Factors associated with psychological distress among Australian women during pregnancy

Abstract

PurposeGrowing evidence links adult attachment style, mindfulness, and emotion dysregulation with depression and anxiety. Little is known about the nature of association between these variables during the pregnancy, a period of significant stress. This cross-sectional study aimed to test associations between attachment style, mindfulness, emotion regulation and psychological distress during pregnancy, and delineate the relative contribution to maternal experiences of pregnancy-specific anxiety compared with general anxiety and depressive symptoms. MethodsTwo-hundred and thirty-one pregnant women completed an online survey. Sociodemographic, pregnancy, health, and psychosocial variables were assessed using standard or validated, self-report measures. ResultsMindfulness, emotion regulation and attachment anxiety contributed significant variance to each distress outcome; however, the model for pregnancy-specific anxiety accounted for less variance compared to depressive symptoms and general anxiety, suggesting that other factors may be important in the development of pregnancy-specific anxiety. ConclusionsMindfulness, emotion regulation, and attachment style play an important role in maternal psychological wellbeing during pregnancy. Implications for screening and clinical practice are discussed.