Women’s depressive symptoms during the transition to motherhood: the role of competence, relatedness, and autonomy

Abstract

This study investigates the longitudinal pattern of reciprocal relations between mothers' perceived satisfaction of their needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy and depressive symptoms during the transition to motherhood. Participants were 331 women assessed during their pregnancy and two and five months after delivery. Results based on structural equation modeling provide some support for the effect of perceived needs satisfaction on subsequent depressive symptoms during the postpartum period. In addition, it appears that prior postpartum depressive symptoms account for subsequent psychological needs satisfaction. Discussion centers on the theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of the results.