What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysis
Abstract Background Mothers who live with mental illness face diverse challenges. Research suggests that partner support or otherwise is likely to have a crucial influence on mothers’ abilities to manage these challenges, yet little is known about how this plays out. In this study, we aimed to explo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2019-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-019-2209-1 |
| _version_ | 1819133418583097344 |
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| author | Emily Beard Anne Honey Nicola Hancock Ruby Awram Melissa Miceli Rachel Mayes |
| author_facet | Emily Beard Anne Honey Nicola Hancock Ruby Awram Melissa Miceli Rachel Mayes |
| author_sort | Emily Beard |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Mothers who live with mental illness face diverse challenges. Research suggests that partner support or otherwise is likely to have a crucial influence on mothers’ abilities to manage these challenges, yet little is known about how this plays out. In this study, we aimed to explore the roles played by male partners in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness. Methods We conducted a qualitative secondary analysis using interview data collected from 18 participants in two previous qualitative studies. Both studies focused on the mothering experiences of women who lived with mental illness. In both studies, the importance of male partners was striking. The data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Results The roles of partners in women’s experiences of mothering were multiple and dynamic, with each male partner playing a unique combination of roles. These included: facilitator; teammate; unfulfilled potential; distraction; dismantler, and threat to child. Roles were influenced by: mothers’ interpretations; partners' behaviors, characteristics and circumstances; the family’s living and custody arrangements; mothers’ active management strategies; and a range of external controls and supports. Conclusions Health professionals need to consider the complex roles partners play. This crucial aspect of mothers’ social environments can be optimized by directly supporting and enabling partners themselves, and by supporting mothers to actively shape their partners’ roles. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T09:46:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fb1d714fc4de4d5fbf5a0c3848d33eb1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T09:46:59Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-fb1d714fc4de4d5fbf5a0c3848d33eb12022-12-21T18:30:31ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2019-07-0119111210.1186/s12888-019-2209-1What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysisEmily Beard0Anne Honey1Nicola Hancock2Ruby Awram3Melissa Miceli4Rachel Mayes5The University of SydneyThe University of SydneyThe University of SydneyThe University of SydneyThe University of SydneyThe University of SydneyAbstract Background Mothers who live with mental illness face diverse challenges. Research suggests that partner support or otherwise is likely to have a crucial influence on mothers’ abilities to manage these challenges, yet little is known about how this plays out. In this study, we aimed to explore the roles played by male partners in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness. Methods We conducted a qualitative secondary analysis using interview data collected from 18 participants in two previous qualitative studies. Both studies focused on the mothering experiences of women who lived with mental illness. In both studies, the importance of male partners was striking. The data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Results The roles of partners in women’s experiences of mothering were multiple and dynamic, with each male partner playing a unique combination of roles. These included: facilitator; teammate; unfulfilled potential; distraction; dismantler, and threat to child. Roles were influenced by: mothers’ interpretations; partners' behaviors, characteristics and circumstances; the family’s living and custody arrangements; mothers’ active management strategies; and a range of external controls and supports. Conclusions Health professionals need to consider the complex roles partners play. This crucial aspect of mothers’ social environments can be optimized by directly supporting and enabling partners themselves, and by supporting mothers to actively shape their partners’ roles.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-019-2209-1PartnersMotheringSocial supportFathersQualitative secondary analysis |
| spellingShingle | Emily Beard Anne Honey Nicola Hancock Ruby Awram Melissa Miceli Rachel Mayes What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysis BMC Psychiatry Partners Mothering Social support Fathers Qualitative secondary analysis |
| title | What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysis |
| title_full | What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysis |
| title_fullStr | What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysis |
| title_full_unstemmed | What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysis |
| title_short | What roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness? A qualitative secondary analysis |
| title_sort | what roles do male partners play in the mothering experiences of women living with mental illness a qualitative secondary analysis |
| topic | Partners Mothering Social support Fathers Qualitative secondary analysis |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12888-019-2209-1 |
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