Objectives: This study examined the relationship of social support, and of social networks, to symptoms of depression in a multiethnic sample of women having recently given birth. Methods: Women at community health centers in a Northeastern city were randomly sampled from groups stratified by race/ethnicity (African American, Hispanic, and White) and postpartum interval. Mother's score on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression Scale (CES-D) was the dependent variable. Main independent variables included the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Social Support Survey and a social network item. Univariate statistics assessed the relationship between CES-D score and each of the independent variables. Multivariate linear regression models included core sociodemographic variables alone, the core model with each of the social support and social network variables added separately, and all variables together. We evaluated interactions between race and social support, race and social networks, and social support and social networks. Results: The multivariate models with MOS Social Support and core variables indicated that each 10-point increase in the MOS Social Support Survey was related to a 2.1-unit lower score on the CES-D (95% CI −2.4, −1.7). The inclusion of the social network variable into the core model showed that having two or more friends or family members available was associated with a 13.6-point lower mean score on the CES-D (95% CI −17.5, −9.6), compared to women reporting none or only one available person. Conclusions: Both social support and social networks were statistically significant and independently related to depressive symptomatology.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Ballard CG, Davis R, Cullen PC, Mohan RN, Dean C. Prevalence of postnatal psychiatric morbidity in mothers and fathers. Br J Psychiatry 1994;164:782–8.
Najman JM, Andersen MJ, Bor W, O’Callaghan MJ, Williams GM. Postnatal depression-myth and reality: Maternal depression before and after the birth of a child. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 2000;35:19–27.
Diagnostic and statistical manual of disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 2000.
Beck CT, Gable RK. Postpartum depression screening scale: Spanish version. Nurs Res 2003;52:296–306.
Dennis CL, Janssen PA, Singer J. Identifying women at-risk for postpartum depression in the immediate postpartum period. Acta Psychiatr Scand 2004;110:338–46.
Seimyr L, Edhborg M, Lundh W, Sjögren B. In the shadow of maternal depressed mood: Experiences of parenthood during the first year after childbirth. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2004;25:23–34.
Gale S, Harlow BL. Postpartum mood disorders: A review of clinical and epidemiological factors. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2003;24:257–66.
Susman JL. Postpartum depressive disorders. J Fam Pract 1996;43:S17–24.
Nonacs R, Cohen LS. Postpartum mood disorders: Diagnosis and treatment guidelines. J Clin Psychiatry 1998;59(Suppl 2):34–40.
Garvey MJ, Tuason VB, Lumry AE, Hoffmann NG. Occurrence of depression in the postpartum state. J Affect Disord 1983;5:97–101.
Lovejoy MC, Graczyk PA, O’Hare E, Neuman G. Maternal depression and parenting behavior: A meta-analytic review. Clin Psychol Rev 2000;20:561–92.
Martins C, Gaffan EA. Effects of early maternal depression on patterns of infant–mother attachment: A meta-analytic investigation. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2000;41:737–46.
Petterson SM, Albers AB. Effects of poverty and maternal depression on early child development. Child Dev 2001;72:1794–1813.
Nicolson P. Understanding postnatal depression: A mother-centred approach. J Adv Nurs 1990;15:689–95.
Ritter C, Hobfoll SE, Lavin J, Cameron RP, Hulsizer MR. Stress, psychosocial resources, and depressive symptomatology during pregnancy in low-income, inner-city women. Health Psychol 2000;19:576–85.
Cutrona CE. Social support and stress in the transition to parenthood. J Abnorm Psychol 1984;93:378–90.
O’Hara MW. Social support, life events, and depression during pregnancy and the puerperium. Arch Gen Psychiatry 1986;43:569–73.
Merchant DC, Affonso DD, Mayberry LJ. Influence of marital relationship and child-care stress on maternal depression symptoms in the postpartum. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 1995;16:193–200.
Liaw F, Brooks-Gunn J. Cumulative familial risks and low-birthweight children's cognitive and behavioral development. J Clin Child Psychol 1994;23:360–72.
Hashima PY, Amato PR. Poverty, social support, and parental behavior. Child Dev 1994;65:394–403.
Belle D, Doucet J. Poverty, inequality and discrimination as sources of depression among US women. Psychol Women Q 2003;27:101–13.
Radloff LS. The CES-D scale: A self-report depression scale for research in the general population. Appl Psychol Meas 1977;1:385–401.
Sherbourne CD, Stewart AL. The MOS Social Support Survey. Soc Sci Med 1991;32:705–14.
Seeman TE, Berkman LF, Kohout F, Lacroix A, Glynn R, Blazer D. Intercommunity variations in the association between social ties and mortality in the elderly. A comparative analysis of three communities. Ann Epidemiol 1993;3:325–35.
Stewart AL, Ware JE (Eds.). Measuring functioning and well-being: The Medical Outcomes Study approach. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 1992.
Kreiger N, Chen J. Socio-demographic and cultural module for the breast cancer core questionnaire. Boston, MA: Harvard School of Public Health, 1997.
Séguin L, Potvin L, St-Denis M, Loiselle J. Depressive symptoms in the late postpartum among low socioeconomic status women. Birth 1999;26:157–63.
Panzarine S, Slater E, Sharps P. Coping, social support, and depressive symptoms in adolescent mothers. J Adolesc Health 1995;17:113–9.
Brugha TS, Sharp HM, Cooper SA, Weisender C, Britto D, Shinkwin R, Sherrif T, Kirwan PH. The Leicester 500 project. Social support and the development of postnatal depressive symptoms, a prospective cohort survey. Psychol Med 1998;28:63–79.
Beeghly M, Olson KL, Weinberg MK, Pierre SC, Downey N, Tronick EZ. Prevalence, stability, and socio-demographic correlates of depressive symptoms in black mothers during the first 18 months postpartum. Matern Child Health J 2003;7:157–68.
Lupien SJ, King S, Meaney MJ, McEwen BS. Can poverty get under your skin? Basal cortisol levels and cognitive function in children from low and high socioeconomic status. Dev Psychopathol 2001;13:653–76.
Gurel S, Gurel H. The evaluation of determinants of early postpartum low mood: The importance of parity and inter-pregnancy interval. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2000;91:21–4.
Szalacha LA, Erkut S, Garcia Coll C, Alarcon O, Fields JP, Ceder I. Discrimination and Puerto Rican children's and adolescents’ mental health. Cult Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol 2003;9:141–55.
Ren XS, Amick BC, Williams DR. Racial/ethnic disparities in health: The interplay between discrimination and socioeconomic status. Ethn Dis 1999;9:151–65.
Pavalko EK, Mossakowski KN, Hamilton VJ. Does perceived discrimination affect health? Longitudinal relationships between work discrimination and women's physical and emotional health. J Health Soc Behav 2003;44(1):18–33.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This study was supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCJ-259356). The authors express their appreciation to Dr. Marie McCormick, whose expertise guided this project from its inception. We also gratefully acknowledge the contributions of Rachel Levine and Cary Perry, who served as project coordinators and research associates, and Peter Gaccione for his contribution to data analysis.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Surkan, P.J., Peterson, K.E., Hughes, M.D. et al. The Role of Social Networks and Support in Postpartum Women's Depression: A Multiethnic Urban Sample. Matern Child Health J 10, 375–383 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-005-0056-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-005-0056-9