“My problem is that I live next door to my mother-in-law”: Arab women's postpartum experiences with positive and negative social interactions and the impact on their well-being: A qualitative study

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Social support is commonly associated with women's postpartum health. Yet such support can also have unintended effects and trigger negative reactions. This study provides a qualitative examination of the positive and negative social interactions described by Arab postpartum women. Participants were Arab women recruited at Mother and Child Healthcare Clinics (MCHC). Inclusion criteria were married women over the age of 18 with a healthy newborn who described both positive and negative social experiences. Exclusion criteria were signs of postpartum depression. Data were gathered using semi-structured in-depth interviews that were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Themes and categories were extracted based on interpretative phenomenological analysis. The impact of lived experiences on the well-being of postpartum women was explored. Data analysis revealed three main themes: (1) Support from the family and community: positive impact on the mother; (2) Negative social interactions as invasion of mother's personal space; (3) Impact of negative social interactions on mother's relationship with her family. A deeper understanding of the social environment of these women and the factors that affect their well-being during the critical postpartum period can help MCHC staff offer culturally appropriate support and relevant interventions.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)e3985-e3994
JournalHealth and Social Care in the Community
Volume30
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2022

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Keywords

  • Arabs
  • cultural customs
  • negative social interactions
  • postpartum
  • social support
  • well-being

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Sociology and Political Science
  • Health Policy
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of '“My problem is that I live next door to my mother-in-law”: Arab women's postpartum experiences with positive and negative social interactions and the impact on their well-being: A qualitative study'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this