Psychological readiness for maternity in girls brought up in foster homes

The article discusses the features of maternal motivational sphere in orphans. The study described was primarily aimed at investigating the conditions for formation of psychological readiness for maternity in orphan girls. The influence of these conditions and their individual specifics on formation of maternal motivation before pregnancy changes the subsequent attitude of the mother to her motherhood and child, and defines behavior stereotypes (maternity deviations). This paper compares the results of maternity study in orphan girls from Magadan Region and Moscow (N = 65) boarding schools, and in girls brought up in families in the same regions (N = 70). The samples are matched by level of education (secondary and basic professional education) and age (13-17 years); girls with mental retardation and with experience of pregnancy are excluded. The most significant features of the formation of maternal motivation in orphans were identified in areas of emotions and needs, where the image of mother and subjective readiness to maternity are stereotypical and idealized by subjects from adolescence. The results suggest that not only specific personal characteristics are relevant for orphans, but also distorted sex-role views and patterns of behavior, difficult social adaptation, specific development of maternal sphere.

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