Perceived stress and prenatal depression symptoms among couples with gestational diabetes mellitus: The mediating role of dyadic coping

Problem

No studies have been conducted to examine the relationships between perceived stress, positive/negative dyadic coping, and prenatal depression symptoms in Chinese couples with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Background

GDM is a stressful event for pregnant women and their partners, which may result in clinically significant prenatal depression symptoms in couples.

Aim

This study aims to examine the relationships and differences in perceived stress, positive/negative dyadic coping, and prenatal depression symptoms between Chinese pregnant women with GDM and their partners and to explore the mediating role of positive/negative dyadic coping.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Guangzhou, China, from January to October 2021. 402 pairs of GDM couples completed the questionnaires, including the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the Chinese version of the Dyadic Coping Inventory, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Dyadic data was analyzed using the actor-partner interdependence mediation model.

Findings

37.6 % of pregnant women with GDM and 24.6 % of their partners experienced clinically significant prenatal depression symptoms. Depression symptoms in couples mutually influence each other. Perceived stress was directly or indirectly related to their and partners’ prenatal depression symptoms in GDM couples, with negative dyadic coping acting as a mediator. Maternal negative dyadic coping was also a partner-mediator.

Discussion

The findings of the present study may provide healthcare professionals with a better understanding of the effect of the interpersonal interaction between the couples as a dyad on prenatal depression symptoms in Chinese context.

Conclusion

There were intrapersonal and interpersonal associations among perceived stress, negative dyadic coping, and prenatal depression symptoms in pregnant women with GDM and their partners. It suggests a need for screening clinically significant prenatal depression symptoms and decreasing perceived stress and negative dyadic coping among couples with GDM with a focus on pregnant women with GDM.