Coping Styles in Pregnancy, Their Demographic and Psychological Influences, and Their Association with Postpartum Depression: A Longitudinal Study of Women in China

Min Yu, Wenjie Gong, Beck Taylor, Yiyuan Cai and Dong (Roman) Xu
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Min Yu: Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Wenjie Gong: Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
Beck Taylor: Institute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Yiyuan Cai: Department of Preventive Medicine and Maternity and Child Care, School of Public Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
Dong (Roman) Xu: Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute (SGHI), School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-14

Abstract: We aimed to investigate the coping styles of Chinese pregnant women, identify factors associated with coping and further explore the effect of coping during pregnancy on postpartum depression. A longitudinal study was performed from early pregnancy to six-week postpartum. A total of 1126 women were recruited by convenience sampling and participants who completed eight questionnaires at four time points were included (three self-developed questionnaires, Coping Style Questionnaire, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Brief Resilience Scale, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) (n = 615). Linear regression analyses were used to identify the possible factors for coping and their association with postpartum depression. The mean scores of positive coping and negative coping were 2.03 and 1.21, respectively. Women with a higher educational level scored higher on both positive and negative coping in pregnancy. Resilience was associated with both positive and negative coping, while self-esteem only related to positive coping ( p < 0.05). Postpartum depression was associated with both positive and negative coping ( p < 0.05). The women in our study reported using positive coping styles more than negative coping antenatally. Positive and negative coping behaviors could be used simultaneously. Increasing self-esteem and resilience antenatally might promote more positive coping and further reduce the occurrence of postpartum depression.

Keywords: coping style; longitudinal study; postpartum depression; pregnancy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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