A Structural Equation Model of Social Support, Stress and Depression in Pregnant Women During Epidemic Period

Objective: To investigate the connections among social support, stress, and depression. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Guizhou Province in China. Population or Sample: An aggregate of 1,056 expectant ladies, had finished our questionnaire during pregnancy from March to April in 2020. Methods: The Edinburgh prenatal sadness scale, an independent pressure scale, and social support scale evaluated the downturn, stress, and social support of pregnant people during the pestilence. An auxiliary condition model was utilized to examine the immediate and aberrant connection between social support and prenatal misery. Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of depression. Results: During the pandemic time, 73.01% of pregnant ladies experienced prenatal misery. The model is suitable (chi-square = 11.96, CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.07, RMR = 0.03). The auxiliary condition model indicated that the immediate pathway of social support to depression was critical (normalized pathway coefficient = - 0.34), and the aberrant pathway of stress to depression via social support was additionally huge (normalized pathway coefficient = 0.50). Stress partially intercedes the connection between social support and depression. Conclusion: Our discoveries posit that social support is related to an expanded danger of depression. Stress is decidedly corresponding to depression and assumes an interceding position between social support and stress. Thusly, directed mediation ought to be completed to lessen the depression of pregnant ladies and improve their psychological wellness status. Keywords: stress, depression, social support, structural equation model