The Effects of Perceived Social Support on Postpartum Anxiety: A Moderated Mediation Model

PurposePrevious literature showed that perceived social support, self-esteem and optimism all played critical roles in the developing of postpartum anxiety. However, the mechanisms of influence were still unclear. This study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of the relationship among perceived social support, self-esteem, optimism and postpartum anxiety.Method756 women within one year after childbirth were surveyed using the Perceived Social Support Scale, Self-Assessment of Anxiety Scale, Self-Esteem Scale and Life Orientation Test Questionnaire. Pearson correlation analyses were performed to determine the direction and size of the all variables. The mediation model and the moderated mediation model were performed using the PROCESS macro.ResultsPostpartum anxiety negatively correlated with perceived social support, self-esteem and optimism. A significant positive relationship existed among perceived social support, self-esteem and optimism. Self-esteem played a mediating role in the association between perceived social support and postpartum anxiety, with a mediating effect value of - 0.23. Optimism moderated the mediating process by which perceived social support affected postpartum anxiety via self-esteem. At the three levels of optimism (mean minus 1 SD, mean and mean plus 1 SD), the mediating effect values of self-esteem in the relationship between perceived social support and postpartum anxiety tended to diminish.ConclusionSelf-esteem partially mediated the relationship between perceived social support and postnatal anxiety, and this mediating process was moderated by optimism. SignificanceWhat is already known on this topic? Previous literatures showed that perceived social support, self-esteem and optimism all played critical roles in the developing of postpartum anxiety. However, the mechanisms of influence were still unclear.What this study adds? This study firstly confirmed the important role of self-esteem in postnatal anxiety, and also illustrated the different effects of self-esteem and optimism in the development of postnatal anxiety. Self-esteem played a mediating role in the relationship between perceived social support and postpartum anxiety, and this mediating process was moderated by optimism.The effects of perceived social support on postpartum anxiety: a moderated mediation model.