Promoting new mothers’ maternal social support in urban China: a series of group social work interventions in a public hospital setting

This study implemented a series of social work groups with physician lectures for new mothers in Shanghai, China, and evaluated the practice effects. Outcome data of the intervention (N = 84) and comparison (N = 38) groups were collected using the Maternal Social Support Scale before, immediately after, and three months after the intervention. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the service effects in different periods. The intervention group showed a significant increase in total social support in three dimensions (informational, emotional, and instrumental) immediately after the intervention. Informational and total social support increased significantly over time with no group effects.