Cultural implications of Mormonism on birthing patterns and related belief systems Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Stark, Sarah Lydia Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 30/09/2021 11:16:03 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/557309 CULTURAL IMPLICATIONS OF MORMONISM ON BIRTHING PATTERNS AND RELATED BELIEF SYSTEMS' by Sarah Lydia Stark A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the COLLEGE OF NURSING In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 7 9 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of re­ quirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under rules of the Library, Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the Dean of the Graduate College when in his judg­ ment the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholar­ ship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: IlMAyvcfcL kJ^Y Ocuuv)% /<?r? U MARGARITA KAY Date Professor of Nursing ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my sincere gratitude to all those who have helped make this research study possible. The members of my committee, Dr. Margarita Kay, Chairperson, Dr. Alice Longman, and Dr. Agnes Aamodt for their advice, assistance, and.support during this experience. The clients who so willingly participated with their time and information. Special appreciation to my daughters, Sarah Elizabeth Williams and Tedene Lisa Williams for their support and loving understanding during the entire process of my education. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.............. vi LIST OF TABLES ........ e .. o . ........... vii ABSTRACT .................. viii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION . .......... 1 Conceptual Framework . ........... 4 Significance of the Problem........................ 5 Statement of the Problem ....... 7 Purpose of the S t u d y ................ 7 2. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ...................... 8 Mormonism as a Culture .......... ......... 8 History.................. .......................... 10 Church Organization 14 The Priesthood ................... 19 Membership Composition and Requirements ....... 20 Special Ordinances . .......... 21 Kinship . ...... .v........... 22 Development of Church Theology ........... 27 Effect on Fertility . ....... 35 Effect on Attitude . .............. 36 Past Birthing Techniques ........ 38 3. METHODOLOGY . .......... 42 Design of the Study ............ 42 Sample ...................... 43 Human Subjects Protection ............. 43 Data Collection Tool . .............. 43 Data Analysis ................ 45 4. PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF THE D A T A ............ 47 Characteristics of the Sample .................... 47 iv V TABLE OF CONTENTS (CONTINUED) Page Importance of Marriage » . ............. 48 Family Planning and Spacing of Children . » » • • - 53 Childbirth Practices . .......................... 58 Special Concerns........................ 61 S u m m a r y ............... 63 5. DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY . 66 Discussion of the Findings . ............. „ , „ . 66 Implications for Childbearing ‘ . >69 Recommendations for Further Study o 71 APPENDIX A: CONSENT FORM ........... .............. 73 LIST OF REFERENCES 74 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page lo Chronology of Some Early Historical Events « e • » e . 15 2. Organizational Chart of Church Authorities ........ 16 3. Levels of the Priesthood in Hierarchical Order ........ .20 4. Characteristics of the Sample Informant’s Family Size . 49 5. Characteristics of the Sample Age of Informants .... 50 vi LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 . Reasons for Delaying Pregnancy or Spacing Children . 54 2. Acceptability of Birth Control Methods ............. 57 vii ABSTRACT Cultural background plays an important role in how individuals interact with one another» The quality of health care delivery can be affected by the ability to recognize and utilize the knowledge of cul­ tural influences in providing care to various cultural groups. The focus of this study was to explore the feelings of Mormon women con­ cerning their health care in general and childbearing specifically to identify the existence of culturally based health care requirements. The sample consisted of 20 Mormon women from Utah and Arizona aged 18 or over. The. subjects were interviewed, either individually or in small groups. The interviews were unstructured beyond a description of the study purpose and occasional open ended questions. The responses were reviewed to establish the categories of im­ portance of marriage, family planning and spacing of children, child­ birth practices, and special concerns, The findings indicate that these categories represent areas where special health care needs exist which must be considered by the health care deliverer in order to provide quality care for Mormon women. Recommendations for further study were based on utilizing and expanding these data. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION She who can paint or write a book that will influence millions deserves the admiration and the plaudits of mankind; but She who rears successfully a family of healthy, beautiful sons and daughters whose influence will be felt through generations to come. c . deserves the highest honor that man can give, and the choicest blessings of God (Hawkes 1974, p. 49). This quotation typifies the attitude of the Mormon Church on the role of women in their culture. It is substantially the same to­ day as it was in 1936 when David 0. McKay, past president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, made the above statement. Every woman in the church is expected to become a mother. This expectation is part of the woof and web of the Mormon culture. Cultural influences on almost every phase of life are currently being studied by a large number of researchers for an equally wide vari­ ety of reasons. The really significant benefit of this development is the awakening awareness that culture does have an important effect on how each individual perceives any given experience. Thus, though a specific event may be experienced by people the world around,it will be uniquely colored by the numerous and complex influences of the particu­ lar culture of the individual or group involved. i This is particularly true of the acts of conceiving and giving birth. Although they are universally experienced and based upon 1 reasonably stable physiological principles, they are intensely personal experienceso Aamodt .(1978) feels that culturally based content in this area involves many aspects of the social life of the members of a com­ munity. Each person involved brings her own heritage into play. According to Leininger (1978) there is a sub-field of nursing focusing on comparative study and analysis of cultures and sub-cultures which concentrates on health-illness and caring behaviors, values, and beliefs. The goal of this sub-field is to utilize information so gained to provide culture-specific care to clients. She feels that one of the primary professional responsibilities of nurses is to study and utilize this information in planning nursing care. Failure to recog­ nize these interrelating influences by health care givers can cause a great deal of pain and frustration to the participants in health care delivery. Members of the Mormon culture have influences on their lives beyond those experienced by members of the dominant culture within which they live. These influences may result in some special health care needs. To identify these needs and assist health care workers in recognizing them and developing plans to meet them requires looking at the Mormon culture in more detail. In many ways the members of the L.D.S. or Mormon Church have not been assimilated into their surroundings. The members perceive themselves as separate from their non-Mormon neighbors. History has shown that others also often see Mormons as different. The Mormon re­ ligion is not merely a Sunday exercise, it is a way of life practiced every minute of every day. It controls its membersf lives not only through fundamental principles controlling behavior, but also through a continuous stream of meetings and other church programs. Expecta­ tions for individual members, as well as for family groups, can be de­ lineated by direct communication from a living prophet. Beliefs and practices are constantly enforced and reinforced through close and con­ tinuous contacts and supervision. A lay ministry, divinely chosen, makes each member accountable to God first, then to self, and finally, but no less significantly, to every other member. Mormon birthing patterns, then,r are influenced by two distinct doctrines which are specific to this group alone. One is the hierarchi­ cal order of the Priesthood in the church organization. The other