Maternal attachment style and prenatal depression: the mediating role of body image

MATERNAL ATTACHMENT STYLE AND PRENATAL DEPRESSION: THE MEDIATING ROLE OF BODY IMAGE Aim. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between maternal attachment styles, body dissatisfaction, and prenatal depressive symptoms, with a particular focus on the mediating role of negative body image. Material and methods. The study included a sample of 215 pregnant women (M = 28.4; SD = 4.5) in their second or third trimester. Participants completed the Attachment Styles Questionnaire (ASQ), the general body dissatisfaction subscale of the Body Attitude Test (BAT), and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Mediation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro for SPSS with bootstrapping (5,000 resamples). Results. Security of attachment was negatively correlated with body dissatisfaction and prenatal depressive symptoms, whereas anxious and avoidant attachment styles showed positive correlations. Negative body image fully mediated the relationship between all attachment styles and depressive symptoms. Conclusions. Negative body image may serve as a key psychological mechanism, which links insecure attachment styles with prenatal depression. Interventions aimed at improving body image may help to reduce the risk of depression in pregnant women,particularly those with insecure attachment patterns.