Parental Psychological Resilience as a Resource for Maternal Well-Being During Pregnancy in Taiwan

Background

Maternal psychological resilience is a key protective factor influencing women’s ability to adapt to stress and maintain emotional well-being during pregnancy. Paternal resilience may also be relevant, as partners’ characteristics affect each other’s well-being through emotional support, interaction, and shared stress regulation. Although prior research has focused on depression and anxiety, associations with subjective well-being remain underexplored. This study examines associations between parental resilience and maternal emotional well-being, including life satisfaction, eudaimonia, and positive and negative affect, in a longitudinal cohort in Taiwan.

Methods

Data from 2019–2026 of the Longitudinal Examination Across Prenatal and Postpartum Health study in Taiwan (LEAPP-HIT), conducted in Taipei, were used. Self-reported parental psychological resilience and maternal subjective well-being, together with other covariates, were assessed across pregnancy using validated scales. Multiple regression models were applied.

Results

Among 583 pairs analyzed, higher maternal psychological resilience was independently associated with higher life satisfaction (β: 0.14-0.16, all p<.05), higher eudaimonia (β: 0.27-0.31, all p<.05), higher positive affect (β: 0.09-0.10, all p<.05), and lower negative affect (β: -0.05- -0.03, all p<.05) across all trimesters. Paternal resilience was further positively associated with maternal life satisfaction (β: 0.04–0.05, all p<.05) and eudaimonic well-being (β: 0.03–0.05, all p<.05).

Conclusions

Maternal psychological resilience was associated with greater prenatal well-being, including higher life satisfaction, eudaimonia, and positive affect. Paternal resilience may also be positively associated with maternal well-being, based upon the actor-partner interdependence model. Findings highlight resilience as a modifiable target for promoting maternal mental health during pregnancy.

Key messages

• Both maternal and parental psychological resilience are associated with higher maternal subjective well-being.

• Strengthening resilience represents an important target for prenatal public health strategies to promote holistic maternal well-being and support a healthier early-life environment for families.