The Effects of Social Support and Emotional Eating Behaviors on Postpartum Depression: Supported by TÜBİTAK 2209-A

Elif Sude KOÇ and Nuray BAŞARIR, students in our university’s Department of Psychology, presented their research project titled “An Investigation of the Effects of Social Support and Emotional Eating Behaviors on Postpartum Depression,” which they conducted under the supervision of Assistant Professor E. Merve MALAS, titled “An Investigation of the Effects of Social Support and Emotional Eating Behaviors on Postpartum Depression,” has been awarded funding under the TÜBİTAK 2209-A University Student Research Project Support Program.

Within the scope of this project, the psychological dynamics of mothers during the postpartum period—a critical phase in terms of women’s health and public health—will be examined; the study aims to reveal the direct and indirect effects of perceived levels of social support and emotional eating behaviors on postpartum depression. Using innovative psychological and statistical models, this study will analyze the protective role of support received from mothers’ social circles and the impact of dysfunctional eating behaviors—which emerge as a coping mechanism in the face of stress—on depressive symptoms.

Upon successful completion of the project, the goal is to contribute original empirical data to the literature, strengthen early intervention and screening protocols for identifying at-risk mothers during the perinatal (pre- and postnatal) period, and provide sustainable strategic solutions for the development of multidisciplinary psycho-educational and support programs aimed at protecting the health of both mother and baby during the postpartum period.