Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40148822›Full record

ArticleBMC pregnancy and childbirth2025

The role of breastfeeding self-efficacy in the relationship between perinatal depressive symptoms and exclusive breastfeeding: a longitudinal mediation analysis.

Li Liu, Shuya Feng, Yu Zhang, Gui Xiao, Mengjia Zhou, Xingxing Li, Ying Li, Chunxiang Qin

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Article in BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

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0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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5 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Li LiuHealth Management Medicine Center and Nursing Department, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
Shuya FengXiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
Yu ZhangSchool of Medicine, Jishou University, Jishou, 416000, China.
Gui XiaoXiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
Mengjia ZhouXiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
Xingxing LiSchool of Medicine, Jishou University, Jishou, 416000, China.
Ying LiDepartment of Pediatrics, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
Chunxiang QinHealth Management Medicine Center and Nursing Department, The Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China. Chunxiangqin@csu.edu.cn.

Funding

Fundamental Research Funds for Central Universities of the Central South University 2024ZZTS0184Key Research and Development Program of Hunan Province of China 2021SK2024National Natural Science Foundation of China 72074225
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPerinatal depressive symptoms are associated with exclusive breastfeeding; however, the longitudinal mediating process of this relationship remains unclear. Breastfeeding self-efficacy may be an important variable in understanding the complex process involved in their co-occurrence. Therefore, we aimed to explore the role of breastfeeding self-efficacy in the relationship between perinatal depressive symptoms and exclusive breastfeeding using both between- and within-person approaches.

methodsA prospective longitudinal study was conducted from October 2021 to January 2024 at a tertiary hospital in Hunan, China. Depressive symptoms were measured at 36 gestational weeks and 1 week, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postpartum. Exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding self-efficacy were evaluated at the same postpartum intervals. Cross-lagged panel models, random intercepts cross-lagged panel models, and longitudinal mediation models were used to analyze their relationships.

resultsA total of 334 participants were included. Longitudinal mediation models revealed that breastfeeding self-efficacy mediated the prospective negative effect of perinatal depressive symptoms on exclusive breastfeeding at the between-person level (b = - 0.017, SE = 0.008, 95% CI (- 0.032, - 0.001), P = 0.036), and suppressed the positive effect of exclusive breastfeeding on depressive symptoms at the within-person level (b = - 0.044, SE = 0.022, 95% CI (- 0.087, 0.000), P = 0.047).

conclusionsMothers with perinatal depressive symptoms may face challenges in exclusive breastfeeding due to reduced breastfeeding self-efficacy. While increasing exclusive breastfeeding might help reduce depressive symptoms over time, this positive effect can be hindered if breastfeeding self-efficacy remains low. Our findings highlight breastfeeding self-efficacy as a critical target for future interventions.

Indexed as

Breast FeedingDepressionSelf EfficacyAdultChinaDepression, PostpartumFemaleHumansLongitudinal StudiesMediation AnalysisPregnancyProspective StudiesBreastfeedingBreastfeeding self-efficacyCross-lagged panel modelPerinatal depressionRandom intercepts cross-lagged panel model

Identifiers

PMID40148822
PMCPMC11948809

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.