engleski

Perceived stress during pregnancy and postpartum depression symptoms: the role of source-specific social support

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a complex disorder with numerous risk and protective factors, among which stress and social support are the most common. There is evidence that social support may have a protective role between stress and depression in the general population. However, studies in the peripartum population mostly examined overall social support and did not differentiate between different sources of support. This study aimed to examine: (1) the course of perceived stress and social support levels over the peripartum period in women with and without PPD, and (2) whether social support from different sources (family, friends and partner) is a mediator or a moderator in the relationship between stress during pregnancy and PPD symptoms. This longitudinal study followed 272 women from late pregnancy (T1), early postpartum (2-3 days ; T2) to late postpartum (6 weeks ; T3). Participants fulfilled the following questionnaires at all time points: General Data Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Social Support Appraisals Scale (subscales Family and Friends) (SS-A), and Perceived Support from Partner Scale (PSPS). All women were interviewed at T3 for PPD. Results showed that women with PPD report higher stress and lower social support. After birth, there is a decrease in social support for women with PPD. Furthermore, higher stress in pregnancy had a direct effect on higher PPD symptoms. While controlling for maternal age and parity, social support from family was not related to PPD symptoms. However, lower social support from friends had a mediating role between higher pregnancy stress and PPD symptoms. On the other hand, social support from the partner was a moderator between pregnancy stress and PPD symptoms. Women with high pregnancy stress report higher PPD symptoms, regardless of the support from the partner. Conversely, women with both low pregnancy stress and low social support from partner had higher levels of PPD symptoms. In conclusion, social support from different sources has a differential role in the relationship between pregnancy stress and PPD symptoms. Interventions aimed at fostering social networks and support from friends and partners might have a protective effect on perceived pregnancy stress and maternal well-being in postpartum. Also, methodologically, it is important to measure source-specific social support and different types of social support, which is further discussed.

pregnancy ; stress ; social support ; postpartum depression

nije evidentirano