早產兒在精進的新生兒醫學科技與全民健康保險的庇護下，存活率大為提南，有相當大的社會可以從醫院回到家中由父母親繼績照顧。本研究目的是檢定早產兒母親的母育信心程度是否較足月兒母親為低，同時並探討兩組母親母育信心的預測因子。 方便取樣 49 位早產兒母親與 46 位足月兒母親為研究對象。問卷內容包括嬰兒與母親人口學資料、母育信心量表、壓力知覺量表及社會支持調查表。研究結果顯示面臨嬰兒出院時，早產兒母親的母育信心量表得分額著低於足月兒母親，而兩組母親在壓力知覺量表與社會支持調查表的得分則無額著差異。逐步複迴歸的結果顯示早產兒母親母育信心之最佳預測因子為胎次 (是否為經產婦 )、早產兒醫學合併症的數目與早產兒出院體重，解釋的變異量為 29.86 ％。 此外，足月兒母親母育信心之最佳預測因子則為母親年齡 (是否為 20 歲以上 )，解釋的變異 量為 14.25 ％。 本研究結果可協助護理人員早期評估低母育信心的母親，針對其個別性提供適當走出院衛教，進而幫助母親們順利地通應母職。

　　　　　Under the protection of advanced deontological techniques and health insurance, preterm infants are more likely to be discharged from hospital. The purposes of this study were to examine the difference in maternal confidence between Taiwanese mothers of preterm and full term infants, and to explore the best predictors of maternal confidence at infant discharge among two groups. Data was collected at prepared discharge. 49 preterm and 46 full term mothers from the Kaohsiung City area were recruited to par tic pate. The four instruments used to collect data were the Demographic Data Form, Maternal Confidence Questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale and the Interpersonal Support Evaluation List. The results indicated that preterm mothers at prepared discharge perceived significantly less confidence than full term mothers. But no significant differences were found between the two groups in perceived stress and social support. Results of the stepwise multiple regression indicated that the estruses to predict the criterion variable of maternal confidence of preterm mothers included parity (prime Para vs. multi-Para) , followed by medical complications and weight at discharge of preterm infants. These factors together accounted for 29.86% of the variance in maternal confidence. In the full term group, maternal age (adolescents vs. adults) explained 14.25% of the variance. The findings of this study can help the nurses to identify those mothers with lower maternal confidence in the early stage, providing them with appropriate discharge education. Further, this could assist mothers, healthy adaptation to motherhood.