Adverse childhood experiences, emotional distress and dissatisfaction with motherhood among first-time mothers: Mediations and child differences

Tosin Yinka Akintunde; Shaojun Chen; Stanley Oloji Isangha; Qi Di

doi:10.1017/gmh.2024.15

Adverse childhood experiences, emotional distress and dissatisfaction with motherhood among first-time mothers: Mediations and child differences

Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2024 Feb 8:11:e18. doi: 10.1017/gmh.2024.15. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Tosin Yinka Akintunde¹, Shaojun Chen¹, Stanley Oloji Isangha², Qi Di¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Sociology, School of Public Administration, Hohai University, Nanjing, China.
² Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong.

Abstract

Despite the challenges associated with motherhood, studies have not consistently identified factors contributing to first-time mothers' dissatisfaction with motherhood in resource-limited regions. To fill this research gap, this study investigates how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) result in first-time mothers' dissatisfaction with motherhood through emotional distress in Nigeria. Results from the partial least square structural equation model suggests that ACEs are associated with dissatisfaction with motherhood ( = 0.092; p < 0.01) and emotional distress ( = 0.367; p < 0.001). There is also a significant association between emotional distress and dissatisfaction with motherhood ( = 0.728; p < 0.001). Indirect path from first-time mothers' ACEs to dissatisfaction with motherhood through emotional distress shows significance ( = 0.267; 95% CI (0.213, 0.323); p < 0.001). In addition, the indirect path from first-time mothers' ACEs to dissatisfaction with motherhood through child emotional closeness showed significant dampening effects ( = 0.044; 95% CI (0.025, 0.066); p < 0.001). No serial impact of emotional distress and child emotional closeness was found in the study. The findings based on child gender indicated that only among first-time mothers of female children are ACEs predictors of dissatisfaction with motherhood. Trauma-informed interventions should be introduced in primary care settings to screen for ACEs and emotional dysfunctions among first-time mothers.

Keywords: Nigeria; adverse childhood experiences; becoming a mother; child emotional closeness; dissatisfaction with motherhood; emotional distress; first-time mothers.