The effect of motivational interviews on perception of birth and self-efficacy in nullipars with traumatic birth perception

Aim: The aim of this study to determine the effect of motivational interviews on the perception and self-efficacy of birth in nullipars with a perception of traumatic birth. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted in a randomized controlled, between November 2019 and November 2020 in the obstetrics outpatient clinics of Elazig Fethi Sekin City Hospital. In the power analysis, the sample size was calculated as at least 83 pregnant women for each group (83 experiment, 83 control). Data were collected with Descriptive Information Form, Traumatic Childbirth Perceptions Scale (TCPS) and Childbirth of Self-Efficacy Scale-Short From (CBSE). Pregnant women in the experimental group were held with four sessions of motivational interviews one week a part. No intervention was made for the pregnant women in the control group. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test, t test for dependent and independent groups were used in data analysis Results: It was determined that there was no statistically significant difference between the total mean scores of TCPS and CBSE of pregnant women in the experimental and control groups before the motivational interview (p> 0.05). After the motivational interview, the mean score of the pregnant women in the experimental group was 33.57 ± 19.39 and the mean score of the control group was 80.67 ± 22.18, and the difference between the mean scores was statistically significant (p <0.001); After the motivational interview, it was determined that the average score of the pregnant women in the experimental group was 285.03 ± 33.35, the mean score of the control group was 186.46 ± 46.66, and the difference between their averages was statistically significant (p <0.001). Conclusion: It was determined that motivational interviews decreased the perception of traumatic birth and increased childbirth self-efficacy. Motivational interviews can be recommended to be used in pregnant women with a perception of traumatic birth. Key words: Pregnancy, motivational interview, self-efficacy, traumatic birth perception, midwifery