The College of Nursing at the University of Baghdad held a defense of the master’s thesis by researcher Mariam Ali Ghazi, titled “The Relationship Between the Severity of Domestic Violence and Self-Efficacy in Breastfeeding and the Mother-Infant Bond in the Postpartum Period,” under the supervision of Dr. Wissam Mash’an Matlab, in the college’s Skills Hall.
The study primarily aimed to determine the extent to which the severity of domestic violence can predict levels of self-efficacy in breastfeeding and the strength of the bond between mother and infant in the postpartum period, after controlling for and neutralizing the effects of obstetric and demographic variables such as the mother’s age, number of pregnancies, parity, and history of miscarriage.
The study’s results and conclusions revealed a statistically significant association between exposure to domestic violence and lower levels of self-efficacy and confidence in breastfeeding among mothers, while the findings also showed high and sustained levels of emotional bonding between mothers and their infants despite these challenges and psychological and social pressures.
Based on the research findings, the study recommended the integration of brief assessment and screening tools into postpartum nursing care protocols to measure breastfeeding competence, along with the implementation and development of safe and confidential referral pathways to provide comprehensive psychosocial support to mothers who disclose exposure to domestic violence.
Following an extensive academic discussion, the researcher’s efforts culminated in the thesis being awarded a grade of “very good.”
The findings of this study align with the Sustainable Development Goals that the College of Nursing at the University of Baghdad seeks to promote, particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and Goal 5 (Gender Equality and Reducing Violence), by promoting maternal and child health and providing nursing support strategies that contribute to protecting the family and ensuring a safe and healthy environment for child-rearing and breastfeeding.
