Research on the mediation effect of expectation gap of postpartum support between perceived stress and postpartum depression / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the relationships of expectation gap of postpartum support with perceived stress and postpartum depression, and the mediating role of the former in the association between the latter two.Methods:A total of 278 convenient sample of puerperas at 6-8 weeks after delivery from June to August in 2019 in Shenzhen Hospital of Southern Medical University were investigated with the Perceived Stress Scale, the Chinese version of the Postpartum Social Support Questionnaire, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Structure equation model was established and Bootstrap method was used to explore the direct and indirect effects of these variables.Results:The perceived stress score, and expectation gap of postpartum support score were (26.50±2.50), (25.30±5.79), respectively; and the postpartum depression score was (14.60±2.10). The incidence of postpartum depression(defined as postpartum depression score ≥10) was 37.4%(104/278). Path analysis showed that the model was well fitted (χ 2/ df was 0.265, Tucker-Lewis index was 1.0, comparative fit index was 1.0,root mean square of approximate error was 0, root mean square of standard deviation and residual error was 0.04). Perceived stress positively correlated with expectation gap of postpartum support, and postpartum depression ( P<0.05). Expectation gap of postpartum support positively correlated with postpartum depression ( P<0.05). The effect of perceived stress on postpartum depression was partially mediated by expectation gap of postpartum support (Estimate was 0.285, 95% CI 0.197-0.352). Conclusions:Perceived stress had direct or indirect effect via expectation gap of postpartum support on postpartum depression. This indicated that the medical staff can build a comprehensive support system, reduce the experience of perceived stress among puerperas, improve social support satisfaction, and thus reduce the incidence of postpartum depression.