Anxiety in mothers of children from newborn to 10 years old: a study from the perspective of social work, considering stress, self-image, and postpartum body self-care
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62621/v9xwp448Keywords:
Anxiety, Stress, Self-image, Self-care, MotherhoodAbstract
The objective of this study was to examine the anxiety of mothers with children ranging in age from newborn to 10 years, taking into account stress, self-image, and postpartum body self-care. A quantitative methodological approach was used, with a descriptive-correlational, non-experimental cross-sectional approach. A sample of 193 women was used. In addition to being mothers and raising their children, they also worked outside the home. In the multiple linear regression models, the results predicted the presence of anxiety in all participants (R2 = 0.449). Two other models were similarly developed for anxiety, but the sample was divided into two groups based on the parenting practices with which they were raised: 1. Traditionalist parenting practices based on physical punishment (R2 = 0.335) and 2. Respectful parenting practices, without physical punishment (R2 = 0.503). In conclusion, the demanding nature of motherhood is highlighted, and anxiety can be observed in relation to stress, self-care, and postpartum body image. The predictive model of anxiety in women who received a non-traditional birth control is further explained.
Downloads
References
Campo, A, A., Oviedo, H. C., y Herazo, E. (2014). Escala de Estrés Percibido-10: desempeño psicométrico en estudiantes de medicina de Bucaramanga, Colombia. Revista de la Facultad de Medicina, 62(3), 407-413. https://doi.org/10.15446/revfacmed.v62n3.43735
Cena, R. (2019). Discusiones en torno a los cuidados sociales: ¿Hacia una triple jornada? Aposta. Revista de Ciencias Sociales, 18(2019) 22–37. https://www.redalyc.org/journal/4959/495962127005/495962127005.pdf
Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385–396. https://doi.org/10.2307/2136404
Coo, C. S., Mira, O. A., García, V. M., & Zamudio, B. P. (2021). Salud mental en madres en el período perinatal. Andes pediatrica. 92(5), 724-732 http://dx.doi.org/10.32641/andespediatr.v92i5.3519
de Sá Vieira, A, E., y Aparecida, S. I. (2006). Vivenciando la lactancia y la sexualidad en la maternidad "Dividiéndose entre ser madre y mujer". Ciencia, Cuidado y Salud, 5(2), 220-228. https://cantarida.fundacionindex.com/resumen.php?id=734633
Deichen, H, M. E. (2022). Reinvigorating social work’s focus on perinatal health. International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 19(1). https://doi.org/10.55521/10-019-111
Delgado, H, M, Aceves, G, A,C., y Reyes, A, A,. (2024) Relationship between gender roles, motherhood beliefs and mental health. PLoS ONE 19(3): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298750
Elizalde, L. (2022). Maternidad y padecimiento mental: reflexiones desde el Trabajo Social. Debate Público: Reflexión de Trabajo Social. 12(24) https://trabajosocial.sociales.uba.ar/wp-content/uploads/sites/13/2023/02/11_Elizalde.pdf
Glover, V., O’Connor, T.G., & O’Donnel, K. (2010) Parental stress and the programming of the HPA axis. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 35(1), 17-22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2009.11.008
Goldberg D, Bridges K, Duncan, J, P, & Grayson D. (1988), Detecting anxiety and depression in general medical settings. BMJ. 297(6653), 897-9. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.297.6653.897
Hernández, M, L., y Prieto, S, P., (2017) El ejercicio de la maternidad de las mujeres profesionales. Pensamiento Americano, 10(18), 115-131. http://dx.doi.org/10.21803%2Fpenamer.10.18.389 https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/8713801.pdf
Hwang WY, Choi SY, & An HJ. (2022). Concept analysis of transition to motherhood: a methodological study. Korean J Women Health Nurs. 28(1), 8-17. https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2022.01.04
Infante, B. A., y Martínez, L. J. (2016). Concepciones sobre la crianza: El pensamiento de las madres y padres de familia. Liberabit, 22(1), 31-41. http://www.scielo.org.pe/pdf/liber/v22n1/a03v22n1.pdf
Ishizuka, P, (2025) Parental self-evaluations by gender and social class: Shared parenting ideals, male breadwinner norms, and mothers’ higher evaluation standards, Social Science Research, 128, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2025.103156
Kirkpatrick, C. E., & Lee, S. (2024). Idealized Motherhood on Social Media: Effects of Mothers’ Social Comparison Orientation and Self-Esteem on Motherhood Social Comparisons. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 68(2), 284–304. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2024.2324152
Lax, E., Graziosi, M., Gioia, A., Arunagiri, V., & Novak, S. (2023). “More than just a manicure”: Qualitative experiences of maternal self care during COVID 19. Women’s Health Reports. https://doi.org/10.1089/whr.2023.00
Leanderz Å,G, Larsson M, Lygnegård F, Bäckström C & Henricson M. (2025) The Meaning of Becoming a Mother. A Phenomenological-Hermeneutic Study. Scand J Caring Sci. 39(1) https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.70011
León, C. M. (2022). La mujer actual: nuevos síntomas y conflictos de malestar y displacer femenino. CIES. (LeP). 8(1) https://cies-revistas.mx/index.php/Psicoanalisis/article/view/230/431
Levinton, N. (2000). El superyó femenino, la moral en las mujeres. Madrid: Biblioteca nueva. https://aperturas.org/articulo.php?articulo=0000169&a=El-supe%FDo-femenino
Mak, M. C. K., Yin, L., Li, M., Cheung, R. Y.-h., & Oon, P.-T. (2020). The relation between parenting stress and child behavior problems: Negative parenting styles as mediator. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29, 2993–3003. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-020-01785-3
Maldonado C, J. M., Zambrano B, N. A., y Mancilla Patiño, K. L. (2024). Estereotipos de belleza en redes sociales: impacto en la autoestima femenina. Religación, 9(40), https://doi.org/10.46652/rgn.v9i40.1183
Martín, R. M., Barriopedro, M. M., y Espada, M. M. (2022). Influencia de la edad, la maternidad y el empleo en las barreras para la práctica de actividad física y deporte de las mujeres adultas en España. Retos, 667–675. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v44i0.88076
Martínez M, O., Zamudio, L. C., y Reyes Martínez, J. (2024). La importancia del tiempo libre en el bienestar: estudio cualitativo sobre las disparidades entre mujeres y hombres. En A. Medrano & A. Covarrubias (Coords.), Política social, género y mujeres: aportes para la praxis en México (pp. 143–178). El Colegio Mexiquense A.C.
Matvienko S, K., Flannery, C., Redsell, S., Hayes, C., Kearney, PM & Huizink, A. (2021). ffects of interventions for women and their partners to reduce or prevent stress and anxiety: A systematic review. Women and Birth, 34 (2), e97-e117. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wombi.2020.02.010
McCarthy, M., Houghton, C. & Matvienko-Sikar, K. (2021), Women’s experiences and perceptions of anxiety and stress during the perinatal period: a systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth 21 , 811 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-04271-w
Monterrosa, C, A, J., Ordosgoiti, P, E., y Beltrán, B, T. (2020). Ansiedad y depresión identificadas con la Escala de Golberg en estudiantes universitarios del área de la salud. MedUNAB https://doi.org/10.29375/01237047.3881
Montoya, S, O. (2007). Aplicación del Análisis Factorial a la Investigación de Mercados. Caso de estudio. Scientia et Technica, XIII(35), 281-286. https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/849/84903549.pdf
Muñíz G, E., y Ramos T, M, E. (2020). Presión social para ser madre hacia mujeres académicas sin hijos. Nóesis. Revista de ciencias sociales, 28(55), 64-87. https://doi.org/10.20983/noesis.2019.1.4
Navas, M, M. X., Oudhof, B, H., Mercado, M, A., Robles, E, E., y Villafaña, M, L. G. (2016). Relación entre estrés parental y prácticas de crianza en madres con hijos de 0-36 meses de edad. Revista de psicología, 71-86. https://biblat.unam.mx/hevila/RevistadepsicologiaEstadodeMexico/2016/vol5/no10/5.pdf
Neppl, N., Conger, R., Scaramella, L., & Ontai, L. (2009). Intergenerational continuity in parenting behavior: mediating pathways and child effects. Developmental Psychology, 1241–1256. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0014850
Pérez, P, M. L., Rivera, H, M. E., Esquivel, M, C. E., Quevedo, M, M. C., y Torres, V, V. (2021) Ser madre y estudiar en la universidad: recursos psicológicos, conductas problemas y factores de riesgo. Revista de Psicología y Educación.16(1), 1-17 https://doi.org/10.23923/rpye2021.01.198
Polte, C., Jounge, C., & von Soest, T. (2019). Impact of maternal perinatal anxiety on social emotional development of 2 year olds: A prospective study of Norwegian mothers and their offspring. Maternal and Child Health, 386–396. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-018-2684-x
Reina B, J. A., Criollo, E, C. A., y Fernández, D’A, K. (2018). Apoyo social en la maternidad indeseada de estudiantes universitarias ecuatorianas: análisis desde la perspectiva de género. Prospectiva. https://www.redalyc.org/journal/5742/574262076005/
Rodrigo, A., Ortale, S., Sanjurjo, A., Vojkovic, M., & Piovani, J. (2006). Creencias y prácticas de crianza en familias pobres del conurbano bonaerense. Archivos argentinos de pediatría, 104(3), 203-209. Recuperado en 27 de diciembre de 2025, de https://www.scielo.org.ar/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0325-00752006000300003&lng=es&tlng=es.
Rogers, A., Obst, S., Teague, S., Rossen, L., Spry, E., Macdonald, J., … Hutchinson, D. (2020). Association between maternal perinatal depression and anxiety and child and adolescent development: a meta analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 1082–1092. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.2910
Romera, M. (2020). Estereotipos para la mujer de hoy. La maternidad sexy en el discurso de las revistas españolas para mujeres. Discruso y Sociedad, 970-922. http://www.dissoc.org/en/ediciones/v14n04/DS14%284%29Romera.html
Szekeres H, Halperin E & Saguy T. (2023), The mother of violations: Motherhood as the primary expectation of women. Br J Soc Psychol. 62(4),1875-1896. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjso.12661
Tornero Q, I., Rendón, G. M., Molina, L, J., Sierra, R, Á., y Sáez Padilla, J. (2023). La relación de la actividad física sobre la imagen corporal en mujeres postparto. Psychology, Society & Education. https://dx.doi.org/10.21071/psye.v15i2.15817
Venard, G., Zimmermann, G., Antonietti, J. P., Eira, N. C., & Van Petegem, S. (2024). Parenting under pressure: Associations between perceived social pressure and parental involvement among mothers and fathers. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 3813–3825. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02945-5
Villanueva, A, D. (2017). La maternidad glorificada: análisis de los discursos de la maternidad de mujeres que participan en grupos de crianza respetuosa de la región de Valparaíso. Revista Punto Género, 138–155. https://doi.org/10.5354/2735-7473.2017.46272
Zhou, J & Ning, Y, (2025), Exploring motherhood dilemmas and coping strategies among mothers of children with autism: a qualitative study in mainland China, Journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16(2025), https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1569928
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Laura Fabiola Núñez Udave, Esmeralda Jaqueline Tapia García, Laura Karina Castro Saucedo, Yabidia Dolores Verónico Salazar

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in the Journal ACANITS Redes Temáticas en Trabajo Social accept the following conditions:
- Authors retain all copyrights to their work, with the exception of third party images and other materials that may be added by the Journal, which are subject to the copyrights of their respective owners.
- The work may be freely shared and adapted as long as authorship of the original publication is acknowledged.
- According to the Declaration of Mexico in favor of the Latin American non-commercial open access ecosystem, articles may be deposited for publication in any repository.





