A structural model of postpartum depression based on social support and marital satisfaction with the mediation of parenting stress

Many factors can play a role in postpartum depression, which significantly affect the baby, mother, family, and society. The purpose of this study was to present a postpartum depression model based on social support and marital satisfaction with the mediation of parental stress. The current research method was descriptive and type of structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the research was all mothers have given birth who referred to Ostad Motahari Jahrom Hospital between April and October 1401, and 415 women were selected using the accidental sampling method from natural delivery and caesarean section and completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression scale (EPDS), the MOS Social Support Survey (MOS-SSS) Sherbourne and Stewart, the Enrich Marital Satisfaction Scale (EMS) and the short form of Abidin Parenting stress Index (PSI-4-SF) during four until eight weeks after childbirth. Social support and marital satisfaction do not have a significant effect on postpartum depression directly. Also, social support and marital satisfaction can effect on postpartum depression through parental stress.Considering the stressful conditions during pregnancy, psychological interventions aimed at reducing parental stress can reduce maternal exhaustion after childbirth, and social support and high marital satisfaction play a significant role in preventing this disorder.Keywords: postpartum depression, social support, marital satisfaction, parental stress