Effects of psychological birth trauma on obsessive-compulsive behaviors during the postpartum period in terms of infant care: the chain-mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty and dyadic coping.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is one of the common mental health problems among perinatal women, and the postpartum period represents a particularly vulnerable stage for the emergence of clinically significant obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Postpartum infant care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors may exacerbate maternal negative emotions such as anxiety and depression through a cognitive-behavioral cycle and impair the development of the mother-infant relationship. Birth trauma is one of the influencing factors of perinatal mental health, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors may develop or worsen as a response to birth trauma, highlighting the need to explore the potential psychological mechanisms underlying the association between birth trauma and postpartum infant care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors. This study examined the relationship between birth trauma and postpartum obsessive-compulsive behaviors, as well as the chain mediating role of intolerance of uncertainty and dyadic coping.
A total of 278 hospitalized parturients were recruited using the convenience sampling method, and the questionnaires included the general information questionnaire, Psychological Birth Trauma Scale, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Dyadic Coping Scale, and Postpartum Infant Care-Obsessive Compulsive Behavior Scale. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis in SPSS, and the PROCESS macro was employed for mediation effect analysis.
(1) Birth trauma exerted a significant positive effect on postpartum infant care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors. (2) The association between birth trauma and postpartum obsessive-compulsive behaviors was independently mediated by intolerance of uncertainty. (3) Dyadic coping independently mediated the relationship between birth trauma and postpartum care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors. (4) Intolerance of uncertainty and dyadic coping played a chain mediating role between birth trauma and postpartum care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Our study enriches existing research on birth trauma and postpartum care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors, deepens the understanding of their effects, and provides a reference for optimizing perinatal care practice.
Intolerance of uncertainty and dyadic coping serve as important mediators between birth trauma and postpartum infant care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors, providing key evidence for developing potential interventions and support services in perinatal mental health. Future efforts should focus on maternal childbirth experiences and postpartum negative emotional and behavioral problems, provide sufficient social support, and improve family infant caregiving skills.
A total of 278 hospitalized parturients were recruited using the convenience sampling method, and the questionnaires included the general information questionnaire, Psychological Birth Trauma Scale, Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale, Dyadic Coping Scale, and Postpartum Infant Care-Obsessive Compulsive Behavior Scale. Data were analyzed using correlation analysis in SPSS, and the PROCESS macro was employed for mediation effect analysis.
(1) Birth trauma exerted a significant positive effect on postpartum infant care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors. (2) The association between birth trauma and postpartum obsessive-compulsive behaviors was independently mediated by intolerance of uncertainty. (3) Dyadic coping independently mediated the relationship between birth trauma and postpartum care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors. (4) Intolerance of uncertainty and dyadic coping played a chain mediating role between birth trauma and postpartum care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Our study enriches existing research on birth trauma and postpartum care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors, deepens the understanding of their effects, and provides a reference for optimizing perinatal care practice.
Intolerance of uncertainty and dyadic coping serve as important mediators between birth trauma and postpartum infant care-related obsessive-compulsive behaviors, providing key evidence for developing potential interventions and support services in perinatal mental health. Future efforts should focus on maternal childbirth experiences and postpartum negative emotional and behavioral problems, provide sufficient social support, and improve family infant caregiving skills.