Abstract
The purpose of this quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest control group
design was to examine the effects of empowerment program on breastfeeding
behavior and duration of exclusive breastfeeding among adolescent mothers. The
purposive sample of 60 adolescent mothers who had deliveries and were admitted
at the Obstetric 4 ward of Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital, Navamindradhiraj
University between November 2011 and December 2012. They were randomly
assigned into either an experimental group or a control group. The subjects of each
group were matched according to personal data. A control group received routine
nursing care, while an experimental group received the empowerment program in
addition to routine nursing care. Data collection was carried out through personal
data questionnaires, breastfeeding behavior observation form and breastfeeding
duration record. The statistical research used for data analysis consisted of
frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square test, paired t-test and
independent t-test.
The result showed that the breastfeeding behavior score of adolescent
mothers after the intervention was statistically higher than before the intervention
and higher than those of the control group (p