Postpartum Depression, Help-Seeking Behavior And Psychological Well-Being: Examining The Relationship Among Mothers.

ABSTRACT This study examined postpartum depression, help-seeking behavior, social support, Africentric coping, demographic variables and psychological well-being among mothers in Accra. One hundred mothers were recruited for the study, 40 mothers with postpartum depression were selected from the Accra Psychiatric and Pantang hospitals and the Psychiatric Unit in Korle-bu, whiles 60 non postpartum depressed mothers were selected from the Antenatal Clinic in KorleBu. The cross sectional survey was used to assess participant’s help-seeking behavior, perceived social support, Africentric coping values and psychological well-being. Results revealed that postpartum depression accounted for a significant variance in psychological well-being. Also, social support accounted for a significant variance in help-seeking behavior and psychological well-being. However, help-seeking behavior did not account for a significant variance in psychological well-being. Among the demographic variables explored only age accounted for a significant variance in psychological well-being. Level of education and marital status did not account for variance in psychological wellbeing. Similarly, Africentric coping did not moderate the relationship between postpartum depression and psychological well-being. Findings showed that postpartum depression, social support and age accounts for a significant variance in psychological well-being among mothers during the postpartum period. Nonetheless, helpseeking behavior, marital status and level education do not account for significant variance in psychological well-being among mothers after childbirth..