Life Satisfaction, Marital Satisfaction and their Association with Postpartum Depression among Mothers, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Gimhani Thaveesha Gunawardena, Hansini Gunasekara

Postpartum depression, Colombo, Life satisfaction, marital satisfaction.

Postpartum depression (PPD), medical illness occurs after the delivery of a baby up to a year, involves feeling of sadness, anxiety, changes in sleep and appetite and risky for the mother and baby (American Psychiatric Association, 2017). Globally 13% of the mothers’ experience PPD, in developing countries it is 19.8% (WHO, 2020). The rate for PPD for Sri Lanka is 15% (Jaufer, 2017). This research investigates the life satisfaction, marital satisfaction and their impact on PPD among mothers. There is a scarcity in research related to mental wellbeing of mothers within the health context of Sri Lanka. Descriptive cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in the Colombo district among 200 postpartum mothers from public maternity clinics. The socio demographic characteristics questionnaire, Edinburg Post Natal Depression scale, Satisfaction with Life scale (SWLS) by Ed. Diner and ENRICH marital satisfaction scale (Fowers, 1993) were used. Data was analyzed by SPSS software 24. Life satisfaction has a significant low negative relationship with PPD. Marital satisfaction has moderate negative significant relationship with PPD. Marital satisfaction has a low positive relationship with life satisfaction. Life satisfaction and marital satisfaction has independent significant relationships with PPD. Marital satisfaction has low significant positive relationship with life satisfaction. Postpartum depression is a concern for Sri Lanka and worldwide. The life, marital satisfaction and other demographics have an impact on PPD