The effect of perceived spouse support on postpartum depression and maternal attachment in women

Introduction: The postpartum period is a stressful time for women. The woman expects support from her husband during this stressful period. The support received from the spouse is important for the physical and mental health of the woman and the baby. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of perceived spouse support on postpartum depression and maternal attachment in women. Methods: This is a descriptive and correlational study. It was conducted with 205 women who met the study criteria and attended the newborn outpatient clinic of a university hospital between July and September 2023. A Personal Information Form, the Spouse Support Scale, the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale and the Maternal Attachment Inventory were used to collect data. Pearson correlation analysis and simple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: It was determined that the women's spouse support scale mean score was 70.45±9.85, their postpartum depression mean score was 9.58±5.23, and their maternal attachment mean score was 101.84±2.99. There was a negative relationship between perceived spouse support and depression level and a positive relationship between perceived spouse support and maternal attachment. Conclusion: Women’s perceived spouse support is high. There is a negative relationship between spouse support and depression, and a positive relationship between spouse support and maternal attachment.