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CHAPTER 27 Ramona T. Mercer 549

(1983), “Pregnancy Outcome for Adolescents Receiving Sank (1991) used Mercer’s theory in her doctoral
Prenatal Care by Nurse Practitioners in Extended dissertation research at the University of Texas,
Roles,” were used in setting up a clinical practice. Austin, entitled Factors in the Prenatal Period That
Clark, Rapkin, Busen, and Vasquez (2001) used Affect Parental Role Attainment During the Postpar-
Mercer’s theory to establish and test a parent educa- tum Period in Black American Mothers and Fathers.
tion curriculum for substance-abusing women in a Mercer’s Theory of Maternal Role Attainment also
residential treatment facility. Meighan and Wood served as the framework for Washington’s (1997)
(2005) used the theory of maternal role attainment dissertation, Learning Needs of Adolescent Mothers
to explore the impact of hyperemesis gravidarum When Identifying Fever and Illnesses in Infants Less
on maternal role assumption. Than Twelve Months of Age at the University of
Miami. Bacon (2001), a student at the Chicago
Education School of Professional Psychology, used Mercer’s
Mercer’s work has appeared extensively in both theory in her dissertation, Maternal Role Attain-
maternity and pediatric nursing texts. Many of the ment and Maternal Identity in Mothers of Premature
current concepts in maternal-child nursing are Infants. Dilmore (2003) based her study, A Compari-
based on Mercer’s research. Her theory and models son of Confidence Levels of Postpartum Depressed
help simplify the very complex process of becoming and Non-Depressed First Time Mothers, on Mercer’s
a parent. The Theory of Maternal Role Attainment is research.
credited with enhancing understanding and making McBride (1984) wrote the following:
Mercer’s contribution extremely valuable to nursing
education. The Theory of Maternal Role Attainment Maternal role attainment has been a fundamental
provides a framework for students as they learn to concern of nursing since the pioneering work of
plan and provide care for parents in a wide variety Mercer’s mentor, Rubin, almost two decades ago. It
of settings. The Theory of Becoming a Mother has is now becoming the research-based, theoretically
rapidly gained acceptance since its introduction in sound construct that nurse researchers have been
2004. Mercer’s theory and research have also been searching for in their analysis of the experience of
used in other disciplines as they relate to parenting new mothers (p. 72).
and maternal role attainment. It has been shown to
be helpful to students in psychology, sociology, and
education. Further Development
Mercer used her initial research as a building block
Research for other studies. In later research, she aimed at iden-
Mercer advocated the involvement of students in fac- tifying predictors of maternal-infant attachment on
ulty research. During her tenure at the University of the basis of maternal experience with childbirth and
California, San Francisco, she chaired committees maternal risk status. Mercer also examined paternal
and was a committee member for numerous graduate competence on the basis of experience with childbirth
theses and dissertations. Collaborative research with and pregnancy risk status. In another study, she de-
a graduate student and junior faculty member in 1977 veloped and tested a causal model to predict partner
and 1978 led to the development of a highly reliable, relationships in high-risk and low-risk pregnancy.
valid instrument to measure mothers’ attitudes about More work and refinement of the original model and
the labor and delivery experience. Numerous re- theory have taken place during the past few years,
searchers have requested and received permission to as described earlier. She included the importance of
use the instrument. the father in maternal role attainment, adding this to
Mercer’s work has served as a springboard for her model and theory in a section of her 1995 book,
other researchers. The theoretical framework for her Becoming a Mother: Research on Maternal Identity
correlational study exploring the differences between from Rubin to the Present.
three age groups of first-time mothers (15 to 19, 20 to In First-Time Motherhood: Experiences from Teens
29, and 30 to 42 years of age) has been tested by oth- to Forties, Mercer (1986a) presented a model of
ers, including Walker and colleagues (1986a, 1986b). the following four phases occurring in the process of