the social support program. The research instrument consisted of 2 parts: (1) the interventional instruments were a social support program including social support plan, teaching plan, power point, social support manual for women of advanced maternal age and plan of follow up by phone; and (2) the data collection instruments were personal information for pregnant women questionnaire, personal information for husband or family members questionnaire and the psychosocial adaptation questionnaire. All instruments were examined for content validity by 3 experts. The reliability of the psychosocial adaptation questionnaire was tested using Cronbach's alpha coefficient yielding a value of .86. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test and independent t-test. The results revealed that the experimental group after receiving the social support program had a mean score of psychosocial adaptation (M=223.57, SD = 8.26) significantly higher than before intervention (M = 206.67, SD = 10.90) (p < .001) and significantly higher than the control group (M=212.73, SD = 16.19) (p < .01). This study findings showed that the social support program could help women of advanced maternal age improve their psychosocial adaptation. Thus, health care provider should integrate this program into the regular practice.