This descriptive correlational study examined the mediating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between body image and antenatal depression among pregnant women. Participants were 220 pregnant women aged 19 years or older, at least 13 weeks of g...
This descriptive correlational study examined the mediating effect of self-esteem on the relationship between body image and antenatal depression among pregnant women. Participants were 220 pregnant women aged 19 years or older, at least 13 weeks of gestation, recruited from the obstetrics outpatient clinic of a tertiary general hospital in a Changwon City and an internet cafe. Data were collected using an online questionnaire from February 1 to March 31, 2025. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS/WIN 25.0 with descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and PROCESS Macro (version 4.2) Model 4 for mediation analysis.
The findings were as follows:
1. The participants’ body image score averaged 3.24±1.09 on a 5-point scale (1∼5), with subscale scores of 3.26±1.10 for body image during pregnancy, 3.11±1.15 for expected body image after delivery, and 3.35±1.20 for attempts at dieting during pregnancy. Self-esteem averaged 3.01±0.71 on a 4-point scale (1∼4). Antenatal depression scored 0.84±0.72 on a 3-point scale (0∼3), with subscales of depressive mood at 0.76±0.76 and cognitive anxiety at 0.96±0.79.
2. Antenatal depression showed statistically significant differences according to general and pregnancy-related characteristics, including final education level (t=–2.81, p=.008), number of pregnancies (t=3.86, p<.001), and current number of children (t=4.58, p<.001).
3. Antenatal depression showed significant negative correlations with body image (r=-.63, p<.001) and self-esteem (r=-.80, p<.001). Self-esteem showed a significant positive correlation with body image (r=.66, p<.001).
4. Mediation analysis confirmed that self-esteem mediates the relationship between body image and antenatal depression. Lower body image predicted lower self-esteem, which in turn predicted higher severity of antenatal depression, delineating a structural path model.
These findings demonstrate that self-esteem is an important psychological mediator of the relationship between body image and antenatal depression. This suggests that interventions aimed at promoting positive body image perception and enhancing self-esteem may be effective in preventing antenatal depression. Therefore, providing pregnant women with accurate information about physical changes, education on healthy body image formation, and psychological support to improve self-esteem, should be integrated into antenatal care.