The role of bridging social capital among women after childbirth: A moderation analysis

Background: Maternal parenting self-efficacy significantly impacts maternal and child health outcomes. Nevertheless, the factors influencing it are not well-understood. Purpose: To examine factors associated with maternal self-efficacy, including attendance at the mother–child health clinic (MCHC), bridging social capital, state anxiety, and breastfeeding attitudes. Methods: A cross-sectional study using a structured self-report questionnaire was conducted among 451 mothers of children under 3.5 months attending MCHCs. Linear regression explained variance in maternal self-efficacy. A moderation analysis examined the role of bridging social capital in the association between state anxiety and maternal parenting self-efficacy. STROBE guidelines were followed. Discussion: Bridging social capital, state anxiety, and breastfeeding attitudes significantly explained maternal parenting self-efficacy (32.4% variance). Bridging social capital moderated the association between state anxiety and maternal self-efficacy. Conclusion: MCHC services operated by public health nurses are vital community resources supporting maternal self-efficacy and positively influencing mothers’ health outcomes at the population level.