Abstract
The aim of the study was to find out the socio-psychological peculiarities of the future’s image in pregnant women with a dominance of self-blaming reactions. The methodological basis of the study was a gender approach in psychology, as well as scientific research on the psychosomatic impact of negative emotional states on the health of pregnant women. Socio-psychological features of the future’s image (in particular, the anticipation of further family relations, future maternal identity, the desire to correspond to the gender roles of wife and mother) regulate the emotional state of the pregnant woman. Tendencies of self-blame are considered as an element of the gender role of women and mothers, which hinder the formation of a normal maternal identity and an optimistic image of the future. There are differences between women with high and low levels of self-blame in the following socio-psychological characteristics of the future’s image: self-acceptance in the long time perspective; maternal identity; stereotyping of the future’s image and the desire to comply with gender requirements. There is also a link between the self-blaming tendency in a situation of frustration and the desire to correspond to gender roles. It is noted that intrapunitiveness of reactions also correlates with situational anxiety, the variability of frustration reactions, and emotional coloring of the future’s image. The scope of the study was set by the possibility of examining pregnant women only in the first and second trimesters of pregnancy. The results of the study can be used in the educational work of specialists in gender pedagogy, aimed at preparing young women for motherhood. The direction of further research is to study the constructive and destructive role of various elements’ perception of female (feminine) gender roles in the success of the reproductive behavior regulation through the future’s image.