MODERATING ROLE OF NEUROTICISM BETWEEN TOKOPHOBIA AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG PRIMIGRAVIDAS

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between tokophobia, neuroticism and mental health; and to examine the role of neuroticism as a moderator between tokophobia and mental health. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted from September, 2019, to January, 2020, at different hospitals. Three instruments Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), and The Wajima Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (WDEQ) were administered on 100 women along with a demographic sheet to collect data and were analyzed using SPSS V 23. RESULTS: Results showed that tokophobia had a significant positive relationship with neuroticism and significant negative relationship with mental health ({β = -0.23, t = -2.20, p = 0.030}). Neuroticism also predicted Mental health {β = -0.51, t = 5.45, p = 0.001} and create 22% in it {ΔR2 = 0.22, ΔF (1,97) = 29.72, p = 0.001}. The interaction of tokophobia and neuroticism significantly predicted mental health {β = -0.17, t = 2.85, p = 0.48} and about 30% change {ΔR2 = 0.30, ΔF (1,96) = 3.42, p = 0.048} in mental health. Neuroticism significantly moderates the relationship between tokophobia and mental health in negative direction. Residential areas do not have significant differences on neuroticism, tokophobia and mental health among primigravidas. CONCLUSION: Primigravida women with neuroticism personality have higher tendency to develop tokophobia and both significantly affect mental health of pregnant women