(PS13-A15) Post-traumatic Change and Resilience After Childhood Trauma: Impacts on Later Maternal Mental Health Over the Postpartum Period

The postpartum transition is a period of increased vulnerability for psychopathology, including depression and posttraumatic stress disorder, which occur in approximately 14% and 4% of postpartum women respectively (Liu et al., 2021; Yildiz et al., 2017). Mothers with a history of adverse childhood experiences are particularly vulnerable to changes in mood-related and trauma-related symptoms during the postpartum period (Tebeka et al., 2021; Yildiz et al., 2017). However, the majority of individuals do not develop pathology after trauma, with individual resilience and positive coping as protective mental health factors (Leys et al., 2021; Rainey et al., 2014). Previous research has characterized significant variability in mental health trajectories over the first 18 months postpartum within this population (Oh et al., 2016), with some individuals displaying higher levels of comorbid depression and PTSD symptoms over time. Less is currently known about the impact of post-traumatic change, such as changes in views of the self, on postpartum mental health or the additional role of resilience factors in this proposed relationship.

Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine associations between post-traumatic change, resilience, and mental health trajectories in mothers over the first 18 months postpartum. Participants (N= 228) from a larger study investigating the effects of mothers’ psychopathology and parenting on children completed questionnaires (demographics, PDSS, PTSD screen, CTQ, Trauma History Checklist, and CD-RISC) over the first 18 months postpartum. A subset of mothers (N=100) also completed an interview measure (TMMI) coded for post-traumatic change at 6 months postpartum. 47% of mothers reported experiencing two or more types of childhood maltreatment, categorized as sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Data collection is complete. We will present the results of two path analyses examining both post-traumatic change and resilience factors as predictors of mothers’ mental health trajectory. Demographic and trauma-related (e.g., trauma severity) variables will be included as other predictors of mental health trajectory.

This study will contribute to the understanding of factors that promote beneficial adaptation after trauma during a later period of increased vulnerability for negative mental health outcomes. Findings will inform both continued research and practice efforts to mitigate potential negative effects of adverse childhood experiences on one’s later mental health and add to the current understanding of the long-term impacts of post-traumatic growth.