The sphere of nursing care connected with the relationships between parents and children remains quite complex due to the enormous role that such type of communication plays in the life of every single person.
According to the assignment, we are supposed to analyze the case of Ms. Montayer, who has just delivered a baby; at the moment, she seems to be depressed due to the lack of support from her family. There are a few popular theories related to maternal health. According to one of them, the maternal role attainment theory proposed by Mercer, the proper work of a nurse is much more critical when it comes to relationships between mothers and children (Husmillo, 2013). In general, it can be said that this theory focuses on the great interdependence of a mother and her child. Apart from that, this theory introduces the essential stages of becoming a mother; they include preparation, learning, adapting to the circumstances that have changed, and the final reframing of new experiences. As for another famous theory which is called the parent-child interaction model, it states that relationships between children and their parents have a significant influence on a wide range of functions that we fulfil in everyday life (Pidano & Allen, 2015). As it is clear from this theory, the treatment of various mental health issues that occur in children should involve the work with their parents. The effectiveness of the discussed theory has been demonstrated by the fact that many mental health professionals successfully apply it to help children.
Despite the fact that both theories focus on communication between parents and children, the first theory puts emphasis on the role of a mother because a woman’s life tends to change to a greater extent than that of a man. At the same time, the second theory emphasizes the role of both parents, and it remains the primary difference between these two meta-paradigms. There is no doubt that a lot of problems may occur when a woman becomes a mother; therefore, it can be stated that there are factors affecting maternal role identity. For instance, they include physical and mental illnesses, difficult relationships with husbands and parents, a willingness to avoid responsibility, and inner conflicts. Besides, it is necessary to remember that many of these factors often remain unnoticed, and women are deprived of an opportunity to experience all the discussed stages in proper time. Due to that, there are a lot of cases when maternal role identity is not shaped, and it may pose a threat to the mental health of a child.
Furthermore, there are many characteristics influencing the parent-child relationship; the latter include the range of assumptions supported by parents (such as a willingness to have total control over children’s life). What is more, such characteristics influencing the process of communication include peculiarities of the educational process and specific practices used to improve children’s behavior. Apart from that, the role of the differences between generations should not be underestimated. In fact, children and their parents are shaping their characters living in communities possessing different ideals, and this is why the cases of misunderstanding between parents and children are so common.
The concept of microsystem applied to this scenario is manifested in relationships between Ms. Montayer and her child, whereas the mesosystem is a kind of combination of microsystems or the range of social roles that she plays (a wife, a mother, a daughter). As for macrosystems, they are represented by communities and social groups related to her. In the end, the use of these concepts may help a nurse to regard the situation from different points of view and provide the patient with the necessary support.
References
Husmillo, M. (2013). Maternal role attainment theory. International Journal of Childbirth Education, 28(2), 46-48.
Pidano, A. E., & Allen, A. R. (2015). The incredible years series: A review of the independent research base. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(7), 1898-1916.