Relationship between postpartum psychological disorders and emotion regulation strategies: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

To explore the relationship between postpartum psychological disorders and emotion regulation strategies and analyze the influencing factors of postpartum psychological disorders. This study was conducted using a cross-sectional design. A total of 230 postpartum women hospitalized in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from October 2022 to March 2023 were selected as the investigation objects. A general data questionnaire, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire were administered to the enrolled women. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the association between the Hamilton Anxiety Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Furthermore, logistic regression was employed to assess the influencing factors of postpartum psychological disorders. Pearson correlation analysis showed that cognitive reappraisal was negatively correlated and expression inhibition was positively associated with anxiety, depression, and sleep quality symptoms (all P < .05). Logistic regression results demonstrated that the mode of delivery, number of births, feeding method, and pressure to breastfeed were risk factors affecting postpartum psychological disorders (P < .05). Cognitive reappraisal is an effective emotion regulation strategy that can relieve postpartum psycho-neurological symptoms by reducing the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders. Along with encouraging pregnant women to adopt positive emotional regulation strategies, medical personnel should focus on the stress associated with cesarean section, artificial feeding, and pressure to breastfeed and adopt required intervention measures to decrease the occurrence of postpartum psychological and neurological symptoms.