Postpartum depression and maternal-infant bonding: the mediating role of mentalizing and parenting self-efficacy
Abstract Background The accumulated evidence suggested that postpartum depression was mainly associated with maternal-infant bonding. However, this link needed to be further explained by potential mediating factors. This study aimed to investigate the impact of postpartum depression on maternal-infa...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07762-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Abstract Background The accumulated evidence suggested that postpartum depression was mainly associated with maternal-infant bonding. However, this link needed to be further explained by potential mediating factors. This study aimed to investigate the impact of postpartum depression on maternal-infant bonding, examining the mediating roles of mentalizing and parenting self-efficacy. Methods A sample of 390 postpartum women was recruited from a maternity hospital around four weeks postpartum. A multiple mediating analysis was conducted to investigate how mentalizing and parenting self-efficacy affected the relationship between postpartum depression and maternal-infant bonding. Results The mediation analyses indicated that postpartum depression had a direct negative impact on maternal-infant bonding among postpartum women. It could also exert an indirect effect via three pathways: the independent mediation of parenting self-efficacy, the serial mediation of hypermentalizing and parenting self-efficacy, and the serial mediation of hypomentalizing and parenting self-efficacy. Limitations Women were sampled from a single maternity hospital, and self-report measures were utilized. The cross-sectional design also limited conclusions about causation and directionality. Conclusions The findings suggest that postpartum depression may negatively affect maternal-infant bonding. Moreover, the significant roles of a mother’s mentalizing and parenting self-efficacy in the relationship between postpartum depression and maternal-infant bonding should not be overlooked. These results could offer insights into supporting women with postpartum depressive symptoms to establish positive mother-infant relationships. Clinical trial number No. 20230128. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1471-2393 |