SELF-REPORTED MEDICAL, SOCIAL, AND CULTURAL FACTORS IN HISPANIC MOTHERS’ EXPERIENCES OF POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

Abstract

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mental health issue that impacts 15-30% of women worldwide. Despite the current research knowledge on PPD, there is a lack of information related to Hispanic and Latina mothers. The current study sought to increase understanding of Hispanic mothers’ experiences of PPD relative to cultural influence through qualitative analysis. Six participants were recruited through digital marketing and snowball sampling. Participants were mothers ranging from 29-40, who self-identified as Hispanic, were diagnosed with PPD, and had recently given birth. Participants engaged in a one-hour semi-structured interview via Zoom, during which they discussed their experiences with PPD. Following thematic analysis of the interviews, six overall themes were identified: Shame Around Mental Health, Conception and Pregnancy-Related Issues, Support from Others, Non-Pregnancy Related Life Stressors, Adjustment to the Postpartum Period, and Cultural Expectations. Additionally, some of the themes included sub-themes. The identified themes were largely consistent with previous literature while strengthening previous research findings through the lens of Hispanic culture. These findings suggest a need for standardized check-ins by a mental health professional following childbirth as well as seeking collaborative ways to provide therapy services to mothers who are experiencing childcare stress. The study was limited by the small sample size, impacted by recruitment challenges including fraudulent responses to the pre-screening survey. Future research should continue to focus on cultural influences, the role of a mother in Hispanic culture, and the protective factor of family support, conducting some of these studies in Spanish to further the literature.