Psychosocial factors influencing personal control in pain relief

A questionnaire was administered to 100 women (50 primigravidae, 50 multigravidae) to investigate the influence of psychosocial factors on personal control in pain relief. Personal control was measured using a 36-item scale based on the concept of ‘Rule’. The women were asked to rate each rule on a 7-point Likert scale. Measures of psychosocial factors included assessment of the women’s expectations of labour pain, maternal confidence, pain intensity, antenatal training and partner support. Demographic variables including parity were also recorded. The questionnaires were completed prior to and within 48 h following the women’s delivery (whilst they were inpatients on the postnatal ward). Two variables, antenatal training and pain intensity, emerged as predictors of personal control in pain relief following stepwise multiple regression analysis. These findings have implications for clinical practice particularly in the area of antenatal care and planning care during labour.