The relationship between stress and personal growth among women with normal and at-risk pregnancy: the role of rumination and social support

Pregnancy is a significant period in women’s lives, especially for first-time mothers, that may arouse stress, but concurrently can trigger an experience of personal growth. This study examines the association between perceived stress during pregnancy and personal growth among first-time mothers, exploring the role of intrusive and reflective rumination, and partner and family support in this association, comparing women with normal and at-risk pregnancies. 708 pregnant women in their third trimester responded to self-report questionnaires assessing stress, personal growth, event-related rumination, perceived social support, and sociodemographic characteristics. No differences were found in personal growth between the two study groups. The stress-personal growth relationship was found to be either linear or curvilinear depending on conditions. Perceived support from family moderated the stress-growth association, which was significant only when support was higher, but not when it was lower. The two types of rumination mediated the stress-growth association, so that higher perceived stress was associated with higher rumination, both intrusive and reflective, and this, in turn, was associated with higher growth. The findings shed light on the nature of the relationship between perceived stress and personal growth among first-time mothers, showing that this relationship depends on certain conditions.