Brief report: the moderating effect of stress mindsets on associations between stress during pregnancy and symptoms of depression and anxiety

ABSTRACT

Background and Objectives: Research suggests that the extent to which stress is perceived as enhancing or debilitating can impact how stress is experienced, stress reactions, and stress-related outcomes. Given that there is a salient perception of stress as harmful during pregnancy, our aim was to investigate stress mindsets as a moderator of established associations between prenatal stress and elevations in anxiety and depression. Design: A survey design was used, yielding cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Methods: Participants (n = 388) completed a survey that included measures of stress, anxiety and depression, and stress mindsets during their pregnancy; a subset responded to a brief follow-up questionnaire assessing mental health outcomes six to eight weeks postpartum (n = 103). Results: Stress mindsets in pregnancy moderated the effect of perceived and pregnancy stress on prenatal anxiety and depression, as well as the effect of prenatal ratings of the pregnancy as a stressor on postpartum depression. The positive effect of stress on mental health outcomes grew stronger when stress was viewed as more debilitating, but was no longer significant when stress was viewed as more enhancing. Conclusions: Though further research is needed, a positive stress mindset could be protective against some of the negative effects of prenatal stress.

KEYWORDS:

• Pregnancy
• stress mindsets
• stress
• anxiety
• depression
• prenatal mental health

Data availability

Datasets are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Items on our modified PPP-S: financial worries or problems; work-related worries or problems; legal worries or problems; problems related to your partner; problems related to family members and/ or friends; having to move, either recently or in the future; changes in body weight, shape, or appearance; recent loss or illness of a loved one; recent health issues (not pregnancy related).

2 Prenatal PHQ-8 and Prenatal GAD-7: education level, marital status, past pregnancy loss, pregnancy complications or concerns. Postpartum PHQ-8: age, insurance, marital status, first pregnancy, past pregnancy loss. Postpartum GAD-7: age, insurance, first pregnancy.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under Grant UA6MC31609 (Pregnancy-Related Care Research Network), as well as the American University, College of Arts and Sciences under a graduate student research grant.