Professional issues. Knowledge about attitudes can help change behaviour.

This paper addresses the issue of social attitudes. The purpose is to facilitate understanding of attitude structures and the application of this knowledge to midwifery practice. Attitudes have been defined and their development within individuals described. The above information has been applied to midwifery practice emphasizing the issue of respect for a client's attitudes and opinions which may differ considerably from our own. Attitude change has been addressed in relation to helping women change behaviours which promote obstetric damage. An explanation has been given to assist midwives' understanding of why women continue with damaging behaviour

Comment: "Fathers at the birth?"

In the West there is a contemporary expectation that fathers should be present at the birth of their babies (Longworth and Kingdon 2011), with many unclear of their job description(Vehvilainen-Julkunen and Liukkkonnen 1998). A former Royal College of Midwives (RCM) survey established that roughly 98 per cent of UK fathers were inclined to participate at the birth (Reid 1994), with around 97 per cent embracing positive attitudes towards the impending event (Hollins Martin 2008a). Longworth and Kingdon (2011) identified that some fathers were unsure about their role and how to involve themselves more

Obedience: would you do as I say?

Most people will have observed the often impressive synchrony of the behaviour of fish in a school or birds in a flock. The fact that the behaviour of a fish is so well matched to that of the behaviour of others is straightforward: perception directly affects behaviour. When a fish perceives a change of direction in another fish it simply matches this change in direction. This direct link between perception and behaviour can be easily witnessed in humans as well. We too match the behaviour of others and we do this simply because perception directly affects action. The specific behavioural changes perception can bring about differ between humans and fish, but the underlying mechanism is essentially the same. Perhaps we share this important psychological mechanism with a haddock (Dijksterhuis 2001, p 105)

An analysis of social influence in midwifery practice

EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Obedience: would you do as I say?

Most people will have observed the often impressive synchrony of the behaviour of fish in a school or birds in a flock. The fact that the behaviour of a fish is so well matched to that of the behaviour of others is straightforward: perception directly affects behaviour. When a fish perceives a change of direction in another fish it simply matches this change in direction. This direct link between perception and behaviour can be easily witnessed in humans as well. We too match the behaviour of others and we do this simply because perception directly affects action. The specific behavioural changes perception can bring about differ between humans and fish, but the underlying mechanism is essentially the same. Perhaps we share this important psychological mechanism with a haddock (Dijksterhuis 2001, p 105)

A narrative literature review of the therapeutic effects of music upon childbearing women and neonates.

Therapeutic effects of music are well recognised within the literature, with benefits for a variety of healthproblems documented. This narrative review summarises benefits in terms of reducing stress, anxiety,labour pain and depression in childbearing women. For neonates, music has been shown to reducenumber of days to discharge, reduce pain response behaviours, increase weight gain, improve Brazeltonscores, improve parent/infant intimacy, improve oxygen saturation, increase formula intake, stabilizevital signs and increase parental reports of calmed infants. The main criticism of the studies reviewed is lack of categorisation of the particulars of the variables within the music that directly influenced outcome variables. A recommendation is made that a music package be developed and relationships with variables rigorously evaluated. The validated product may then be made available for use. Since evidence supports advantages from listening to music, it is suggested that maternity professionals use it in more creative ways

Comment: "Fathers at the birth?"

In the West there is a contemporary expectation that fathers should be present at the birth of their babies (Longworth and Kingdon 2011), with many unclear of their job description(Vehvilainen-Julkunen and Liukkkonnen 1998). A former Royal College of Midwives (RCM) survey established that roughly 98 per cent of UK fathers were inclined to participate at the birth (Reid 1994), with around 97 per cent embracing positive attitudes towards the impending event (Hollins Martin 2008a). Longworth and Kingdon (2011) identified that some fathers were unsure about their role and how to involve themselves more

Triumph over the barricades and put the evidence into practice.

In some instances midwives find it difficult to implement research into practice (Albers, 2001). For example, evidence informs of the benefits of providing continuous support during labour (Hodnett et al, 2003), yet one midwife to one woman is not compulsory in every maternity unit in the UK. Olsen (1997) meta-analyzed research that relates to the relative safety of home birth compared to hospital birth. Results found no difference in survival rates between babies born at home and those born in hospital. Amniotomy is still a common procedure, yet contra-indicated since fetal heart abnormalities are more likely in the healthy term fetus (Fraser et al, 1993). Such examples serve to sharpen awareness that some research is being overlooked. Consequently ideas about how to narrow the theoryDSpractice gap become salient. With this in mind a model is proposed to help midwives implement change into practice. Changing behaviour is possible when logical structured approaches are taken at a number of levels