PERCEPTIONS ABOUT TRANSITION TO PARENTHOOD AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION RISK OF PRIMIPARA IN RURAL AREA

Abstract

Background: Transitioning to parenthood requires adjusting, especially for primiparas. Failure to meet expectations of good mothering may induce stress that develops into postpartum depression. This study aims to determine the relationship between primiparas' perceptions of parenthood transition and the risk of postpartum depression.

Method: Quantitative research is a cross-sectional correlational analysis. Sampling used proportional random sampling with a sample of 81 respondents. Instruments used were the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSOC) for perceptions and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for depression risk. Hypotheses were tested using Pearson's correlation test.

Results: Respondents' mean perception score was 72.14. Respondents' geometric mean postpartum depression risk score was 8.78. The EPDS results showed that 43.2% of the respondents had no depression risk, 40.8% had depression risk, and 21.0% had postpartum depression. Pearson's test results showed a value of p=0.005 (p-value <0.05) and r=-0.311, indicating an inverse relationship with low correlation strength.

Conclusion: There is an association between primiparous perceptions of parental role change and risk of postpartum depression. Health workers need to conduct education since pregnancy and depression risk screening as prevention of postpartum depression.

Keywords: Postpartum depression, perception, primipara, parents, role