Self-criticism, negative automatic thoughts and postpartum depressive symptoms: the buffering effect of self-compassion

Objective: This study aimed to explore the direct and indirect effects of self-criticism on postpartum depressive symptoms, through postpartum cognitions, and analyse the moderating role of self-compassion in this relationship.Background: Self-criticism and self-compassion are associated with postpartum depression. However, further research is needed to understand how these mechanisms operate in the development/maintenance of depressive symptoms.Methods: 686 women in the postpartum period (up to 12 months after birth) recruited in-person and online answered a cross-sectional survey.Results: The effect of self-criticism on postpartum depressive symptoms occurred sequentially, increasing the frequency of negative automatic thoughts and subsequently the metacognitive appraisal of these thoughts. Self-compassion had a moderating effect only on the relation between self-criticism and postpartum cognitions. The effect of self-criticism on postpartum cognitions decreased in the presence of higher self-compassion.Conclusion: This study emphasises the negative effect of a self-critical thinking style and of a negative appraisal of thought's content on depression symptoms. Moreover, this work underscores the buffering role of self-compassion in the relationship between self-criticism and postpartum cognitions. These results highlight the need to address the reduction of self-criticism and the promotion of self-compassion strategies to deal with postpartum cognitions, in order to prevent and treat postpartum depressive symptoms.