Date of Award

Summer 8-1-2025

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

PhD Counseling Psychology

Department

Psychology

Advisor

Minsun Lee, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Julie DiMatteo, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Cristina Cruza-Guet, Ph.D.

Keywords

postpartum depression, narrative inquiry, construction of motherhood

Abstract

The transition to motherhood is a complex and challenging period, during which mothers undergo a considerable number of biological, hormonal, and identity changes. The first six to eight weeks following childbirth is a time of great susceptibility to postpartum depression for mothers. Despite its prevalence, there is a lack of research beyond the biological understanding of the experience. Prior literature has examined the biological aspects of postpartum depression and its societal influences on motherhood. However, no prior study has explored how postpartum depression impacts mothers’ construction and understanding of motherhood through investigating their subjective, lived experiences. This study fills that research gap, guided by two research questions: 1) How does the construction of motherhood impact mothers’ experiences of postpartum depression? 2) How do their experiences of postpartum depression impact their constructions of motherhood? The study conducted a narrative analysis on ten mothers who had experienced postpartum depression within the past six years but were not currently depressed. The narratives were analyzed using a content-holistic method and applying the hermeneutics of demystification, through which several predominant master narratives emerged. This comprised messages about what a good mother is, which included that a good mother sacrifices her own needs and focus on those of her child, prioritizes motherhood, and always opts for and successfully completes the instinctual aspects of motherhood. Counternarratives included the misalignment of preconceived notions of motherhood with lived realities, motherhood being far harder than expected, and realizing that there is no such thing as a perfect mother. This paper also discusses the limitations of the study, alongside implications for theory, practice, advocacy and policy, and future research.

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