Maternal Psychosocial Factors that Affect Breastfeeding Adaptation and Immune Substances in Human Milk

PURPOSE: This study was to identify relationships of maternal psychosocial factors including mother's mood state, childcare stress, social support and sleep satisfaction with breastfeeding adaptation and immune substances in breast milk, especially secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF-beta2). METHODS: Data were collected from 84 mothers who delivered full-term infants by natural childbirth. Structured questionnaires and breast milk were collected at 2~4 days and 6 weeks postpartum. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, multiple linear regression, and generalized estimating equation (GEE). RESULTS: Scores for the breastfeeding adaptation scale were significantly related with child care stress, mood state and social support. Mother's anger was positively correlated with the level of sIgA in colostrum (p<.01). Immune substances of breastmilk was significantly influenced by time for milk collection (p<.001) and the type of breastfeeding (sIgA, p<.001, TGF-beta2, p=.003). Regression analysis showed that breastfeeding adaptation could be explained 59.1% by the type of breastfeeding, childcare stress, the Profile of Mood States, emotional support and sleep quality (F=16.67, p<.001). CONCLUSION: The findings from this study provide important concepts of breastfeeding adaptation program and explanation of psychosocial factors by immune substances in breast milk. Future research, specially, bio-maker research on breast milk should focus on the ways to improve breastfeeding adaptation.

Relations between Satisfaction in Major, Career Decision-making Self-efficacy and Career Identity of Nursing Students / 한국간호교육학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between satisfaction in major, career decision-making self-efficacy and career identity of nursing students. METHODS: Data were collected from 543 students by means of self reported questionnaires about satisfaction in major, career decision-making self-efficacy and career identity from November 26 to 30, 2012. RESULTS: The average score of satisfaction in major, career decision-making self-efficacy and career identity of nursing students was 3.56 on a 5 point-scale, 3.28 on a 5 point-scale, and 2.65 on a 4 point-scale respectively. There were significant correlation between satisfaction in major, career decision-making self-efficacy and career identity of nursing students. Career identity could be explained 26.2% by satisfaction in major, career decision-making self-efficacy, admission motivation, and school grade. CONCLUSION: Career identity was correlated with satisfaction in major and career decision-making self-efficacy in nursing students. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an effective intervention program to improve nursing students's satisfaction in major, career decision-making self-efficacy and career identity.