TY - JOUR
T1 - Women's Experiences of the Effect of Financial Strain on Parenting and Mental Health
AU - Marcil, Lucy E.
AU - Campbell, Jeffrey I.
AU - Silva, Katie E.
AU - Hughes, Diána
AU - Salim, Saraf
AU - Nguyen, Hong An T.
AU - Kissler, Katherine
AU - Hole, Michael K.
AU - Michelson, Catherine D.
AU - Kistin, Caroline J.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funded by the Claniel Foundation Emerging Leaders Fund and the Medical Staff Organization House Officer Development Award (Boston Children’s Hospital).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
PY - 2020/11
Y1 - 2020/11
N2 - Objective: To develop a conceptual theory to describe how financial strain affects women with young children to inform clinical care and research. Design: Qualitative, grounded theory. Setting: Participants were recruited from the waiting area of a pediatric clinic and an office of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children embedded within the largest safety-net academic medical center in New England. Participants were interviewed privately at the medical center or in the community. Participants: Twenty-six English-speaking women, mostly single and African American/Black, with at least one child 5 years old or younger, were sampled until thematic saturation was met. Methods: We used grounded theory methodology to conduct in-depth, semistructured interviews with participants who indicated that they experienced financial strain. We analyzed the interview data using constant comparative analysis, revised the interview guide based on emerging themes, and developed a theoretical model. Results: Five interrelated themes emerged and were developed into a theoretical model: Financial Strain Has Specific Characteristics and Common Triggers, Financial Strain Is Exacerbated by Inadequate Assistance and Results in Tradeoffs, Financial Strain Forces Parenting Modifications, Women Experience Self-Blame, and Women Experience Mental Health Effects. Conclusion: For women with young children, financial strain results in forced tradeoffs, compromised parenting practices, and self-blame, which contribute to significant mental health problems. These findings can inform woman-centered clinical practice and advocacy interventions. Women's health care providers should identify families experiencing financial strain, provide referrals to financial services, and join advocacy efforts to advance social policies that address the structural causes of poverty, such as increased minimum wage and paid family leave. Women with young children may experience financial strain, which contributes to mental health problems.
AB - Objective: To develop a conceptual theory to describe how financial strain affects women with young children to inform clinical care and research. Design: Qualitative, grounded theory. Setting: Participants were recruited from the waiting area of a pediatric clinic and an office of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children embedded within the largest safety-net academic medical center in New England. Participants were interviewed privately at the medical center or in the community. Participants: Twenty-six English-speaking women, mostly single and African American/Black, with at least one child 5 years old or younger, were sampled until thematic saturation was met. Methods: We used grounded theory methodology to conduct in-depth, semistructured interviews with participants who indicated that they experienced financial strain. We analyzed the interview data using constant comparative analysis, revised the interview guide based on emerging themes, and developed a theoretical model. Results: Five interrelated themes emerged and were developed into a theoretical model: Financial Strain Has Specific Characteristics and Common Triggers, Financial Strain Is Exacerbated by Inadequate Assistance and Results in Tradeoffs, Financial Strain Forces Parenting Modifications, Women Experience Self-Blame, and Women Experience Mental Health Effects. Conclusion: For women with young children, financial strain results in forced tradeoffs, compromised parenting practices, and self-blame, which contribute to significant mental health problems. These findings can inform woman-centered clinical practice and advocacy interventions. Women's health care providers should identify families experiencing financial strain, provide referrals to financial services, and join advocacy efforts to advance social policies that address the structural causes of poverty, such as increased minimum wage and paid family leave. Women with young children may experience financial strain, which contributes to mental health problems.
KW - grounded theory
KW - maternal health
KW - parenting
KW - pregnancy
KW - safety-net providers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85091738443&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85091738443&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jogn.2020.07.002
DO - 10.1016/j.jogn.2020.07.002
M3 - Article
C2 - 32822649
AN - SCOPUS:85091738443
SN - 0884-2175
VL - 49
SP - 581
EP - 592
JO - JOGNN - Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing
JF - JOGNN - Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing
IS - 6
ER -