Psychological Aspects of Pregnancy, 1957-1962

The focus of this longitudinal research project was to assess how pregnancy is experienced psychologically by women and to what extent this experience is maturational in its effects. The sample consisted of 15 primigravidae who had come to a New England city hospital's prenatal clinic in 1957, and who had agreed to participate. Data were collected at five different time periods including (1) the first trimester of pregnancy, (2) the second trimester (after quickening), (3) the third trimester, (4) labor, delivery, and lying in, and (5) at least once six months postpartum and one year postpartum. A variety of assessment methods were employed, including observations, interviews, and psychological testing. Interviews were designed to elicit information about changes in identification patterns, defenses, relationships with significant others, and general attitudes and values. Among the specific measures used were a Pregnancy Sentence Completion Test, a Pregnancy Evaluation Test (based on responses to a specifically created set of picture cues), the Rorschach, Murray's Thematic Apperception Test, and the Draw-a-Person Test. A psychiatric interview was also conducted with each woman's husband, and complete demographic data were compiled for each family. Observations of the babies and some mother-child observations were made as well. The research was conducted by a project team, including psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, gynecologists, and pediatricians, all of whom were psychoanalytically oriented. The material from each participant was generally collected by all members of the team and discussed and coded at research conferences, the proceedings of which were transcribed. The Murray Archive holds additional analogue materials for this study (summaries of all interviews and observations, transcripts of projective material, transcripts of case conferences, and demographic background sheets). If you would like to access this material, please apply to use the data