Maternal childhood trauma, postpartum mood problems, and self-efficacy in a Turkish sample: The path from attachment styles to alexithymia

Abstract

Childhood traumas predispose adult individuals to develop insecure attachment styles in close relationships and alexithymia features causing limitations in an emotional capacity. For new mothers, postpartum is a period in itself that may increase mood problems such as depression and anxiety and mothers may question their efficacy in their maternal role. Thus, the purpose of the current research was to examine the relationship between maternal childhood trauma, mood problems, and self-efficacy via serial mediation of insecure attachment styles and alexithymia. A sample of postpartum Turkish mothers with healthy singleton infants (N = 63, Xage = 29.19) participated in the research. Mothers filled out the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, the Perceived Maternal Parenting Self-Efficacy Tool, CES-Depression Scale, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-II, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale during a home visit when the infants were one month old. In statistical analyses, the PROCESS macro for serial multiple mediation was applied. The results indicated that the relationship between maternal childhood trauma and postpartum depression and anxiety was serially mediated by anxious attachment and, in turn, alexithymia. On the other hand, the serial mediator roles of insecure attachment styles and alexithymia on the relationship between maternal childhood trauma and postpartum self-efficacy were not significant; rather, the direct effect of maternal childhood trauma on postpartum self-efficacy was significant. Findings suggest anxious, rather than avoidant, attachment and alexithymia as intervention targets to buffer the effects of maternal childhood trauma on postpartum mood problems and self-efficacy, which may consequently prevent the intergenerational transmission of risk.