Modeling structural equations of the effect of stress and perceived social support on the postpartum depression considering the mediator role of vulnerable personality in the mothers

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is an affective mental disorder which results in negative outcomes for the newborns and women and it influences various aspects of the individual’s life such as health, interpersonal relationships, work and activity, and degree of her enjoyment. Unfortunately, it has drawn less attention and less been diagnosed and treated; however, its dramatic influence on both parents’ health cannot be ignored.Objectives: Therefore, the present study has been conducted to predict PPD in the mothers according to stress and perceived social support taking the mediator role of vulnerable personality into account.Methods: This research was correlational and basic. The research sample included 300 mothers in Isfahan who gave birth to a child in recent 6 months and were selected through a convenient sampling method. Afterward, they answered the research instruments including the Edinburgh Depression Questionnaire (1978), Harry Stress Questionnaire (2005), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Zimet et al. (1988), and Vulnerable Personality Questionnaire, Bois et al. (2004).Results: The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling through the covariance method through AMOS24 software. The findings showed that the results of direct relationships of research variables were significant in all coefficients in the mothers’ model (P 0.05).Conclusion: The results showed that vulnerable personality has a mediation role in the relationship between stress and perceived social support with PPD in the mothers. In fact, a vulnerable personality can improve the relationship between stress and perceived social support with PPD.