Parental Psychological Resilience as a Resource for Maternal Well-Being During Pregnancy in Taiwan
Abstract
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.
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BibTeX
@article{lo2026parental,
title = {{Parental Psychological Resilience as a Resource for Maternal Well-Being During Pregnancy in Taiwan}},
author = {Y C Lo and M L Zou and P C Chakranon and W Y Lin and Y Y Shen and Y H Chen},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1701},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1701},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Parental Psychological Resilience as a Resource for Maternal Well-Being During Pregnancy in Taiwan
AU - Y C Lo
AU - M L Zou
AU - P C Chakranon
AU - W Y Lin
AU - Y Y Shen
AU - Y H Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1701
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1701
AB - 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.
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -