Burcu Kömürcü Akik | Ankara University (original) (raw)
Papers by Burcu Kömürcü Akik
Violence Against Women
Obstetric violence has started to attract attention as a form of violence against women. This stu... more Obstetric violence has started to attract attention as a form of violence against women. This study aimed to determine and analyze the psychometric properties of a Turkish version of the Obstetric Violence Questionnaire (OVQ). Four hundred sixty-eight women from 19 to 59 years of age ( M = 35.28, SD = 7.22) participated. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a multifactorial structure of two factors. The Cronbach's α internal consistency coefficients were .72, .70, and .73 obtained for the total scale, abuse and violence, and non-consented care subscale, respectively. The OVQ consisted of 11 items, proving to be a reliable and brief measure.
Journal of Education and Research in Nursing
Perinatal processes require change and adaptation for each member of the family. However, studies... more Perinatal processes require change and adaptation for each member of the family. However, studies generally have focused on mothers' well-being. Nevertheless, each individual in the family affects both the experience and is affected by the experience, so each individual affects the well-being of the other. For this reason, the father should not be left out of the perinatal processes but should be considered as an individual who experiences and coordinates this process. Especially, in families with a baby at increased risk such as prematurity, the involvement of fathers has a significant role in providing support to both mothers' and babies' well-being. However, becoming a father of a premature infant is mostly related to a wide range of psychological health outcomes such as stress, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. In addition, fathers of premature babies are prone to experience emotional difficulties and concerns about the baby's and the mother's health problems, potentially leading to parental role conflicts. Therefore, this review aims to explain the common experiences of fathers after preterm delivery, particularly paternal mental health and related factors, and to explain the roles of supportive health professionals in the process.
Current Psychology
Objective: To examine factors associated with birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)... more Objective: To examine factors associated with birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among women who had preterm birth in their last pregnancy in Turkey.Methods: 304 women were asked to report sociodemographic factors, perinatal factors, birth-related factors, preterm birth/premature infant characteristics, and social support factors and PTSD symptoms. Data were collected using online surveys between November 2020 and February 2021. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used. Results: The prevalence of birth-related PTSD symptoms following preterm birth was 71.1%. Older age, the woman being positively affected by her own mother’s birth experience, not having traumatic experience in pregnancy and in the postnatal period, lower stress level after traumatic events experienced during birth, not feeling that their life/physical integrity was at risk during birth, having amniotomy, feeling psychologically well after childbirth, not being negatively affected by witnessin...
Background: Even when maternity care facilities are available, some women will choose to give bir... more Background: Even when maternity care facilities are available, some women will choose to give birth unassisted by a professional (freebirth). This became more apparent during the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as women were increasingly concerned they would contract the virus in health care facilities. Several studies have identified the factors that influence women to seek alternative places of birth to hospitals, but research focusing specifically on freebirth is limited. Methods: Eight databases were searched from their respective inception dates to April 2022 for studies related to freebirth. Data from the studies were charted and a thematic analysis was subsequently conducted. Results: Four themes were identified based on findings from the 25 included studies: (1) Geographical and socio-demographic determinants influencing freebirth, (2) Reasons for choosing freebirth, (3) Factors hindering freebirth, and (4) Preparation for and varied experiences of freebirth. Discussion: More women chose to give birth unassisted in low-and middleincome countries (LMICs) compared with high-income countries (HICs). Overall, motivation for freebirth included previous negative birth experiences with health care professionals, a desire to adhere to their birth-related beliefs, and fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus. Included studies reported that study participants were often met with negative responses when they revealed that they were planning to freebirth. Most women in the included studies had positive freebirth experiences. Future research should explore the different motivators of freebirth present in LMICs or HICs to help inform effective policies that may improve birth experiences while maintaining safety.
Perinatal processes require change and adaptation for each member of the family. However, studies... more Perinatal processes require change and adaptation for each member of the family. However, studies generally have focused on mothers' well-being. Nevertheless, each individual in the family affects both the experience and is affected by the experience, so each individual affects the well-being of the other. For this reason, the father should not be left out of the perinatal processes but should be considered as an individual who experiences and coordinates this process. Especially, in families with a baby at increased risk such as prematurity, the involvement of fathers has a significant role in providing support to both mothers' and babies' well-being. However, becoming a father of a premature infant is mostly related to a wide range of psychological health outcomes such as stress, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. In addition, fathers of premature babies are prone to experience emotional difficulties and concerns about the baby's and the mother's health problems, potentially leading to parental role conflicts. Therefore, this review aims to explain the common experiences of fathers after preterm delivery, particularly paternal mental health and related factors, and to explain the roles of supportive health professionals in the process.
Current Psychology, 2022
Abstract Objective: To examine factors associated with birth-related post-traumatic stress disord... more Abstract
Objective: To examine factors associated with birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among women who had preterm birth in their last pregnancy in Turkey.Methods: 304 women were asked to report sociodemographic factors, perinatal factors, birth-related factors, preterm birth/premature infant characteristics, and social support factors and PTSD symptoms. Data were collected using online surveys between November 2020 and February 2021. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used. Results: The prevalence of birth-related PTSD symptoms following preterm birth was 71.1%. Older age, the woman being positively affected by her own mother’s birth experience, not having traumatic experience in pregnancy and in the postnatal period, lower stress level after traumatic events experienced during birth, not feeling that their life/physical integrity was at risk during birth, having amniotomy, feeling psychologically well after childbirth, not being negatively affected by witnessing other parents’ happy moments with their babies in friend/family groups, the absence of infant illness and mother’s reporting higher positive interactions with healthcare team were associated with decreased likelihood of birth-related PTSD. Except for age and traumatic event in the postnatal period, all the variables explained 43% of the variance with a small effect size (f2=0.04). Stress level after the traumatic events experienced during labor was the strongest predictor of birth-related PTSD symptoms (β=0.33). Conclusion: Wellbeing of mother and baby, facilitating interventions at labor, and positive communication with the healthcare team was associated with lower birth-related PTSD symptoms. The study findings highlighted on birth-related PTSD symptoms in mothers of preterm infants in Turkey.
Keywords: Birth-related PTSD · Mothers · Preterm birth · Premature · Infant
Frontiers in Psychology, 2022
Introduction: History of depression symptoms, including before and during pregnancy, has been ide... more Introduction: History of depression symptoms, including before and during pregnancy, has been identified as an important risk factor for postpartum depression (PPD) symptoms. This condition has also been associated with diverse implications, namely, on the quality of mother–infant bonding. Moreover, the role of self-criticism on PPD has been recently found in several studies. However, the link between these factors has not been explored yet. Furthermore, anxiety symptoms in postpartum has been less studied.
Methods: This study analyzed whether the history of depression symptoms predicted mother–infant bonding, via self-criticism and PPD symptoms. The same model was repeated with a history of anxiety and postpartum anxiety symptoms. A total of 550 mothers of infants <24 months old participated in this cross-sectional study and answered an online survey.
Results: Through a parallel–serial mediation model, the results show that in a first step, self-criticism dimensions of inadequate-self, hated-self, and reassuring-self, and in a second step, PPD symptoms, mediate the relationship between the history of depression symptoms and mother–infant bonding. However, the relationship between the history of anxiety symptoms and bonding is not mediated by all the considered chain of mediators, being only mediated by one of the self-criticism dimensions, inadequate self.
Conclusions: The current study confirmed the association of history of both depression and anxiety with mother–infant bonding. While in the case of history of anxiety symptoms, the relation was only mediated by inadequate self-dimension of self-criticism, in the case of history of depression symptoms, the relation was mediated by self-criticism and postpartum depressive symptoms. The buffering effect of reassuring-self on bonding and negative affect was also evidenced. Psychological and preventive interventions should address this evidence to target interventions for mother–infant bonding problems in accordance with previous and actual current maternal risk factors.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022
The purpose of this concept analysis is to explore childlessness and provide understanding to pro... more The purpose of this concept analysis is to explore childlessness and provide understanding to professionals involved in the field of infertility. Walker and Avant’s method was used to identify descriptions, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of the concept. A model with related and contrary cases was developed. The analysis was based on the definition of the term in major dictionaries in the Greek, Lithuanian, Finnish, Maltese, and Turkish languages, while further literature searches utilized the Web of Science, PubMed, PsychInfo, Medline, Google Scholar, and National Thesis Databases. The literature search was limited to papers/books published in the authors’ national languages and English. As a result, childlessness is defined as the absence of children in the life of an individual, and this can be voluntary or involuntary. However, the deeper analysis of the concept may be preceded and amplified through cultural, psychological, biological, philosophical, theologic...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of information and communication technology (ICT) t... more The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to deliver parenting and mental health support services to families. This narrative review illustrates the diverse ways in which ICT is being used across Europe to provide family support to different populations. We distinguish between the use of ICT in professional-led and peer-led support and provide implementation examples from across Europe. We discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of different ways of using ICT in family support and the main developments and challenges for the field more generally, guiding decision-making as to how to use ICT in family support, as well as critical reflections and future research on its merit.
IJERPH, 2022
The purpose of this concept analysis is to explore childlessness and provide understanding to pro... more The purpose of this concept analysis is to explore childlessness and provide understanding to professionals involved in the field of infertility. Walker and Avant's method was used to identify descriptions, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of the concept. A model with related and contrary cases was developed. The analysis was based on the definition of the term in major dictionaries in the Greek, Lithuanian, Finnish, Maltese, and Turkish languages, while further literature searches utilized the Web of Science, PubMed, PsychInfo, Medline, Google Scholar, and National Thesis Databases. The literature search was limited to papers/books published in the authors' national languages and English. As a result, childlessness is defined as the absence of children in the life of an individual, and this can be voluntary or involuntary. However, the deeper analysis of the concept may be preceded and amplified through cultural, psychological, biological, philosophical, theological, sociological, anthropological, and linguistic aspects throughout history. These elements presented challenges for childless individuals, ultimately influencing their choices to resort to alternative ways of becoming parents, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), surrogacy, adoption, or other forms of childbearing. Historically, childlessness has been viewed with negative connotations due to its potential impact on the survival of the human species. This negativity can be directed even to individuals who may decide to opt to voluntarily remain childfree. The long-term impact of the experience, both on an individual and collective level, continues to cause pain to those who are involuntarily childless. In conclusion, health professionals and other stakeholders who have a deep understanding of childlessness, including the antecedents and attributes, can minimize the potential negative consequences of those factors contributing to childlessness, whether voluntary or involuntary. In fact, they can capitalize on a powerful impact of change adaptation by providing support to those in their practice to recover the lost homeostasis.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of information and communication technolo... more Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to deliver parenting and mental health support services to families. This narrative review illustrates the diverse ways in which ICT is being used across Europe to provide family
support to different populations. We distinguish between the use of ICT in professional-led and peer-led support and provide implementation examples from across Europe. We discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of different ways of using ICT in family support and the main developments and challenges for the field more generally, guiding decision-making as to how to use ICT in family support, as well as critical reflections and future research on its merit.
Keywords: information and communication technologies; ICT; family support; psychoeducation; online; self-directed programs; programs delivered through videoconference; professional-led support;
peer-led support
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY, 2022
Mindful eating is a phenomenon to describe a nonjudgmental awareness of physical and emotional se... more Mindful eating is a phenomenon to describe a nonjudgmental awareness of physical and emotional sensations while eating or being in a food-related environment. Nowadays, weight-related psychological and physiological health problems are gradually increasing. It is considered that mindful eating is one of the key components to struggle against dysfunctional eating patterns. The aim of the current study was to adapt the original five-factor structure of the MEQ and the abbreviated two-factor structure of the MEQ to Turkish culture and to determine its psychometric properties. The sample of the study was 362 university students aged between 18 and 27 (M = 20.82, SD = 3.83). Of the participants 249 (68.8%) were women, 110 (30.4%) were men, and three participants stated their sex as "other". Participants were asked to fill the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Intuitive Eating Scale (IES) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Results of confirmatory factor analysis showed an acceptable model fit for the correlated two-factor structure of the MEQ compared to its original five-factor structure. Internal consistency coefficient values for the overall MEQ and awareness and recognition subscales were .82, .71 and .82, respectively. The MEQ sub-scales' scores were found to be associated with EDE-Q, IES, and BSI scores, confirming the validity of the scale. The Turkish version of the two-factor MEQ could be evaluated as a valid and reliable measurement to assess mindful eating for further research and would also provide support to cross-cultural research.
Current Psychology, 2021
Helicopter parenting is defined as the behaviors of parents that include over-responsibility, con... more Helicopter parenting is defined as the behaviors of parents that include over-responsibility, control, and protection towards the life of their children. Helicopter parenting is a relatively new phenomenon in the literature and has a significant role in the lives of adolescents and emerging adults. Therefore, several self-reports assessing helicopter parenting have been developed and tested recently. One of these self-reports, the Helicopter Parenting Behaviors Questionnaire (HPBQ), was developed by Schiffrin et al. (2014) to evaluate perceived helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive behaviors of mothers. The current study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the HPBQ. The scale was also adapted separately for assessing perceived maternal and paternal helicopter parenting behaviors in the Turkish sample. Three hundred twenty-four college students (N female = 165, N male = 157), aged between 17 and 27 years (M = 20.57, SD = 1.99), filled in HPBQ-Mother and Father Forms, Helicopter Parenting Instrument (HPI), Behavioral Control Scale-Youth Self Report (BCS-YSR), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). Results showed that the original two-factor structure (helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive behaviors) of the Mother and Father Forms of HPBQ are supported, and independent confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) indicated that the two-factor structure of the questionnaire fits the data reasonably well. The Turkish version of HPBQ demonstrated convergent and divergent validity, as well as satisfactory internal consistency. The two forms of the questionnaire allow us to evaluate differences between maternal and paternal parenting styles in helicopter parenting and conduct cross-cultural research.
Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar / Current Approaches in Psychiatry, Dec 25, 2020
Öz Bu çalışmanın amacı, Anne Bebek Temas Engelleri Ölçeği (ABTEÖ)’ni geliştirmek ve ölçeğin geçer... more Öz
Bu çalışmanın amacı, Anne Bebek Temas Engelleri Ölçeği (ABTEÖ)’ni geliştirmek ve ölçeğin geçerlik ve güvenirliğini incelemektir. Çalışma, erken ve zamanında doğum yapan annelerden oluşan iki ayrı örneklem grubuyla yürütülmüştür. Açımlayıcı faktör analizinin ve doğrulayıcı faktör analizinin gerçekleştirildiği örneklem grubunu yaşları 19-43 (Ort. = 30.33, SS. = 4.00) arasında değişen 238 kadın oluşturmuştur. Ölçeğin ikinci doğrulayıcı faktör analizinin gerçekleştirildiği diğer örneklem ise 18-43 (Ort. = 30.12, SS. = 4.96) yaş arasında 194 kadını içermektedir. Çalışmada ABTEÖ’nün yanı sıra, Depresyon Stres Anksiyete Ölçeği (DASÖ), Connor-Davidson Psikolojik Sağlamlık Ölçeği (CDPSÖ) ve Maternal Bağlanma Ölçeği (MBÖ) kullanılmıştır. Yapılan açımlayıcı faktör analizinde, “Doğum Sonrası Fiziksel Temas Engelleri”, “Anne Bebek İlişki ve Uyum Zorlukları”, “Doğuma İlişkin Olumsuz Deneyimler”, ve “Doğum Sonrası İlk Temasa İlişkin Olumlu Duygular” olmak üzere dört faktör elde edilmiştir. Doğrulayıcı faktör analizlerinin sonuçları elde edilen model uyum indekslerinin kabul edilebilir sınırlar içinde olduğunu ve ölçeğin
geçerlik ve güvenirlik değerlerinin yeterli olduğunu göstermiştir. Sonuç olarak, ABTEÖ’nün ülkemizde yürütülen anne-bebek sağlığı alanındaki çalışmalarda kullanılabilecek yeterli psikometrik özelliklere sahip nitelikte bir ölçek olduğu gösterilmiştir.
Anahtar sözcükler: Geçerlik, güvenirlik, faktör analizi, anne, bebek, temas engelleri
Abstract
The aim of the current study is to develop Mother Infant Contact Barriers Scale (MICBS) and to investigate its validity and reliability. The study was conducted with two separate samples consisted of women who give full-term and preterm birth. To
conduct explaratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the first sample was composed of 238 women aged between 19 and 43 (M = 30.33, SD = 4.00). The other sample in which second confirmatory factor analysis was conducted consisted of 194 women aged between 18 and 43 (M = 30.12, SD = 4.96). Depression Anxiety Stres Scale (DASS) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI) were used in this study as well as The Mother Infant Contact Barriers Scale (MICBS). In the exploratory factor analysis, four factors were obtained, namely “Postpartum Physical Contact Barriers”, “Mother-Infant Relationship and Harmony Difficulties”, “Negative Experiences Regarding Birth” and “Positive Emotions Regarding Postpartum First Contact”. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the obtained model fit indices were within acceptable limits and the validity and reliability values of the scale were sufficient. It has been shown that MICBS is a scale with satisfactory psychometric properties that could be used in maternal and infant health research conducted in Turkey.
Keywords: Validity, reliability, factor analysis, mother, infant, contact barriers
Dusunen Adam The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences , 2020
Dusunen Adam The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences , 2020
Objective: The aim of this study is to adapt the Perinatal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Questio... more Objective: The aim of this study is to adapt the Perinatal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire- II (PPQ-II) and determine the psychometric properties of this scale.
Method: The study was conducted with two different samples consisting of mothers who give full-term and preterm birth. To investigate the factor structure and conduct confirmatory factor analysis, the first sample was composed of 194 women between the ages of 18-43 (Mean=30.12, standard deviation [SD]=4.96). The second sample in which confirmatory factor analysis was conducted consisted of 238 women between the ages of 19-43 (Mean=30.33, SD=4.00). Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were used in this study as well as PPQ-II.
Results: The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure named “Intrusive Thoughts and Avoidance” and “Hyperarousal and Numbness Responses”. The model obtained by confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated acceptable goodness of fit values and the questionnaire was found to have satisfactory reliability and validity values.
Conclusion: PPQ-II could be considered as a valid and reliable scale which could be used in maternal mental health studies conducted in Turkey.
Keywords: Factor analysis, perinatal trauma, PTSD, reliability, validity
Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar, 2020
Current Psychology, 2020
The use of the Internet for medical information elicited a recent term called "cyberchondria". Th... more The use of the Internet for medical information elicited a recent term called "cyberchondria". This study aimed to scrutinize the mediating effects of health anxiety (HA), anxiety symptoms (AS), and Internet addiction (IA) in the pathway from distress tolerance (DT) to cyberchondria by using a bootstrapping method. In order to examine the role of age in the proposed model, multiple-group path analysis was used to evaluate differences between young and middle adulthood groups. The final sample consisted of both young adult (n = 209) and middle adult (n = 221) Internet users located in Ankara, Turkey. The results of path analyses for both age groups showed that DT is negatively associated with AS and HA; AS and HA are positively associated with IA; IA and HA are positively associated with cyberchondria. Mediation analysis for both age groups demonstrated that AS and HA significantly mediated the relationship between DT and IA; IA significantly mediated the relationships of AS and HA with cyberchondria; HA significantly mediated the relationship between DT and cyberchondria. The results of the multiple-group path analysis showed that the relationship between IA and cyberchondria is significantly stronger in middle adulthood than young adulthood. The results of the current study are consistent with the relevant literature and provide crucial contribution especially by focusing on the role of age.
Current Psychology, 2020
The use of the Internet for medical information elicited a recent term called "cyberchondria". Th... more The use of the Internet for medical information elicited a recent term called "cyberchondria". This study aimed to scrutinize the mediating effects of health anxiety (HA), anxiety symptoms (AS), and Internet addiction (IA) in the pathway from distress tolerance (DT) to cyberchondria by using a bootstrapping method. In order to examine the role of age in the proposed model, multiple-group path analysis was used to evaluate differences between young and middle adulthood groups. The final sample consisted of both young adult (n = 209) and middle adult (n = 221) Internet users located in Ankara, Turkey. The results of path analyses for both age groups showed that DT is negatively associated with AS and HA; AS and HA are positively associated with IA; IA and HA are positively associated with cyberchondria. Mediation analysis for both age groups demonstrated that AS and HA significantly mediated the relationship between DT and IA; IA significantly mediated the relationships of AS and HA with cyberchondria; HA significantly mediated the relationship between DT and cyberchondria. The results of the multiple-group path analysis showed that the relationship between IA and cyberchondria is significantly stronger in middle adulthood than young adulthood. The results of the current study are consistent with the relevant literature and provide crucial contribution especially by focusing on the role of age.
Violence Against Women
Obstetric violence has started to attract attention as a form of violence against women. This stu... more Obstetric violence has started to attract attention as a form of violence against women. This study aimed to determine and analyze the psychometric properties of a Turkish version of the Obstetric Violence Questionnaire (OVQ). Four hundred sixty-eight women from 19 to 59 years of age ( M = 35.28, SD = 7.22) participated. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a multifactorial structure of two factors. The Cronbach's α internal consistency coefficients were .72, .70, and .73 obtained for the total scale, abuse and violence, and non-consented care subscale, respectively. The OVQ consisted of 11 items, proving to be a reliable and brief measure.
Journal of Education and Research in Nursing
Perinatal processes require change and adaptation for each member of the family. However, studies... more Perinatal processes require change and adaptation for each member of the family. However, studies generally have focused on mothers' well-being. Nevertheless, each individual in the family affects both the experience and is affected by the experience, so each individual affects the well-being of the other. For this reason, the father should not be left out of the perinatal processes but should be considered as an individual who experiences and coordinates this process. Especially, in families with a baby at increased risk such as prematurity, the involvement of fathers has a significant role in providing support to both mothers' and babies' well-being. However, becoming a father of a premature infant is mostly related to a wide range of psychological health outcomes such as stress, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. In addition, fathers of premature babies are prone to experience emotional difficulties and concerns about the baby's and the mother's health problems, potentially leading to parental role conflicts. Therefore, this review aims to explain the common experiences of fathers after preterm delivery, particularly paternal mental health and related factors, and to explain the roles of supportive health professionals in the process.
Current Psychology
Objective: To examine factors associated with birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)... more Objective: To examine factors associated with birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among women who had preterm birth in their last pregnancy in Turkey.Methods: 304 women were asked to report sociodemographic factors, perinatal factors, birth-related factors, preterm birth/premature infant characteristics, and social support factors and PTSD symptoms. Data were collected using online surveys between November 2020 and February 2021. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used. Results: The prevalence of birth-related PTSD symptoms following preterm birth was 71.1%. Older age, the woman being positively affected by her own mother’s birth experience, not having traumatic experience in pregnancy and in the postnatal period, lower stress level after traumatic events experienced during birth, not feeling that their life/physical integrity was at risk during birth, having amniotomy, feeling psychologically well after childbirth, not being negatively affected by witnessin...
Background: Even when maternity care facilities are available, some women will choose to give bir... more Background: Even when maternity care facilities are available, some women will choose to give birth unassisted by a professional (freebirth). This became more apparent during the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as women were increasingly concerned they would contract the virus in health care facilities. Several studies have identified the factors that influence women to seek alternative places of birth to hospitals, but research focusing specifically on freebirth is limited. Methods: Eight databases were searched from their respective inception dates to April 2022 for studies related to freebirth. Data from the studies were charted and a thematic analysis was subsequently conducted. Results: Four themes were identified based on findings from the 25 included studies: (1) Geographical and socio-demographic determinants influencing freebirth, (2) Reasons for choosing freebirth, (3) Factors hindering freebirth, and (4) Preparation for and varied experiences of freebirth. Discussion: More women chose to give birth unassisted in low-and middleincome countries (LMICs) compared with high-income countries (HICs). Overall, motivation for freebirth included previous negative birth experiences with health care professionals, a desire to adhere to their birth-related beliefs, and fear of contracting the COVID-19 virus. Included studies reported that study participants were often met with negative responses when they revealed that they were planning to freebirth. Most women in the included studies had positive freebirth experiences. Future research should explore the different motivators of freebirth present in LMICs or HICs to help inform effective policies that may improve birth experiences while maintaining safety.
Perinatal processes require change and adaptation for each member of the family. However, studies... more Perinatal processes require change and adaptation for each member of the family. However, studies generally have focused on mothers' well-being. Nevertheless, each individual in the family affects both the experience and is affected by the experience, so each individual affects the well-being of the other. For this reason, the father should not be left out of the perinatal processes but should be considered as an individual who experiences and coordinates this process. Especially, in families with a baby at increased risk such as prematurity, the involvement of fathers has a significant role in providing support to both mothers' and babies' well-being. However, becoming a father of a premature infant is mostly related to a wide range of psychological health outcomes such as stress, anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress. In addition, fathers of premature babies are prone to experience emotional difficulties and concerns about the baby's and the mother's health problems, potentially leading to parental role conflicts. Therefore, this review aims to explain the common experiences of fathers after preterm delivery, particularly paternal mental health and related factors, and to explain the roles of supportive health professionals in the process.
Current Psychology, 2022
Abstract Objective: To examine factors associated with birth-related post-traumatic stress disord... more Abstract
Objective: To examine factors associated with birth-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among women who had preterm birth in their last pregnancy in Turkey.Methods: 304 women were asked to report sociodemographic factors, perinatal factors, birth-related factors, preterm birth/premature infant characteristics, and social support factors and PTSD symptoms. Data were collected using online surveys between November 2020 and February 2021. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used. Results: The prevalence of birth-related PTSD symptoms following preterm birth was 71.1%. Older age, the woman being positively affected by her own mother’s birth experience, not having traumatic experience in pregnancy and in the postnatal period, lower stress level after traumatic events experienced during birth, not feeling that their life/physical integrity was at risk during birth, having amniotomy, feeling psychologically well after childbirth, not being negatively affected by witnessing other parents’ happy moments with their babies in friend/family groups, the absence of infant illness and mother’s reporting higher positive interactions with healthcare team were associated with decreased likelihood of birth-related PTSD. Except for age and traumatic event in the postnatal period, all the variables explained 43% of the variance with a small effect size (f2=0.04). Stress level after the traumatic events experienced during labor was the strongest predictor of birth-related PTSD symptoms (β=0.33). Conclusion: Wellbeing of mother and baby, facilitating interventions at labor, and positive communication with the healthcare team was associated with lower birth-related PTSD symptoms. The study findings highlighted on birth-related PTSD symptoms in mothers of preterm infants in Turkey.
Keywords: Birth-related PTSD · Mothers · Preterm birth · Premature · Infant
Frontiers in Psychology, 2022
Introduction: History of depression symptoms, including before and during pregnancy, has been ide... more Introduction: History of depression symptoms, including before and during pregnancy, has been identified as an important risk factor for postpartum depression (PPD) symptoms. This condition has also been associated with diverse implications, namely, on the quality of mother–infant bonding. Moreover, the role of self-criticism on PPD has been recently found in several studies. However, the link between these factors has not been explored yet. Furthermore, anxiety symptoms in postpartum has been less studied.
Methods: This study analyzed whether the history of depression symptoms predicted mother–infant bonding, via self-criticism and PPD symptoms. The same model was repeated with a history of anxiety and postpartum anxiety symptoms. A total of 550 mothers of infants <24 months old participated in this cross-sectional study and answered an online survey.
Results: Through a parallel–serial mediation model, the results show that in a first step, self-criticism dimensions of inadequate-self, hated-self, and reassuring-self, and in a second step, PPD symptoms, mediate the relationship between the history of depression symptoms and mother–infant bonding. However, the relationship between the history of anxiety symptoms and bonding is not mediated by all the considered chain of mediators, being only mediated by one of the self-criticism dimensions, inadequate self.
Conclusions: The current study confirmed the association of history of both depression and anxiety with mother–infant bonding. While in the case of history of anxiety symptoms, the relation was only mediated by inadequate self-dimension of self-criticism, in the case of history of depression symptoms, the relation was mediated by self-criticism and postpartum depressive symptoms. The buffering effect of reassuring-self on bonding and negative affect was also evidenced. Psychological and preventive interventions should address this evidence to target interventions for mother–infant bonding problems in accordance with previous and actual current maternal risk factors.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022
The purpose of this concept analysis is to explore childlessness and provide understanding to pro... more The purpose of this concept analysis is to explore childlessness and provide understanding to professionals involved in the field of infertility. Walker and Avant’s method was used to identify descriptions, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of the concept. A model with related and contrary cases was developed. The analysis was based on the definition of the term in major dictionaries in the Greek, Lithuanian, Finnish, Maltese, and Turkish languages, while further literature searches utilized the Web of Science, PubMed, PsychInfo, Medline, Google Scholar, and National Thesis Databases. The literature search was limited to papers/books published in the authors’ national languages and English. As a result, childlessness is defined as the absence of children in the life of an individual, and this can be voluntary or involuntary. However, the deeper analysis of the concept may be preceded and amplified through cultural, psychological, biological, philosophical, theologic...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of information and communication technology (ICT) t... more The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to deliver parenting and mental health support services to families. This narrative review illustrates the diverse ways in which ICT is being used across Europe to provide family support to different populations. We distinguish between the use of ICT in professional-led and peer-led support and provide implementation examples from across Europe. We discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of different ways of using ICT in family support and the main developments and challenges for the field more generally, guiding decision-making as to how to use ICT in family support, as well as critical reflections and future research on its merit.
IJERPH, 2022
The purpose of this concept analysis is to explore childlessness and provide understanding to pro... more The purpose of this concept analysis is to explore childlessness and provide understanding to professionals involved in the field of infertility. Walker and Avant's method was used to identify descriptions, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of the concept. A model with related and contrary cases was developed. The analysis was based on the definition of the term in major dictionaries in the Greek, Lithuanian, Finnish, Maltese, and Turkish languages, while further literature searches utilized the Web of Science, PubMed, PsychInfo, Medline, Google Scholar, and National Thesis Databases. The literature search was limited to papers/books published in the authors' national languages and English. As a result, childlessness is defined as the absence of children in the life of an individual, and this can be voluntary or involuntary. However, the deeper analysis of the concept may be preceded and amplified through cultural, psychological, biological, philosophical, theological, sociological, anthropological, and linguistic aspects throughout history. These elements presented challenges for childless individuals, ultimately influencing their choices to resort to alternative ways of becoming parents, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), surrogacy, adoption, or other forms of childbearing. Historically, childlessness has been viewed with negative connotations due to its potential impact on the survival of the human species. This negativity can be directed even to individuals who may decide to opt to voluntarily remain childfree. The long-term impact of the experience, both on an individual and collective level, continues to cause pain to those who are involuntarily childless. In conclusion, health professionals and other stakeholders who have a deep understanding of childlessness, including the antecedents and attributes, can minimize the potential negative consequences of those factors contributing to childlessness, whether voluntary or involuntary. In fact, they can capitalize on a powerful impact of change adaptation by providing support to those in their practice to recover the lost homeostasis.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of information and communication technolo... more Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to deliver parenting and mental health support services to families. This narrative review illustrates the diverse ways in which ICT is being used across Europe to provide family
support to different populations. We distinguish between the use of ICT in professional-led and peer-led support and provide implementation examples from across Europe. We discuss the potential advantages and disadvantages of different ways of using ICT in family support and the main developments and challenges for the field more generally, guiding decision-making as to how to use ICT in family support, as well as critical reflections and future research on its merit.
Keywords: information and communication technologies; ICT; family support; psychoeducation; online; self-directed programs; programs delivered through videoconference; professional-led support;
peer-led support
CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY, 2022
Mindful eating is a phenomenon to describe a nonjudgmental awareness of physical and emotional se... more Mindful eating is a phenomenon to describe a nonjudgmental awareness of physical and emotional sensations while eating or being in a food-related environment. Nowadays, weight-related psychological and physiological health problems are gradually increasing. It is considered that mindful eating is one of the key components to struggle against dysfunctional eating patterns. The aim of the current study was to adapt the original five-factor structure of the MEQ and the abbreviated two-factor structure of the MEQ to Turkish culture and to determine its psychometric properties. The sample of the study was 362 university students aged between 18 and 27 (M = 20.82, SD = 3.83). Of the participants 249 (68.8%) were women, 110 (30.4%) were men, and three participants stated their sex as "other". Participants were asked to fill the Mindful Eating Questionnaire (MEQ), Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q), Intuitive Eating Scale (IES) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Results of confirmatory factor analysis showed an acceptable model fit for the correlated two-factor structure of the MEQ compared to its original five-factor structure. Internal consistency coefficient values for the overall MEQ and awareness and recognition subscales were .82, .71 and .82, respectively. The MEQ sub-scales' scores were found to be associated with EDE-Q, IES, and BSI scores, confirming the validity of the scale. The Turkish version of the two-factor MEQ could be evaluated as a valid and reliable measurement to assess mindful eating for further research and would also provide support to cross-cultural research.
Current Psychology, 2021
Helicopter parenting is defined as the behaviors of parents that include over-responsibility, con... more Helicopter parenting is defined as the behaviors of parents that include over-responsibility, control, and protection towards the life of their children. Helicopter parenting is a relatively new phenomenon in the literature and has a significant role in the lives of adolescents and emerging adults. Therefore, several self-reports assessing helicopter parenting have been developed and tested recently. One of these self-reports, the Helicopter Parenting Behaviors Questionnaire (HPBQ), was developed by Schiffrin et al. (2014) to evaluate perceived helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive behaviors of mothers. The current study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Turkish version of the HPBQ. The scale was also adapted separately for assessing perceived maternal and paternal helicopter parenting behaviors in the Turkish sample. Three hundred twenty-four college students (N female = 165, N male = 157), aged between 17 and 27 years (M = 20.57, SD = 1.99), filled in HPBQ-Mother and Father Forms, Helicopter Parenting Instrument (HPI), Behavioral Control Scale-Youth Self Report (BCS-YSR), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). Results showed that the original two-factor structure (helicopter parenting and autonomy supportive behaviors) of the Mother and Father Forms of HPBQ are supported, and independent confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) indicated that the two-factor structure of the questionnaire fits the data reasonably well. The Turkish version of HPBQ demonstrated convergent and divergent validity, as well as satisfactory internal consistency. The two forms of the questionnaire allow us to evaluate differences between maternal and paternal parenting styles in helicopter parenting and conduct cross-cultural research.
Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar / Current Approaches in Psychiatry, Dec 25, 2020
Öz Bu çalışmanın amacı, Anne Bebek Temas Engelleri Ölçeği (ABTEÖ)’ni geliştirmek ve ölçeğin geçer... more Öz
Bu çalışmanın amacı, Anne Bebek Temas Engelleri Ölçeği (ABTEÖ)’ni geliştirmek ve ölçeğin geçerlik ve güvenirliğini incelemektir. Çalışma, erken ve zamanında doğum yapan annelerden oluşan iki ayrı örneklem grubuyla yürütülmüştür. Açımlayıcı faktör analizinin ve doğrulayıcı faktör analizinin gerçekleştirildiği örneklem grubunu yaşları 19-43 (Ort. = 30.33, SS. = 4.00) arasında değişen 238 kadın oluşturmuştur. Ölçeğin ikinci doğrulayıcı faktör analizinin gerçekleştirildiği diğer örneklem ise 18-43 (Ort. = 30.12, SS. = 4.96) yaş arasında 194 kadını içermektedir. Çalışmada ABTEÖ’nün yanı sıra, Depresyon Stres Anksiyete Ölçeği (DASÖ), Connor-Davidson Psikolojik Sağlamlık Ölçeği (CDPSÖ) ve Maternal Bağlanma Ölçeği (MBÖ) kullanılmıştır. Yapılan açımlayıcı faktör analizinde, “Doğum Sonrası Fiziksel Temas Engelleri”, “Anne Bebek İlişki ve Uyum Zorlukları”, “Doğuma İlişkin Olumsuz Deneyimler”, ve “Doğum Sonrası İlk Temasa İlişkin Olumlu Duygular” olmak üzere dört faktör elde edilmiştir. Doğrulayıcı faktör analizlerinin sonuçları elde edilen model uyum indekslerinin kabul edilebilir sınırlar içinde olduğunu ve ölçeğin
geçerlik ve güvenirlik değerlerinin yeterli olduğunu göstermiştir. Sonuç olarak, ABTEÖ’nün ülkemizde yürütülen anne-bebek sağlığı alanındaki çalışmalarda kullanılabilecek yeterli psikometrik özelliklere sahip nitelikte bir ölçek olduğu gösterilmiştir.
Anahtar sözcükler: Geçerlik, güvenirlik, faktör analizi, anne, bebek, temas engelleri
Abstract
The aim of the current study is to develop Mother Infant Contact Barriers Scale (MICBS) and to investigate its validity and reliability. The study was conducted with two separate samples consisted of women who give full-term and preterm birth. To
conduct explaratory and confirmatory factor analysis, the first sample was composed of 238 women aged between 19 and 43 (M = 30.33, SD = 4.00). The other sample in which second confirmatory factor analysis was conducted consisted of 194 women aged between 18 and 43 (M = 30.12, SD = 4.96). Depression Anxiety Stres Scale (DASS) and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Maternal Attachment Inventory (MAI) were used in this study as well as The Mother Infant Contact Barriers Scale (MICBS). In the exploratory factor analysis, four factors were obtained, namely “Postpartum Physical Contact Barriers”, “Mother-Infant Relationship and Harmony Difficulties”, “Negative Experiences Regarding Birth” and “Positive Emotions Regarding Postpartum First Contact”. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the obtained model fit indices were within acceptable limits and the validity and reliability values of the scale were sufficient. It has been shown that MICBS is a scale with satisfactory psychometric properties that could be used in maternal and infant health research conducted in Turkey.
Keywords: Validity, reliability, factor analysis, mother, infant, contact barriers
Dusunen Adam The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences , 2020
Dusunen Adam The Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences , 2020
Objective: The aim of this study is to adapt the Perinatal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Questio... more Objective: The aim of this study is to adapt the Perinatal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Questionnaire- II (PPQ-II) and determine the psychometric properties of this scale.
Method: The study was conducted with two different samples consisting of mothers who give full-term and preterm birth. To investigate the factor structure and conduct confirmatory factor analysis, the first sample was composed of 194 women between the ages of 18-43 (Mean=30.12, standard deviation [SD]=4.96). The second sample in which confirmatory factor analysis was conducted consisted of 238 women between the ages of 19-43 (Mean=30.33, SD=4.00). Depression Anxiety Stress Scale and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were used in this study as well as PPQ-II.
Results: The exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure named “Intrusive Thoughts and Avoidance” and “Hyperarousal and Numbness Responses”. The model obtained by confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated acceptable goodness of fit values and the questionnaire was found to have satisfactory reliability and validity values.
Conclusion: PPQ-II could be considered as a valid and reliable scale which could be used in maternal mental health studies conducted in Turkey.
Keywords: Factor analysis, perinatal trauma, PTSD, reliability, validity
Psikiyatride Güncel Yaklaşımlar, 2020
Current Psychology, 2020
The use of the Internet for medical information elicited a recent term called "cyberchondria". Th... more The use of the Internet for medical information elicited a recent term called "cyberchondria". This study aimed to scrutinize the mediating effects of health anxiety (HA), anxiety symptoms (AS), and Internet addiction (IA) in the pathway from distress tolerance (DT) to cyberchondria by using a bootstrapping method. In order to examine the role of age in the proposed model, multiple-group path analysis was used to evaluate differences between young and middle adulthood groups. The final sample consisted of both young adult (n = 209) and middle adult (n = 221) Internet users located in Ankara, Turkey. The results of path analyses for both age groups showed that DT is negatively associated with AS and HA; AS and HA are positively associated with IA; IA and HA are positively associated with cyberchondria. Mediation analysis for both age groups demonstrated that AS and HA significantly mediated the relationship between DT and IA; IA significantly mediated the relationships of AS and HA with cyberchondria; HA significantly mediated the relationship between DT and cyberchondria. The results of the multiple-group path analysis showed that the relationship between IA and cyberchondria is significantly stronger in middle adulthood than young adulthood. The results of the current study are consistent with the relevant literature and provide crucial contribution especially by focusing on the role of age.
Current Psychology, 2020
The use of the Internet for medical information elicited a recent term called "cyberchondria". Th... more The use of the Internet for medical information elicited a recent term called "cyberchondria". This study aimed to scrutinize the mediating effects of health anxiety (HA), anxiety symptoms (AS), and Internet addiction (IA) in the pathway from distress tolerance (DT) to cyberchondria by using a bootstrapping method. In order to examine the role of age in the proposed model, multiple-group path analysis was used to evaluate differences between young and middle adulthood groups. The final sample consisted of both young adult (n = 209) and middle adult (n = 221) Internet users located in Ankara, Turkey. The results of path analyses for both age groups showed that DT is negatively associated with AS and HA; AS and HA are positively associated with IA; IA and HA are positively associated with cyberchondria. Mediation analysis for both age groups demonstrated that AS and HA significantly mediated the relationship between DT and IA; IA significantly mediated the relationships of AS and HA with cyberchondria; HA significantly mediated the relationship between DT and cyberchondria. The results of the multiple-group path analysis showed that the relationship between IA and cyberchondria is significantly stronger in middle adulthood than young adulthood. The results of the current study are consistent with the relevant literature and provide crucial contribution especially by focusing on the role of age.
This study was designed to examine the relationship between early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), per... more This study was designed to examine the relationship between early maladaptive schemas (EMSs), perceived parenting styles, psychological symptoms in Turkish university students. The sample of the study consisted of 348 undergraduate students (268 female and 80 male), ages ranging 18-26. EMSs were assessed by " Young Schema Questionnaire-Short Form 3 " , perceived parenting styles were evaluated by " The Turkish versions of the Young Parenting Inventory " , and psychological symptoms were determined by " The Symptom Assessment-45 Questionnaire ". The hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that perceived parenting styles and schema domains have predictive power on psychological symptoms. These variables were inserted into the equation in three blocks; perceived maternal parenting styles, perceived paternal parenting styles and schema domains, respectively. Perceived maternal pessimistic/worried, overprotective/anxious, overpermissive/boundless parenting styles and perceived paternal belittling/criticizing and normative parenting styles predicted psychological symptoms. Furthermore, disconnection & rejection, impaired autonomy & performance, and overvigilance & inhibition domains predicted psychological symptoms. All these variables explained 55% of the total variance. The results, limitations and directions for future studies were discussed in consideration of literature.
Keywords: Early maladaptive schemas, parenting styles, psychological symptoms