Neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among Chinese women: the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social support

Abstract Background Despite the link between neuroticism trait and postnatal depression has been confirmed, little is known about the factors that influence this association. This study aimed to examine whether childbirth experience mediated the association between neuroticism trait and postnatal de...

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Main Authors: Xiaoqing Sun, Zhu Zhu, Xuemei Fan, Shijuan Mei, Lijuan Jiang, Shengnan Cong, Hongyan Xie, Jingjing Han, Shiqian Ni, Ying Liu, Lihua Zeng, Tingting Gu, Dandan Li, Aixia Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06337-3
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author Xiaoqing Sun
Zhu Zhu
Xuemei Fan
Shijuan Mei
Lijuan Jiang
Shengnan Cong
Hongyan Xie
Jingjing Han
Shiqian Ni
Ying Liu
Lihua Zeng
Tingting Gu
Dandan Li
Aixia Zhang
author_facet Xiaoqing Sun
Zhu Zhu
Xuemei Fan
Shijuan Mei
Lijuan Jiang
Shengnan Cong
Hongyan Xie
Jingjing Han
Shiqian Ni
Ying Liu
Lihua Zeng
Tingting Gu
Dandan Li
Aixia Zhang
author_sort Xiaoqing Sun
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Despite the link between neuroticism trait and postnatal depression has been confirmed, little is known about the factors that influence this association. This study aimed to examine whether childbirth experience mediated the association between neuroticism trait and postnatal depression, and whether this indirect effect was moderated by perceived social support. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1686 women within one year postpartum from 38 hospitals in China. Participants completed anonymous questionnaires measuring neuroticism trait, postnatal depression, childbirth experience, perceived social support, and demographic and obstetric variables. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS 4.0. Results The prevalence of postnatal depression among Chinese women was 24.1%, higher than the global pooled prevalence. The results showed a positive correlation between neuroticism trait and postnatal depression, which was partially mediated by childbirth experience. The negative correlation between neuroticism trait and childbirth experience was moderated by perceived social support. Specifically, the negative impact of neuroticism trait on childbirth experience was stronger among women with high perceived social support. Conclusions Our findings highlight the critical importance of interventions dedicated to improving the childbirth experience, which may help reduce postnatal depression. Moreover, neuroticism and perceived social support are highly correlated and must be considered simultaneously to inform individualized interventions for postnatal depression.
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spelling doaj-art-40de452c8624402cbc928d3400a265f42024-12-08T12:39:43ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2024-12-0124111010.1186/s12888-024-06337-3Neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among Chinese women: the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social supportXiaoqing Sun0Zhu Zhu1Xuemei Fan2Shijuan Mei3Lijuan Jiang4Shengnan Cong5Hongyan Xie6Jingjing Han7Shiqian Ni8Ying Liu9Lihua Zeng10Tingting Gu11Dandan Li12Aixia Zhang13Women’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare HospitalWomen’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare HospitalWomen’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare HospitalWomen’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare HospitalWomen’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare HospitalWomen’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare HospitalSchool of Nursing, Nanjing Medical UniversitySchool of Nursing, Suzhou UniversitySchool of Nursing, Nanjing Medical UniversityWomen’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare HospitalWomen’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare HospitalAffiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical UniversityAffiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical UniversityWomen’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Women and Children’s Healthcare HospitalAbstract Background Despite the link between neuroticism trait and postnatal depression has been confirmed, little is known about the factors that influence this association. This study aimed to examine whether childbirth experience mediated the association between neuroticism trait and postnatal depression, and whether this indirect effect was moderated by perceived social support. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1686 women within one year postpartum from 38 hospitals in China. Participants completed anonymous questionnaires measuring neuroticism trait, postnatal depression, childbirth experience, perceived social support, and demographic and obstetric variables. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS 4.0. Results The prevalence of postnatal depression among Chinese women was 24.1%, higher than the global pooled prevalence. The results showed a positive correlation between neuroticism trait and postnatal depression, which was partially mediated by childbirth experience. The negative correlation between neuroticism trait and childbirth experience was moderated by perceived social support. Specifically, the negative impact of neuroticism trait on childbirth experience was stronger among women with high perceived social support. Conclusions Our findings highlight the critical importance of interventions dedicated to improving the childbirth experience, which may help reduce postnatal depression. Moreover, neuroticism and perceived social support are highly correlated and must be considered simultaneously to inform individualized interventions for postnatal depression.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06337-3Postnatal depressionNeuroticism traitChildbirth experiencePerceived social supportModerated mediated model
spellingShingle Xiaoqing Sun
Zhu Zhu
Xuemei Fan
Shijuan Mei
Lijuan Jiang
Shengnan Cong
Hongyan Xie
Jingjing Han
Shiqian Ni
Ying Liu
Lihua Zeng
Tingting Gu
Dandan Li
Aixia Zhang
Neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among Chinese women: the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social support
BMC Psychiatry
Postnatal depression
Neuroticism trait
Childbirth experience
Perceived social support
Moderated mediated model
title Neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among Chinese women: the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social support
title_full Neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among Chinese women: the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social support
title_fullStr Neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among Chinese women: the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social support
title_full_unstemmed Neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among Chinese women: the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social support
title_short Neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among Chinese women: the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social support
title_sort neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among chinese women the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social support
topic Postnatal depression
Neuroticism trait
Childbirth experience
Perceived social support
Moderated mediated model
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-024-06337-3
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