The relationship between birth season and postpartum depressive symptoms in Icelandic mothers : examining the moderating effect of partner social support

• Main Author: Björk Jónsdóttir 1993-
• Other Authors: Háskólinn á Akureyri
• Format: Bachelor Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2024
• Subjects: Sálfræði; Mæður; Vellíðan; Fæðingarþunglyndi; Makar; Psychology; Maternal well-being; Partner support; Postpartum depression; Iceland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/47893

Ritgerðin er lokuð til 31.05.2030 The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between birth season and postpartum depressive symptoms in Icelandic context. Furthermore, we investigated the moderating effect of perceived partner support on this relationship. Our sample consisted of 205 mothers who had a full-term pregnancy and gave birth in the year 2023. This study relied exclusively on retrospective data, which was conducted via an online survey where participants completed three scales and questionnaires, detailing their feelings in the postpartum period, perceived social support and demographic information. This study demonstrated that mothers who gave birth during the summer season exhibited higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to those who gave birth in winter. The findings also showed that this relationship was moderated by perceived partner support during the postpartum period in the way that mothers who gave birth during the summer season and experienced low partner support were more likely to develop depressive symptoms than mothers who experienced high partner support. However, no such moderation was observed for mothers who gave birth during winter as there was no significant difference in depressive symptoms between those with high and low partner support. Taken together, this study reveals an important association between birth season, social support, and postpartum depressive symptoms, while also emphasizing the vital importance of partner support as a potential buffer, serving as a protective factor against postpartum depression, particularly for mothers welcoming newborns during the summer months. Identifying the protective role of partner support in this context and the impact of seasonal factors can contribute to the development of social policies aimed at enhancing support services for new mothers in Iceland, ultimately increasing maternal well-being in the postpartum period. Markmið rannsóknarinnar var að kanna tengslin á milli fæðingarárstíða og þunglyndiseinkenna eftir ...