Relationship among Emotional Clarity, Maternal Identity, and Fetal Attachment in Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

PURPOSEThe purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among emotional clarity in emotional intelligence, maternal identity, and fetal attachment to measure how emotional clarity and maternal identity impact on fetal attachment and to determine mediating effects of maternal identity in pregnant women at the time of diagnosis with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODSThis study used a correlational survey design. 88 pregnant women with GDM completed a study questionnaire of emotional clarity, maternal identity, and fetal attachment immediately after the diagnosis of GDM. Data were analyzed Mann-Whitney U test, and ANOVA with Duncan test, Pearson correlation, three-step regressions to test mediating effect, and Sobel test. RESULTSThe emotional clarity was positively related with maternal identity and fetal attachment. It affected maternal identity with 21.9% of explained variance. The emotional clarity and the maternal identity were significant predictors of fetal attachment by 57.7% of explained variance. The maternal identity mediated the relationship between emotional clarity and fetal attachment. CONCLUSIONThe results suggest that a nursing program to enhance the emotional clarity and the maternal identity needs to be developed as an effective strategy to improve fetal attachment.