Stress is considered as a hardship in adolescent mothers and affects the maternal role and baby adaptation. Foot reflexology is an alternative care to that is gaining acceptability, has fewer side effects and is easily combined with nursing care during the postpartum period.

Objective : This study proposed to investigate the effect of foot reflexology on stress reduction among adolescent mothers during the early postpartum period.

Material and Method : In this quasi-experimental research, 58 participants were selected by random sampling into two groups, an intervention group and a control group. Both groups were assessed for stress level by stress intensity 5 minutes and 24 hours after intervention. A foot reflexology handbook, questionnaires, and SPST-20 and the VAS tools (reliability coefficients of 0.75 and 0.96) were utilized in this study. Data was analyzed using percentages, means and standard deviations. Analyzed data was then presented in the form of paired t-tests and independent t-tests.

Results : The stress levels of the postpartum adolescent mothers were significantly decreased at 5 minutes and 24 hours after intervention (p<0.001) and the control group (p<0.001). Furthermore, the stress scores and physiological response to stress for the post-intervention at 5 minutes and 24 hours of the intervention group were significantly decreased compared to those of the control group (p<0.05).

Conclusion : This study concluded that foot reflexology was effective immediately, and up to 24 hours for reduction of stress of postpartum adolescent mothers.