To delineate the developmental trajectories of marital satisfaction and depressive symptoms in the early postpartum period, examine their longitudinal predictive relationship, and explore the moderating effects of demographic and obstetric factors.
Key Findings:
Marital satisfaction showed a significant linear decline over the 12-week postpartum period.
Postpartum depressive symptoms exhibited a significant linear increase during the same period.
Earlier marital satisfaction negatively predicted later levels of depression, indicating a unidirectional predictive pattern.
No significant longitudinal predictive effect of depressive symptoms on marital satisfaction was found.
The association of marital satisfaction with postpartum depression was stronger among unemployed/housewives, those with low household income, and those who underwent cesarean section.
Interpretation:
Marital satisfaction serves as a significant protective factor against postpartum depression, moderated by socioeconomic and health factors.
Limitations:
The study used a convenience sampling method, which may limit generalizability.
Data were collected from a single hospital, potentially affecting the diversity of the sample and the applicability of findings.
Conclusion:
The findings support integrating marital relationship assessments into postpartum mental healthcare and suggest couple-centered prevention strategies for high-risk populations.
