An Analysis of Psycho-cognitive Factors in Relation to Postpartum Depression and Anxiety in Women with and without Changes in Body Weight

The aim of this study is firstly to analyze the differences in postpartum self-acceptance, patterns of beliefs (rationality) and perfectionism in women with and without changes in body weight and secondly to identify the relationships among self-acceptance, rationality, and perfectionism on the one hand and postpartum depression and anxiety on the other hand. The study involved 123 women, newly mothers, aged between 20 and 46 years, M = 32.29, SD = 6.56. The instruments used were Unconditional Self-Acceptance Questionnaire, Inventory of Ideas II, Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Hamilton Depression Scale, and Inventory of State-Trait Anxiety. The results showed that the level of rationality and self-acceptance was lower in women with higher body weight, while the level of perfectionism was higher in same tier. At the same time, the results obtained by regression and mediation analyzes showed that self-acceptance is negatively associated with both depression and anxiety, rationality is also negatively associated with both depression and anxiety, and perfectionism mediates the relationship between rationality and depression, but not the relationship between rationality and anxiety. The conclusions of the study highlighted the women’s need for support to regain their pre-pregnancy emotional balance and well-being.