Transition to motherhood is an on-going developmental process that requires adaptation or change in restructuring behavior and role identity. When living in a foreign culture, women's challenges are increased exponentially because of bi-cultural conflicts and the presence of limited support. The purpose of this study was to describe the essential structure of the lived experience of the childbirth experience in Hawaii for expatriate Japanese women who were transitioning to motherhood. The research design was descriptive, using a phenomenological approach reflected in Colaizzi's method. A sample consisted of 10 Japanese expatriate women. Major findings of this study consisted of four Theme Categories: Challenges Living Overseas, Challenges of Motherhood, Reaching the Goal of Motherhood, and Relationship with Others. In the essential structure of the lived experience ofthe childbirth in Hawaii, the expatriate Japanese women experienced difficulties in their childbirth process, but as a result they understood their parents' values and also identified themselves as worthwhile individuals through the separation from family during the childbearing process. The new contribution of this study to nursing knowledge was the importance of family for women giving birth in a foreign country. The results of this study reflected the conceptual orientation, transition: a middle-range theory. The experience provided an opportunity for them to reflect their lives and to find the direction needed for their growth and transformation to successful parents. The women rebuilt the relationships with their husbands and further deepened their marital bonds.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UHAWAII/oai:scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu:10125/22070 |
| Date | January 2007 |
| Creators | Taniguchi, Hatsumi |
| Contributors | Magnussen, L. |
| Publisher | University of Hawaii at Manoa |
| Source Sets | University of Hawaii at Manoa Libraries |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 152 pages |
| Rights | All UHM dissertations and theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission from the copyright owner. |
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