Psychosocial health during pregnancy and self-coherence: Theoretical considerations

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Abstract
A personality characteristic labeled ‘self-coherence’ has been found to be an independent variable in achieving psychosocial health during pregnancy. Psychosocial health is defined as successful resolution of the conflict and change inherent in pregnancy demonstrated by initiation of an affectional tie to the fetus and readiness to take on the mothering role. Pregnancy is widely regarded as a psychosocial developmental stage in which there is an interaction between genetic endowment and environmental influences of the past and present. As with other psychosocial stages, there is an interplay during pregnancy between physical development, self-development, and social development in response to perceived conflict and change. Self-coherence is conceptualized as the facilitator of such an interplay through the development of cognitive schemata which enable the use of non-rational ideation and introspection to ‘cohere’ and experience a self, which in turn enables one to experience and cope with present reality. It is the ability to integrate present experience with past experience, motivations and goals and to find meaning in the conflict and change of pregnancy which results in psychosocial health.

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