The Association between Gender Role Attitude and Maternal Identity among Thai-Adolescent Mothers.

Abstract

Background: The transition to motherhood is a critical developmental milestone in a woman's life, influenced by various factors, including gender role attitudes, which shape maternal behaviors and identity formation. However, the relationship between gender role attitudes and maternal identity remains underexplored.

Materials and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study examined the association between gender role attitudes and maternal identity among 263 postpartum adolescent mothers in northeastern Thailand. Participants were purposively selected between July 2021 and August 2022. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire with strong psychometric properties, including sociodemographic data, the Gender Role Attitude Scale (Cronbach's α = 0.94), and the Maternal Identity Scale (Cronbach's α = 0.95). Descriptive and bivariate statistical analyses were conducted to assess potential associations.

Results: The mean age of participants was 18.7 (1.29) years, and the mean age of their infants was 4.89 (0.39) months. Participants exhibited predominantly egalitarian gender role attitudes, with a mean score of 3.57 (0.48) and reported a high level of maternal identity, with a mean score of 4.57 (0.64). A statistically significant positive correlation was found between egalitarian gender role attitudes and maternal identity (Pearson's r = 0.45, p < 0.001).

Conclusions: This study highlights the significant association between egalitarian gender role attitudes and a strong maternal identity among adolescent mothers. These findings suggest that fostering egalitarian gender role attitudes may support maternal identity development and improve maternal and child wellbeing.