Stability or Changes in Maternal Mental Health During COVID-19
An LTA was utilized to examine the changes in maternal mental health profiles following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. First, in the largest group that was below clinical concern, over half of these mothers remained in the below clinical concern. This group, consisting of mothers who had good mental health both before and during the pandemic had the highest frequency. The second largest group to transition also did not move into a clinical profile but did transition into a profile with elevated stress levels during the onset of the pandemic. Still, over 10% of mothers who had good mental health prior to the pandemic were identified being in a profile that consisted of having clinical depression or both clinical depression and anxiety after the onset of the pandemic. Thus, good mental health under normal circumstances does not guarantee continued good mental health in the face of a major stressor such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
The mothers who were identified as being stressed but approaching clinical concern, compared to those who were below clinical concern, experienced a much wider range of transitions to different mental health profiles. Interestingly, mothers who were already stressed and approaching clinical concern prior to COVID-19 were equally likely to be identified as below clinical concern (i.e., improvements across mental health indicators) or in the highest clinical concern profile after the onset of the pandemic. More research is needed to understand the environmental influences that contribute to such different responses to better provide individualized supports.
The study’s findings emphasize the importance of exploratory approaches in understanding mental health among mothers. Different contexts, such as the onset of a pandemic, may reveal different profiles of mental health, and assumptions based on prior literature or preconceived notions may not capture the complexity of mental health experiences. Practitioners should approach investigations of mental health using exploratory approaches better to understand the diverse profiles of mental health among mothers. Furthermore, this study found that there were changes in the profiles of maternal mental health, indicating that latent transition analyses should be employed to examine how maternal mental health profiles can change over time, particularly in response to external events. Practitioners should regularly monitor and assess mothers’ mental health and be prepared to adapt interventions accordingly. Flexibility and adaptability in interventions can help ensure that mothers receive appropriate and effective support based on their changing mental health needs.