Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi

Comparative Study on The Anxiety Levels Between First-time Mothers and Mothers Pregnant for Two or More Times in Benue State: The Role of Counselling

Blessing Iveren Akume, Prof. Elvis Oblu Ihaji, Samuel Terzunzwe Anhange & Tertindi Lordsent Tyokyaa

Abstract

Pregnancy is one of the most sensitive periods and stressful life experiences in the lives of most women despite the joy, happiness and pleasure it brings to most homes. However, pregnancy for most women produces a mixed feeling of happiness and a lot of emotional unsteadiness which could lead to anxiety. The study compared anxiety levels between first-time mothers and mothers pregnant for two or moretimes in Benue State: The Role of Counselling. Thecross-sectional and quasi experimental study was adopted for the study. A total number of 385 pregnant women receiving antenatal care in both Federal Medical Centre and Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi were selected through a purposive sampling technique. Data for the study were collected using State-Trait Anxiety Inventory by Spielberger et al. (1983). Data analysis involved the use of Independent and Dependent t-test. Hypothesis one revealed that there was no significant difference between anxiety level among first-time mothers and mothers who have been pregnant for two or more times. Hypothesis two however showed that counselling significantly influenced anxiety among pregnant women. The study therefore concludes that there is no significant difference inanxiety levels between first-time mothers and multiparous mothers, and Counselling was found to influence anxiety among pregnant women in Benue state. It was therefore recommended among others that counselling programs should be integrated into antennal programs to address anxiety issues to all mothers, both first time and multiparous mothers.

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