Examining the Role of the Workplace in Shaping Black Mothers' Postpartum Mental Health

Despite increasing recognition of the workplace as a key social determinant of health, the role of the workplace in shaping the mental health and well-being of Black mothers has been understudied. The current study examined whether certain occupational stressors and coping resources (i.e., pressure, flexible work arrangements, benefits, supervisor support, and coworker support), predicted levels and changes in African American mothers' depressive symptoms from 6 to 24 months postpartum. Analyses were conducted using data from the Family Life Project, which included 152 full-time employed African American mothers living in rural, low-income communities in North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Results revealed that more flexible work arrangements and greater support from supervisors and coworkers predicted fewer depressive symptoms at 6 months postpartum. Additionally, greater work pressure predicted more depressive symptoms at 6 months postpartum as well as increases in depressive symptoms over time. Furthermore, coworker support and workplace flexibility interacted to predict depression levels at 6 months postpartum, with less flexibility associated with higher levels of depression under conditions of low support. This study demonstrates the critical role of the workplace in shaping maternal mental health outcomes for African American mothers during the postpartum period. Findings underscore the importance of understanding work stressors that may heighten risk for maternal depression as well as leveraging the resources that serve as protective factors to promote better mental health outcomes for Black mothers. Implications and future directions are further discussed.