Psychological flexibility and role satisfaction as serial mediators between dispositional mindfulness and postpartum depressive symptoms

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Postpartum depression is a major public health issue impacting women’s well-being and infant development. Dispositional mindfulness has been linked to lower severity of postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS), but the mechanisms behind this connection remain unclear. This study examines the serial mediation of psychological flexibility and maternal role satisfaction in the relationship between mindfulness facets and PDS. Methods Participants were recruited using convenience sampling and completed an electronic questionnaire assessing sociodemographic background, dispositional mindfulness, psychological flexibility, maternal role satisfaction, and PDS. The study included mothers over 18, who had given birth within ten months and could complete a Hebrew questionnaire. The final sample consisted of 298 women aged 21 to 47 (M = 31.34, SD = 4.34) with babies up to 10 months old. Results Mediation analyses showed that the mindfulness facets -describing, acting with awareness, and the overall score of dispositional mindfulness – were indirectly linked to lower severity of PDS through psychological flexibility and maternal role satisfaction. A serial mediation occurred, where higher mindfulness increased psychological flexibility, leading to greater role satisfaction and lower PDS. Additionally, nonjudging of inner experiences was directly associated with lower PDS severity and partially mediated by psychological flexibility and role satisfaction. Conclusions The findings contribute to our understanding of how dispositional mindfulness relates to postpartum mental health through emotional and cognitive pathways. In practice, encouraging mindfulness, particularly nonjudgment, alongside fostering psychological flexibility and maternal role satisfaction, may help alleviate PDS and promote the well-being of postpartum women.