Relationship between gender roles, motherhood beliefs and mental health

From grief to resilience: a qualitative study of women's reactions and coping methods after perinatal loss in Türkiye

OBJECTIVE

Perinatal loss, which includes miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death, is a significant public health problem worldwide. Perinatal loss causes a range of short-term and long-term reactionsin women. Knowing these reactions and coping methods is essential for appropriate support and treatment. This study aims to examine the complex reactions and coping methods experienced by women after perinatal loss.

DESIGN AND METHODS

In this study, a qualitative descriptive approach was used, in which indepth interviews were conducted with the data collected using semistructured interviews. 10 women who experienced perinatal loss were included in the study using the snowball sampling method. Analysis was conducted using an inductive content analysis approach.

RESULTS

The findings showed that women who experienced perinatal loss exhibited a variety of complex reactions, which could be grouped under five themes. These are emotional reactions, concerns, changes in life, subsequent pregnancy and blame. We also observed that these women used strategies classified under seven different themes to cope, which we expressed as relying on religious or spiritual beliefs, restructuring, the healing power of more challenging experiences, reflecting on worse scenarios, isolating oneself, avoiding remembering and concretising the loss.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that women experiencing perinatal loss may react differently and develop different strategies to cope with their loss and reactions. These findings may help to assess the emotional and behavioural states of women after perinatal loss and guide healthcare professionals to provide more individualised care.

Supermoms-Tired, admired, or inspired? Decoding the impact of supermom beliefs: A study on Indian employed mothers

Some days she is a supermom, some days just a mom, but most days a bit of both, and every day she strives to keep her oath! The study aims to unravel the perceptions and beliefs about 'being a supermom' and to explore its relationships with work-related factors. Our study aims to unravel the perceptions and beliefs of 306 Indian-employed mothers about 'being a supermom' and its relationship with work-related factors like self-efficacy, work engagement, and psychological well-being. Standardized scales were used for quantitative study and qualitative questions were used to understand the beliefs about the supermom notion. Frequency analysis for the perception of the supermom notion showed that 52% of mothers consider it detrimental to achieving success, while 48% consider it to be beneficial. A path analysis revealed that if the supermom notion is perceived as beneficial, it increases employed mothers' self-efficacy; self-efficacy promotes work engagement, and work engagement increases psychological well-being. SEM confirmed that self-efficacy increases psychological well-being directly as well as through work engagement indicating partial mediation of work engagement. Findings suggest that while the supermom ideal can be exhausting and is often viewed as a myth or trap that negatively impacts psychological well-being, it can also serve as a source of inspiration and contribute positively to psychological well-being for some mothers.

Sleep Quality and Mental Health Among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Sleep disturbances and mental health disorders represent a significant public health concern. Medical students, in particular, experience intense academic pressure, long study hours, irregular schedules, and the emotional burden of clinical training, all of which may contribute to the development of sleep disturbances and mental health issues. This study aims to assess sleep quality and the prevalence of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among medical students, as well as their interrelationships. Methods: This multicentric cross-sectional study was conducted in January and February 2025 among medical students from two medical faculties in Croatia. Sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), while symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were evaluated using Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). Results: The study included 386 participants, of whom 96 were male and 290 were female students. It was found that 67.9% of students had poor sleep quality, while symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were reported by 38.8%, 45.3%, and 40.4% of participants, respectively. Female students exhibited higher PSQI scores (U = 10,205, p < 0.001), as well as higher levels of depression (U = 10,372, p < 0.001), anxiety (U = 10,328, p < 0.001), and stress scores (U = 10,560, p < 0.001). Additionally, significant moderate positive correlations were observed between the total PSQI score and depression (ρ = 0.566, p < 0.001), anxiety (ρ = 0.489, p < 0.001), and stress scores (ρ = 0.503, p < 0.001). Moreover, an increase in depression (β = 0.178, p < 0.001) and anxiety scores (β = 0.141, p < 0.001) contributed to a higher total PSQI score, indicating poorer sleep quality. Conclusions: A high prevalence of poor sleep quality and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress was observed among medical students, with female students exhibiting higher levels of these variables. Furthermore, poorer sleep quality was associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and stress.

The role of social determinants of health in woman's intention to pregnancy: a model with the mediation of social support

BACKGROUND

Childbearing intention is a complex issue that is influenced by a number of factor. However, childbearing intention does not necessarily lead to actual behavior, and mediating factors are effective in the realization and emergence of reproductive behavior. Since childbearing intention is influenced by several factors, including the social determinants of health, a thorough understanding of the effect of health determinants on this intention will help the reproductive process. Therefore, the present study was conducted using a social support-mediated model to examine the role of social determinants of health in women's intention to pregnant.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 500 married women of reproductive age (age range 15-49 years old) who were referred to health centers affiliated with Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences during 2022-2023. Sampling was performed in a multi-stage (class-cluster) manner. Data collection tools in this study included the Demographic Information Form, the Childbearing Intention Questionnaire, social determinants of health questionnaires such as the Ghodratnama Socio-Economic Status Questionnaire, the Perceived Social Support Questionnaire, and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spinner questionnaire). Data analysis was performed using SPSS21 software with descriptive statistical tests and analytical statistics. Laserl 8.8 software was also used to test the model using the path analysis statistical test.

RESULTS

The mean scores of depression, anxiety and stress were 5.03 ± 4.39, 4.49 ± 3.68 and 7.7 ± 4.67, respectively. The mean score of marital adjustment was 103.26 ± 23.49, indicating that the majority of women (60.4%) had marital adjustment. Based on the results of the path analysis, marital adjustment was the only variable that had a direct positive and significant causal relationship with the childbearing intention from only one path (B = 0.74). Moreover, based on the results of the path analysis, perceived social support had the most direct and indirect positive causal relationship with the childbearing intention to have children (B = 0.74). Among the components of DASS21, depression was the only variable that had both a direct and indirect negative causal relationship with childbearing (B=-0.12). Both stress and anxiety had a direct positive causal relationship with the childbearing intention (B = 0.11 and B = 0.15 respectively).

CONCLUSION

Factors such as marital adjustment, perceived social support, depression, stress, and anxiety, as structural social determinants of health, are associated with childbearing intention. Accordingly, changes in social structures depend on population planning and policies.

The impact of social activities on mental health among older adults in China

Background

Understand the current situation of social activities among older adults and its impact on mental health, providing policy basis and intervention measures to improve the mental health of the older adult.

Method

Collect relevant data from 8,181 older adults aged ≥ 60 years old from the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), constructing an analysis framework for social activities of older adults in China from three aspects: participation in social activities, number of social activities, frequency of social activities, and describe them, then analyzing the impact of social activities on their mental health using OLS and 2SLS regression models. This study also discusses the impact of eight social activities on the mental health of older adult people through subgroup.

Result

Among 8,181 older adults aged 60 and above, 3,808 participated in social activities (56.24%), average number of social activities is 0.71, and average frequency of social activities is 1.31 times. The average score of mental health level measured by CES-D is 15.24 points. Participate in social activities can reduce the depression level of the older adult (β = -0.352, 95%CI: -0.547~-0.158); the more social activities the older adult participate in, the lower the depression level of the older adult (β = -0.214, 95%CI: -0.313~-0.115); the higher the frequency of participating in social activities, the lower the depression level of the older adult (β = -0.133, 95%CI: -0.182~-0.083). In summary, social activities can improve the mental health level of the older adults in China. As for different types of social activities, visiting and socializing with friends, participating in club organization activities, playing mahjong, chess, cards, or going to community activity rooms and attending school or training courses can improve the mental health of the older adult.

Discussion

The social activities in three dimensions among older adults in China need to be further improved, and participating in social activities can help improve their mental health. The conclusion provides important policy implications for encouraging and supporting older adults to participate in various social activities, increasing the number and frequency of older adult social activities, then help improving the mental health level of older adults.