Examination of the relationship between depression and religious coping in the postpartum period

This study aims to see the experiences of women who experienced depression in the postpartum period and the effect of their religious beliefs in coping with this process. In addition, positive or negative religious coping styles of the study group; the most frequently used religious feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and activities, as well as the effect of God's conceptions and religiosity on the religious coping process were tried to be learned. Finally, the effect of psychological, social, and religious belief factors affecting the motherhood perceptions of women who have experienced postpartum depression was tried to be determined in line with the sub-objectives of the study. In this study, which was carried out with the qualitative research method, the participants consisted of 14 women who had postpartum depression and were members of the Islamic religion, which was reached by criterion sampling and snowball technique. The data of the study, which was carried out by conducting in-depth interviews with a semi-structured interview form, were tried to be analyzed with descriptive and content analysis. The findings were interpreted and processed, and then transferred to the researchers with the results and recommendations. At the end of the study, it was determined that women with postpartum depression received support from their religious beliefs and experienced positive religious coping processes. It was determined that religious coping had a positive and inverse relationship with postpartum depression. Moreover, it was understood that God vision and religiosity are in a positive and strong relationship with religious coping. In addition, according to this study, while it was determined that society's maternity judgments had a negative impact on the postpartum depression experience, it was revealed that the relationship between motherhood evaluations according to Islam and this process was positive and supportive.