A Descriptive Study of the Correlation Between Postpartum Depression and Body Image Dissatisfaction, Self-objectification, and Social Media Appearance Comparison

N/ANot Yet RecruitingNCT07603063

Sun Yat-sen University385 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this observational study is to assess the prevalence of postpartum depression and analyze its relationship with body image dissatisfaction, self-objectification, and social media appearance comparison in postpartum women seeking care at the Obstetrics Department. The main questions it aims to answer are: What is the current status of postpartum depression, body image dissatisfaction, and self-objectification in this population? How do body image dissatisfaction, self-objectification, and appearance-related social media comparison correlate with postpartum depression? Participants will answer online survey questions about their psychological status and social media usage.

This cross-sectional study will be conducted using a questionnaire survey methodology. A self-designed general information questionnaire will be administered to collect and describe the demographic characteristics and obstetric information of the postpartum population at baseline. Furthermore, a series of standardized instruments will be utilized to assess specific psychological and behavioral variables among the participants: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to evaluate postpartum depressive status; The Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ) to measure the degree of body image dissatisfaction; The Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (OBCS) to evaluate the level of self-objectification; The Social Networking Sites Appearance Comparison Scale (SNSACS) to assess appearance comparison behaviors on social media; The Social Networking Site Intensity Scale (FBI) to determine the intensity of social media usage; The Upward Physical Appearance Comparison Scale (UPACS) to evaluate the extent of upward physical appearance comparisons. Finally, this study will further analyze the correlations among postpartum body image dissatisfaction, self-objectification, appearance comparison on social media, and postpartum depression.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

385

Conditions

Postpartum Depression

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Aged ≥ 18 years; 2. Between 4 weeks and 12 months postpartum; 3. Able to read and comprehend the Chinese questionnaire, and capable of using a smartphone; 4. Voluntary participation in the study with a signed written informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: 1. A confirmed pre-pregnancy diagnosis of psychiatric disorders or intellectual disabilities, preventing normal communication; 2. Diagnosed with depression during pregnancy or the postpartum period, and currently receiving pharmacological or psychological therapy; 3. Experiencing severe pregnancy or postpartum complications with an unstable clinical condition, rendering the participant unable to complete the questionnaire; 4. Having a newborn with congenital malformations or severe medical conditions; 5. Having experienced major stressful life events within the past 4 to 6 weeks (e.g., perinatal fetal death, or the death of an immediate family member).

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

postpartum depression

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, EPDS The scale consists of 10 items rated on a 4-point scale ranging from 0 (never) to 3 (always), with a total score ranging from 0 to 30. Higher scores indicate greater severity of postpartum depression.