Mother-to-infant bonding mediates the effects of depressive and anxious postpartum symptoms on parenting stress

Figures & data

Figure 1. Conceptual model testing maternal bonding as a mediator between maternal mental health and parenting stress.

Table 1. Descriptive statistics of demographic characteristics (N 105).

Demographic variables	Mn	Sd
Maternal age	32.60	4.18
	N	%
Child’s sex
Boy	51	48.6
Girl	54	51.4
Educational level
Upper secondary school	24	30.5
Up to secondary school	81	69.5
Marital status
Married or cohabiting	105	100
Duration of the romantic relationship
Less than 5 years	27	25.7
5 years or more	78	74.3
Number of children
First-time mother (primiparous)	94	89.5
One or more previous children	11	10.5
Birth experience	N	%
Childbirth type
Vaginal birth	76	72.4
Cesarean section	14	13.3
Vacuum extraction	15	14.3
Complications during childbirth
Yes	19	18.1
No	86	81.9

Table 2. Spearman correlations among demographic characteristics and variables studied (N 105).

	EPDS	STAI State	STAI Trait	MPAS	PSI-PD	PSI-CDI	PSI-DC	PSI-TOT
Maternal age	−.028	.083	.077	−.098	.240*	.208*	.155	.282**
Child’s sex	.160	.110	.173	−.062	.150	.057	.188	.172
Educational level	−.002	.062	.051	−.184	.042	.217*	.179	.144
Duration relationship	−.009	.052	.075	.114	.103	.085	.092	.097
Number of children	−.072	.007	.073	.045	.045	−.060	−.051	−.022
Childbirth type	.146	.170	.120	−.117	.186	.020	−.029	.094
Complications	−.001	−.219*	−.085	.025	−.001	.025	.027	.019

EPDS: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; STAI = State and Trait Anxiety Inventory; MPAS: Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale; PSI-PD: Parenting Stress Index – Parental Distress; PSI-CDI: Parenting Stress Index – Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction; PSI-DC: Parenting Stress Index – Difficult Child; PSI-PD: Parenting Stress Index – Total Score. *p < 0 .05; **p < 0 .01.

Table 3. Descriptive Statistics and Spearman correlations among the main variables studied (N 105).

	M	SD	(4)	(5)	(6)	(7)	(8)
(1) EPDS	7.82	4.10	−.389**	.501**	.227*	.277**	.412**
(2) STAI State	35.45	9.04	−.507**	606**	315**	344**	.516**
(3) STAI Trait	38.84	6.74	−.516**	536**	271**	298**	.443**
(4) MPAS	87.05	7.00	–	−514**	−461**	−461**	−.564**
(5) PSI-PD	25.16	7.91	–	–	–	–	–
(6) PSI-CDI	17.78	6.92	–	–	–	–	–
(7) PSI-DC	20.82	7.86	–	–	–	–	–
(8) PSI-TOT	63.95	18.72	–	–	–	–	–

EPDS: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; STAI: State and Trait Anxiety Inventory; MPAS: Maternal Postnatal Attachment Scale; PSI-PD: Parenting Stress Index – Parental Distress; PSI-CDI: Parenting Stress Index – Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction; PSI-DC: Parenting Stress Index – Difficult Child; PSI-PD: Parenting Stress Index – Total Score. *p < 0.05; **p < 0.01.

Figure 2. Mediation analysis testing the direct and indirect effects of EPDS on PSI mediated by MPAS.

Figure 3. Mediation analysis testing the direct and indirect effects of STAI State on PSI mediated by MPAS.

Figure 4. Mediation analysis testing the direct and indirect effects of STAI Trait on PSI mediated by MPAS.

Data availability statement

The data that support this study’s findings are available on request from the corresponding author.