Mental Health and Wellbeing During Transition to Parenthood

Objective: To assess the mental health and wellbeing of men and women during transition to first time parenthood in a view to prepare a health education module.

Method: A non-experimental research design with a descriptive approach was adopted. 100 women who were in third trimester and their husbands were interviewed using non probability purposive sampling technique.

Result: The findings revealed that, majority (58%) of men were likely to be well, with the mean score of 18.16 ± 5.290. Majority (56%) of women was likely to be well and the mean score was 18.38 ± 3.92.Findings revealed on wellbeing of men in different components, (21%) of the men were with good physical wellbeing, (42%) of men were with outstanding social wellbeing, (36%) were having good emotional wellbeing, and (37%) of men were having good spiritual wellbeing and (44%) men study samples were having good intellectual wellbeing, and the mean score were respectively; 26.61 ± 5.09, 32.16 ± 5.54, 29.96 ± 5.96, 31.48 ± 6.02, and 30.42 ± 4.85. Wellbeing of women in different components were, majority (72%) of women were having some wellbeing risks in physical wellbeing, (45%) were having good social wellbeing, (57%) were having good emotional wellbeing, (46%) were having good spiritual wellbeing, and (54%) of women were having good intellectual wellbeing. The Physical, Social, Emotional, Spiritual and Intellectual wellbeing mean score were respectively; 24.43 ± 4.369, 32.87 ± 5.13, 30.65 ± 4.8, 31.95± 5.42 and 31.42 ± 4.16.

Positive correlation was found between mental health and wellbeing of men and women. For men the positive correlation found between mental health and wellbeing were; physical (r=0.302), social (r=0.163), emotional (r=0.239), spiritual (r=0.208) and intellectual wellbeing(r=0.246) of men. For women the positive correlation found between mental health and wellbeing were; physical (r=0.385), social (r=0.402), emotional (r=0.228), spiritual (r=0.264) and intellectual wellbeing (r=0.175) of women.

There was a significant association found between level of men's mental health, physical wellbeing, social wellbeing, emotional wellbeing, spiritual wellbeing, and intellectual wellbeing during transition to first time parenthood with selected demographic variables. Also the significant association was found between level of women's mental health, physical wellbeing, social wellbeing, and emotional wellbeing, during transition to first time parenthood with selected demographic variables. And there was no significant association found between spiritual wellbeing, and intellectual wellbeing with selected demographic variables.