Abstract
Although the stigma associated with seeking professional psychological help has received significant attention, few studies have focused on the status and factors influencing this stigma among pregnant women, especially those with a Chinese cultural background. This study aimed to assess the status of stigma associated with seeking professional psychological help and its influencing factors. A total of 1325 pregnant women were recruited from Hunan Province, China. The Stigma for Seeking Professional Psychological Help questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Perceived Social Support Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, and questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics and pregnancy-related information were used. Descriptive, univariate, correlation, and multivariate linear regression analyses were used to investigate the status of stigma and identify its influencing factors. Pregnant Chinese women experienced a mild to moderate level of stigma associated with seeking professional psychological help, and self-stigma was more common than social stigma associated with seeking psychological help. The results of the multivariate analysis suggested that perceived social support, positive coping styles, negative coping styles, and depressive symptoms were the factors influencing self-stigma and social stigma associated with seeking professional psychological help. Advanced age and a low educational level were the only predictors associated with self-stigma, while a history of multiple pregnancies had an effect only on social stigma associated with seeking professional psychological help. Chinese pregnant women experienced a mild to moderate level of stigma associated with seeking professional psychological help. Destigmatizing interventions focusing on self-stigma and social stigma should be designed according to maternal characteristics, social support, coping style, and depressive symptoms.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
