The Role of Social Support in Determining Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Outcomes for Black and Latina Women

Abstract

Racial and ethnic minoritized groups in the United States face higher maternal morbidity and mortality rates and elevated risks for postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders. Social support (SS) protects against perinatal mood disorders, particularly for Black and Latina women. This study aimed to determine if having two or more SS people was related to perinatal anxiety and depression outcomes in a convenience sample of Black and Latina women. Mothers (n = 51) with children between ages zero and three completed a socio-demographic and mental health status (PHQ4) survey. A two-way ANOVA was performed to analyze the effect of high SS and race on mental health scores. There was no significant difference in mental health scores for those with two or more social supports versus those with one or fewer social supports (p = 0.4865). A two-group comparison generally showed that mothers with high SS had a lower mental health score (M = 0.39), and mothers with low SS had a higher score (M = 0.60). There was a significant relationship between SS and both race and age (p = 0.0498, race, p = 0.0010, age). Therefore, this study found no relationship between having two or more SS people and perinatal anxiety and depression outcomes. Future studies should examine how other contextual factors impact SS and mental health outcomes for Black and Latina mothers.