Parental Stress, Social Support and Postnatal Depression: A Quantitative Correlational Study Design

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between parental stress, social support and postnatal depression among teenage mothers at Kasangati Health Centre IV Nangabo, Kyadondo in Wakiso district. The study employed a correlation study design where the chi-square was used to examine the first three study hypotheses and then the Baron and Kenny (1986) regression analysis was used to test the fourth hypothesis. Data was collected from using a systematic random sampling strategy where 103 teenage mothers from Kasangati Health Centre were selected. Results indicate that parental stress is not significantly related to postnatal depression x2 (1, n =103) = 0.137, p=0.711. Additionally, there is an association between parental stress and social support (x2 (1, n =103) = 5.992, p=0.014). Social support and postnatal depression are not significantly correlated x2 (1, n =103) = 0.12, p=0.913. For the fourth hypothesis, social support does not moderate the relationship between parental stress and postnatal depression. The study concludes that teenage mothers who experience less social support are more likely to face postnatal depression than those who experience more social support.