Contemporary Mothering in a Diverse Society

The contextual and environmental factors that may affect mothering and perceptions of the maternal role in today's increasingly diverse society are described. Following a historical overview of the development of maternal role theory within the nursing literature, the influence of images and myths in Western society, race/ethnicity, cultural background, and employment status are discussed. Guidelines for nursing interventions that allow for individual and cultural differences are provided. JOGNN, 35, 671‐678; 2006. DOI: 10.1111/J.1552‐6909.2006.00089.x