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Fear of childbirth (FOC) is prevalent in non-pregnant and pregnant women. The literature shows that in women who do not have delivery experience yet, personality traits are more important predictors of fear of childbirth. In contrast, previous experience has a more critical role in multiparous women. Intolerance of uncertainty is one of the predictors of FOC ; however, research is quite scarce and inconsistent, so it remains to examine whether this is the case in non-pregnant and pregnant women. This study aimed to examine the mediational role of preparedness for childbirth in the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and FOC in nonpregnant women, pregnant nulliparous and pregnant multiparous women. In an online cross-sectional study, 365 women participated. Out of that, there were 197 non-pregnant women, 168 nulliparous pregnant, and 124 multiparous pregnant women. Participants filled in questionnaires on fear of childbirth (Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire, W-DEQ, A version) and Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS). Perceived preparedness for childbirth was measured with one item rated on a 5-point scale. Results showed that in non-pregnant women, intolerance of uncertainty is directly associated with higher levels of FOC and indirectly through lower levels of preparedness for childbirth. However, in nulliparous pregnant women, intolerance of uncertainty is associated with higher levels of FOC only indirectly through lower levels of preparedness for childbirth. On the other hand, there is no association between intolerance of uncertainty and FOC in multiparous pregnant women. In conclusion, perceived preparedness for childbirth is a partial mediator between intolerance of uncertainty in non-pregnant women and a full mediator in pregnant nulliparous women. These findings also have some practical implications. Prenatal classes and prevention programs should be implemented to boost preparedness for childbirth, not only in pregnant but in nonpregnant women also. It is necessary to reduce fear of childbirth so it does not have adverse effects on pregnancy plans and alleviate the impact on maternal mental health.

Background Peripartum depression (PPD) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are pregnancy- related disorders associated with various negative consequences for both mother and child. Considering the relatively high prevalence of PPD and GDM, exploring factors associated with PPD in women with and without GDM has important clinical implications. However, such studies are scarce, limited, and inconclusive. Aims and Objectives This study aimed to explore: 1) the prevalence of depression symptoms and 2) psychosocial and anthropometric factors associated with depression symptoms in pregnant women with and without GDM. Methods The current sample of the ongoing study includes 180 women (73 with GDM, 107 with normal glucose tolerance (NGT)) recruited at the University Hospital Centre Zagreb, 1-3 days before their planned caesarean section. Participants fulfilled questionnaires: Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales, Social Readjustment Rating Scale, Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced, Social Support Appraisals Scale, Perceived Support from Partner Scale, and General Data Questionnaire. Anthropometric, obstetric and clinical data were collected from medical records. Results The prevalence of depression symptoms was similar in the GDM (11%) and NGT (14%) groups and comparable to the prevalence found in previous studies in the general perinatal population. In both groups, factors that correlated with depression symptoms were: higher avoidance-oriented coping, stressful events in the first and third trimester, anxiety, stress, and lower support from friends. In the NGT group, additional correlates of depression symptoms were lower partner support, unemployment and rural residence. However, in the GDM group, additional correlates of depression symptoms were higher pre-gestational body mass index, stressful events in the second trimester, maternal smoking, lower problem-oriented coping and lower family support. Conclusions These preliminary results indicate different factors associated with depression symptoms in women with and without GDM and support a more individualized clinical approach to PPD.

Jedan od vodećih uzroka smrtnosti žena tijekom trudnoće i nakon porođaja jest suicid. Tijekom godina, prevalencija suicidalnih misli i namjernog samoozljeđivanja u peripartalnom razdoblju značajno se povećala. Također, suicidalnost se smatra najpouzdanijim simptomom teške kliničke depresije, a uzimajući u obzir da značajan broj žena razvije peripartalnu depresiju (PD) i da su prisutne velike nacionalne varijacije u prevalenciji PD, važno je ispitati suicidalnost u peripartalnoj populaciji. Osim toga, neka istraživanja upućuju na to da se suicidalnost tijekom peripartalnog razdoblja razlikuje u odnosu na druga razdoblja života. Međutim, ne postoji mnogo empirijskih podataka o ovoj specifičnoj temi. Stoga, cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati učestalost suicidalnih misli te sociodemografske rizične čimbenike u trudničkoj populaciji. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 385 trudnica u trećem tromjesečju trudnoće. Sudionice su ispunile Edinburški upitnik poslijeporođajne depresivnosti (EPDS), Beckov upitnik depresivnosti - II (BDI-II) i Upitnik općih podataka u trudničkoj ambulanti prije redovitog prenatalnog pregleda.Učestalost depresivnosti u ovom uzorku iznosila je 13.3 % na EPDS-u te 9.9 % na BDI-II, dok je učestalost suicidalnih misli iznosila 5.7 % na EPDS-u te 1.6 %. na BDI-II. Od sociodemografskih rizičnih čimbenika, pokazalo se da su žene koje su bile suicidalne češće imale partnera koji je nezaposlen te izvijestile o slabijem imovinskom stanju, neplaniranoj trenutnoj trudnoći i prethodnoj povijesti depresivnosti. Uzimajući u obzir razorne posljedice koje suicidalnost može imati, učestalost suicidalnih misli kod trudnica zabrinjavajuće je visoka. Također, određene skupine žena mogu biti u povećanom riziku za suicidalnost, što pruža smjernice kliničarima i zdravstvenim djelatnicima. Navedeni rezultati naglašavaju potrebu za univerzalnim probirom depresivnosti i suicidalnosti kako bi se umanjio morbiditet i mortalitet žena u osjetljivom peripartalnom razdoblju.

Due to profound physiological, psychological and social changes, pregnancy and the puerperium are considered a sensitive period for mental health issues, such as peripartum depression. Risk factors for peripartum depression are broad, including biological and psychosocial factors. Regarding the weight variables, gestational weight gain is mainly studied focusing on pregnancy outcomes, but few recent studies found a significant association with peripartum depression. Such findings have great clinical value, but research is scarce, and the results are equivocal. Therefore, this study is aimed to explore whether gestational weight gain would predict postpartum depression symptoms after accounting for known psychosocial predictors. This prospective study was conducted on 267 women that were followed from the third trimester of pregnancy until 6 to 8 weeks postpartum. The participants fulfilled the general data sheet, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), as well as one item on body image satisfaction during pregnancy, and again EPDS in postpartum. In addition, the pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and the gestational weight gain were collected from medical records. Results showed that only 35.2% of the sample had gestational weight gain within the recommended for their pre-pregnancy BMI. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that after looking at sociodemographic variables, depression, anxiety, self-esteem and body image satisfaction during pregnancy, the gestational weight gain was a significant predictor of postpartum depression symptoms. Pregnant women who had excessive weight gain were at higher risk for developing postpartum depression symptoms. These findings should help clinicians in identifying pregnant women at risk for developing postpartum depression. Therefore, clinicians should consider closely monitoring gestational weight gain and maternal mental health. In addition, individualized prevention programs and interventions that might involve dietary counselling, psychoeducation and support should be offered to women with excessive gestational weight gain to prevent postpartum depression and encourage a healthier transition to motherhood.

Perception in society is that childbirth is a happy event and that mothers should only feel blessed and fulfilled. However, mothers experience biological, psychological, and social changes and increased demands regarding infant care, which can aggravate stress. Therefore, it is essential to focus on specific stress after childbirth and not general stress, but until recently, measures for postpartum stress focused on the early period or health complications. The Maternal Postpartum Stress Scale is a new measure of specific stress during the first year after childbirth. However, little is known about predictors of specific postpartum stress in mothers. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the predictors of specific postpartum stress during the first year after childbirth. During the first postpartum year, 603 mothers participated in the online cross-sectional study. Participants filled in the Maternal Postpartum Stress Scale (MPSS), which has three subscales: Personal needs and fatigue, Infant nurturing, and Body changes, and sexuality. They also filled in the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS), the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ), and the Postnatal Negative Thoughts Questionnaire (PNTQ). In hierarchical regression analyses, criteriums were the MPSS total score and three subscales, while predictors were parity, infant’s health complications, mother-infant bonding, negative postpartum thoughts, postpartum depression, and anxiety symptoms. Results showed that Anxiety about care and maternal distress, as a dimension of mother-infant bonding, and postpartum depression symptoms were predictors of the higher total score and the three dimensions of the postpartum specific stress. Also, being a primiparous mother and having an infant with health complications predicted elevated stress regarding infant nurturing. These findings address the importance of a wide range of maternal mental health states, including postpartum specific stress. Psychoeducational prevention and intervention programs should be offered, especially to primiparous mothers, focusing on infant care and coping with distress.

Background: Studies show that a woman's dissatisfaction with her birth experience may affect her emotional well-being. Although further examination of birth satisfaction provided insight into its complex relationships with adverse maternal outcomes, such as posttraumatic stress disorder following childbirth and postnatal depression, these relationships have not been examined with respect to different dimensions of these constructs. Aim of the study: The goal of this study was twofold: (1) to examine the birth satisfaction in a sample of Croatian women and compare it with UK data ; (2) to examine the association of different dimensions of birth satisfaction with PTSD and depressive symptoms. Method: In a cross-sectional online study, 603 postpartum women completed the following questionnaires: Birth Satisfaction Scale- Revised which measures Stress experienced during labour (SL), Women’s personal attributes (WA), and Quality of care provision (QC) ; City Birth Trauma Scale which measures Birth-related symptoms (BRS) and General symptoms (GS) ; and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Average birth satisfaction scores were compared with UK data using the t-test. Pearson’s coefficient of correlation was used to test associations between different dimensions of birth satisfaction and the level of PTSD and depressive symptoms, whereas the path analysis was applied to determine which of these associations had a direct effect on psychopathological symptoms. This study was approved by the ethics committee of author's institution. Findings: The scores on Birth satisfaction scale was significantly lower compared to the UK data. Path analysis tested the model of three aspects of birth satisfaction effect on PTSD dimensions and depressive symptoms. All three dimensions of birth satisfaction (SL, WA, and QC) predicted Birth-related symptoms. However, only Women’s attributes predicted General symptoms and depressive symptoms. Conclusion and implications: These findings highlight the importance of birth satisfaction for maternal mental health following childbirth. High birth satisfaction should be set as a gold criterion for perinatal health care.

The literature review on postpartum stressors reveals that postpartum experience may include different problems and stressful events. Unfortunately, measures of stress during postpartum are scarce. Also, they are excessively long, too specific or cover only the first six weeks postpartum. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop and validate a new measure of postpartum specific stress, as a self-report scale. A 46-item scale was developed based on previous scales and qualitative studies on postpartum-specific stress. In an online cross- sectional survey, 603 women in the first postpartum year filled in the Maternal Postpartum Stress Scale. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21 ; anxiety subscale) were also administered to test construct validity. Factor structure, reliability, and different aspects of validity were examined. The number of items was reduced to 22, and a three-factor structure was established with the exploratory factor analyses. Factors were best labelled as Personal needs and fatigue (fatigue, lack of time for personal needs and socialization, household chores), Infant nurturing (infant health and nurturing), and Body changes and sexuality. The reliability of the total scale and all subscales was good. Good convergent and divergent validity was established. The subscales were discriminative for primiparous and multiparous mothers. In conclusion, the new 22- item Maternal Postpartum Stress Scale is a valid and reliable measure of postpartum specific stress. Both researchers and practitioners can use the scale to assess the stress intensity that postpartum mothers experience.

Peripartum depression (PPD) is a severe illness that affects around 17% of pregnant and postpartum women worldwide. The repercussions of PPD are serious, with short-term and long-term adverse effects on both mother and child, including impaired maternal health, adverse pregnancy outcomes and difficulties in bonding and interacting with the newborn. Therefore, early detection of risk factors is of the utmost importance to develop targeted prevention and intervention programs that would reduce the symptom onset during the sensitive time of pregnancy and postpartum. Research has shown that PPD is a heterogeneous and multifaceted condition that derives from a combination of factors, including biological and psychosocial factors. Therefore, PPD should be explored within the biopsychosocial theoretical framework. However, although PPD research is increasingly turning towards a multidisciplinary approach, there is still a considerable paucity of integrative empirical studies. To better understand the precedents of PPD, we established an interdisciplinary longitudinal study aimed at investigating biological and psychosocial risk factors of peripartum depression symptoms. We aim to explore the interplay of indicators of serotonin system functioning (whole blood serotonin levels, polymorphisms and DNA methylation of 5-HTT gene, platelet serotonin uptake), indicators of metabolic functioning (pre- gestational body mass index, gestational weight gain, glucose tolerance status, blood metabolic parameters) and psychological factors (stress, general and pregnancy-specific anxiety, coping and social support) in predicting depression symptoms in late pregnancy, three, six, and twelve months postpartum. This presentation will outline the study design, describe the sample characteristics obtained to date, and discuss the implications for clinical practice.

Razdoblje tranzicije u srednju školu je zahtjevno razdoblje razvoja, a prilagodba na promjenu okoline može biti posebno izazovna za adolescente osjetljive na odbijanje. Osjetljivost na odbijanje je dispozicija ličnosti koja se odnosi na percepciju socijalnih znakova te doživljene emocije, kognicije i ponašanja u situacijama mogućeg socijalnog odbijanja. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je ispitati stabilnost, odrednice i ishode osjetljivosti na odbijanje u razdoblju tranzicije u srednju školu, kao i međuodnose vršnjačkog i roditeljskog odbijanja, osjetljivosti na odbijanje te simptoma depresivnosti, socijalne anksioznosti i agresivnosti. Provedeno je longitudinalno istraživanje s dva vala mjerenja - na početku prvog i drugog polugodišta prvog razreda srednje škole. Korištene su samoprocjene, vršnjačke i roditeljske procjene. Sudjelovalo je 886 adolescenata u oba vala mjerenja te 604 majke i 536 očeva. U razdoblju tranzicije u srednju školu osjetljivost na odbijanje je bila umjereno stabilna, a prosječne razine samoprocijenjene osjetljivosti na odbijanje bile su više na početku školske godine nego četiri mjeseca kasnije. Vršnjačko i roditeljsko odbijanje predviđali su povećanje osjetljivosti na odbijanje, a osjetljivost na odbijanje predviđala je teškoće prilagodbe. Osjetljivost na odbijanje bila je i medijator između vršnjačkog odbijanja i teškoća prilagodbe, dok je roditeljsko odbijanje imalo samo izravne efekte na teškoće prilagodbe. Rezultati ovog rada doprinose razumijevanju osjetljivosti na odbijanje, njenih odrednica i ishoda, a imaju i važne implikacije za pružanje psihološke podrške adolescentima tijekom tranzicije u srednju školu. Transition to high school is a very challenging period because adolescents are changing their social environment. It can be particularly challenging for rejection sensitive adolescents. Rejection sensitivity is a personality disposition that refers to the perception of social cues, emotions, cognitions, and behavioural reactions following implicit or direct social rejection. It could further explain how adolescents adjust to high school transition and how negative social experiences predict maladjustments. Highly rejection sensitive adolescents tend to have impaired interpersonal relationships and more emotional issues. This research aims to examine determinants and outcomes of rejection sensitivity in the period of transition to high school, i.e., correlations between parental and peer rejection, rejection sensitivity, and depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms and aggression. A two-wave longitudinal research was conducted with the first wave performed at the beginning of the first grade of high school, and the second wave at the beginning of the second semester of the same school year. Adolescents` self-reports, peer-reports, and parent-reports were collected. Analyses were conducted on the data collected from 886 adolescents participating at both measurement points, as well as the data collected from their mothers (N = 604) and fathers (N = 536) were analysed. Structural equation modelling was used for examining the postulated hypotheses. The results showed that rejection sensitivity was moderately stable during the transition period. Rejection sensitivity dimensions, except self- and peer-reported angry rejection sensitivity, were more stable for females. Mean-levels of self-reported, but not peer-reported, rejection sensitivity decreased between the beginning of the first grade and the beginning of the second semester. Female adolescents, in comparison to their male peers, had higher levels of self-reported anxious dimension of rejections sensitivity and the dimension of expectations of rejection, while males had higher peer-reported angry rejection sensitivity than females. Parental and peer rejection longitudinally predicted higher self- and peer-reported dimensions of rejection sensitivity, with peer rejection being a stronger predictor. Rejection sensitivity measured at the beginning of the school year predicted changes in depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, and aggression over a four-month period. Peer-reported rejection sensitivity predicted all maladjustment outcomes except for the depressive symptoms. Rejection sensitivity (adolescent and peer-reported) was a mediator between peer rejection and maladjustments, while paternal (adolescent reported) and maternal (adolescent and motherreported) rejection had only direct effects on maladjustments. In all analyses, gender moderation was examined, revealing some gender-specific relations between rejection sensitivity, rejection, and maladjustments. The results of this study contribute to the existing literature on rejection sensitivity by shedding some light on its role in adolescents’ adjustment during a sensitive period of transition to high school. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first one to examine parental rejection, peer-reported rejection sensitivity and aggression in the period of transition to high school. Besides its scientific contribution, this study may also have important practical implications, enabling the development of preventive and interventive programmes aimed at improving the psychosocial adaptation during the period of transition to high school, especially for adolescents with high level of rejection sensitivity.

Povezivanje između majke i djeteta odnosi se na ranu emocionalnu vezu između majke i dojenčeta. Na njega utječu neki aspekti majčinskog mentalnog zdravlja, no rezultati dosadašnjih istraživanja o ulozi depresivnosti i anksioznosti za povezivanje majke i dojenčeta nisu dosljedni. Nadalje, neka su istraživanja pokazala da povezivanju mogu pridonositi i temperament dojenčeta i kvaliteta partnerske veze, ali su prethodna istraživanja ispitivali ove odnose samo do djetetovih 6 mjeseci. Stoga je cilj ovog istraživanja bio utvrditi povezanost majčinih simptoma depresije i anksioznosti nakon porođaja, dojenačkog temperamenta i kvalitetu partnerskog odnosa s povezivanjem majke i dojenčeta. Online upitnik ispunila je ukupno 241 majka novorođenčadi u dobi od 1 do 12 mjeseci. Sudionice su ispunjavale Upitnik povezivanja nakon porođaja (PBQ), Edinburški upitnik poslijeporođajne depresivnosti (EPDS), subskala anksioznosti iz Skale depresivnosti, anksioznosti i stresa (DASS), Upitnik karakteristika dojenčeta (ICQ) i Upitnik percepcije kvalitete bračnog odnosa (UPKBO). Hijerarhijske regresijske analize su pokazale da je viša majčina depresivnost, ali ne i anksioznost, značajan prediktor slabijeg povezivanja s djetetom. Teški i nepredvidljivi temperament dojenčeta također je značajan prediktor slabijeg povezivanja. Međutim, slabija kvaliteta partnerske veze značajan je prediktor slabijeg povezivanja, ali samo kod majki koje nemaju izražene simptome depresije. S obzirom na važnost posebice majčine depresivnosti i dojenačkog temperamenta za slabije povezivanje majke i dojenčeta, ovi rezultati mogu poslužiti za ranu intervenciju i smanjenje rizičnih čimbenika kako bi se spriječio razvoj takvih poteškoća.

Socijalna anksioznost je najčešće definirana kao osjećaj straha i anksioznosti koji se javlja u situacijama kad je osoba promatrana od strane drugih. Uključuje strah od negativne evaluacije i izbjegavanje socijalnih situacija. Iz prijašnjih istraživanja je poznato da je socijalna anksioznost umjereno i pozitivno povezana s usamljenošću, odnosno s osjećajem tuge prouzročenim nezadovoljavajućim socijalnim odnosima i odbijanjem od drugih. Međutim, malo je poznato o mehanizmima u pozadini odnosa između socijalne anksioznosti i usamljenosti. U ovom istraživanju ispitali smo je li osjetljivost na odbijanje medijator tog odnosa. Osjetljivost na odbijanje je dispozicija koju karakterizira pretjerana osjetljivost na socijalno odbijanje. Dosadašnja istraživanja su pokazala da je osjetljivost na odbijanje povezana s različitim problemima mentalnog zdravlja. U ovom istraživanju ispitali smo njenu povezanost sa socijalnom anksioznošću i usamljenošću, pretpostavljajući da će socijalna anksioznost doprinositi objašnjenju osjetljivosti na odbijanje, a osjetljivost na odbijanje objašnjenju osjećaja usamljenosti. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 417 studenata (M = 20.7 godina, 75.3% žena). Sudionici su ispunili upitnike socijalne anksioznosti, osjetljivosti na odbijanje, usamljenosti i sociodemografskih podataka. Medijacijski model je testiran koristeći Process macro (Heyes, 2013) pri čemu je socijalna anksioznost bila prediktor, usamljenost kriterij, a osjetljivost na odbijanje medijator. Utvrđen je značajni neizravni učinak socijalne anksioznosti na usamljenost preko osjetljivosti na odbijanje. Također, utvrđen je i značajni izravni učinak socijalne anksioznosti na usamljenost. Ovi rezultati pokazuju da je osjetljivost na odbijanje parcijalni medijator u odnosu između simptoma socijalne anksioznosti i usamljenosti. Istraživanje doprinosi boljem razumijevanju odnosa između socijalne anksioznosti i usamljenosti što je preduvjet za razvijanje preventivnih i intervencijskih programa kojima se mogu pospješiti socijalni odnosi i smanjiti osjećaj usamljenosti.

Samostišavanje u vezi je tendencija da se inhibira vlastito mišljenje kako bi se održala stabilnost veze. Osobe se osjećaju prisiljeno prezentirati neprirodnu verziju sebe kako bi održale intimnost s partnerom, što na kraju dovodi do nemogućnosti ostvarivanja iskrenog odnosa. Samostišavanje se povezuje s manjim zadovoljstvom vezom, smanjenom intimnošću, izbjegavajućom privrženošću te više psihičkog i fizičkog zlostavljanja u vezi. Prema našim saznanjima, do sada još nije ispitan prediktivni doprinos spola, kvalitete veze i privrženosti u objašnjavanju samostišavanja u vezi što je i cilj ovog rada. U online upitniku sudjelovalo je 255 sudionika (208 žena) od 18 do 27 godina koji su trenutno u heteroseksualnoj vezi. Više od polovice sudionika (62, 4%) je bilo u romantičnoj vezi duljoj od godine dana. Sudionici su ispunili Skalu procjene kvalitete veze, Skalu samostišavanja, Skalu privrženosti kao stanja te upitnik sociodemografskih podataka. Hijerarhijskom regresijskom analizom utvrđeno je da su značajni prediktori većeg samostišavanja u vezi bili muški spol, percipirana lošija kvaliteta veze te anksiozna i izbjegavajuća privrženost, dok je sigurna privrženost bila negativan prediktor. Navedenim prediktorima objašnjeno je 32% varijance samostišavanja u vezi. Ovim radom se identificiraju prediktori samostišavanja u vezi u mlađoj odrasloj dobi koji bi mogli poslužiti za stvaranje preventivnih intervencija namijenjenih sprječavanju maladaptivnih obrazaca u romantičnim vezama.