Intimacy and Postpartum Depression: A Moderated Mediation Model

• Published in: Journal of child and family studies 2023-11, Vol.32 (11), p.3338-3349
• Main Authors: Bogdan, Ionela, Turliuc, Maria Nicoleta
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Behavioral Science and Psychology; Child and School Psychology; Childbirth & labor; Depression (Psychology); Fathers; Intimacy; Maternal depression; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Mothers; Occupational stress; Original Paper; Postpartum depression; Postpartum period; Postpartum women; Psychology; Religiosity; Resistance (Psychology); Self Efficacy; Social Sciences; Sociology
• ISSN: 1062-1024; 1573-2843
• DOI: 10.1007/s10826-022-02461-4

Women’s postpartum depression is the most common mental illness following childbirth. In the present study, we aimed to examine the association between intimacy and postnatal depression and to explain it through the mediating role of maternal self-efficacy. We also aimed to explore if the partner’s job stress moderates the proposed mediation model. Between November 1 and December 31, 2019, a sample of 85 couples of first-time parents, having a child aged 1–12 months, participated in this non-experimental cross-sectional study. Mothers completed measures of intimacy, maternal self-efficacy, postpartum depression, and religiosity, while fathers completed scales of job stress and religiosity. The results indicated that: (1) intimacy is negatively associated with postpartum depression, the regression analyses confirming that greater intimacy predicts lower levels of postpartum depression; (2) maternal self-efficacy partially mediates the relationship between intimacy and postpartum depression, (3) partner’s job stress moderates the link between intimacy and maternal self-efficacy, and (4) maternal religiosity and partner’s religiosity represent significative covariates of the moderated mediation model. The findings suggest that therapists should pay close attention to intimacy and variables that mediate and moderate its relationship with postnatal depression, maternal self-efficacy and partner’s job stress, to improve first-time mothers’ mental health. Highlights The prevalence of women’s postpartum depression has grown in the last decades. The relationship between intimacy and postpartum depression is understudied. Maternal self-efficacy mediates the relationship between intimacy and postpartum depression. Father’s job stress moderates the link between intimacy and maternal self-efficacy.