MATERNAL PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AS INFLUENCES ON HOME VISITATION CONTACT

The current investigation examines how women's psychological character istics influence their use of home visitation services in programs for mothers and infants in Elmira, New York, and Memphis, Tennessee. Subj ects were 99 White (in Elmira) and 207 predominantly African American (in Memphis) first-time mothers. They were recruited during pregnancy and were provided home visitation services by public health nurses unt il the child's second birthday. In the Elmira trial, variables measuri ng number of home visits and amount of telephone contact were regresse d on a measure of maternal sense of control over life circumstances. S ense of control showed a linear and quadratic relationship do home vis itation, with number of visits decreasing as sense of control increase d. Phone contact, however; showed a positive linear relationship with sense of control, as did support from partner. In Memphis, similar res ults were seen with home visitation contact using a measure of psychol ogical resources (comprised of maternal intellectual and mental-health functioning and copying style). These results are interpreted in term s of the nurses varying their contact with families based upon their p erception of the mother's need. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.