Childhood racism experiences and postpartum depressive symptoms in African American mothers

In the present research, we examined the effects of childhood experiences of racism-both directly and vicariously experienced when directed at family members or close others-on postpartum depressive symptoms one month after the birth of a child. The sample included 1,349 African American women, who were predominantly low-income. Data were collected by an NIH network in five different regions of the United States using community-based participatory research methods. Participants completed interview measures of childhood experiences of racism, current everyday experiences of discrimination, and postpartum depressive symptoms at one month after birth. We also assessed adult everyday experiences of discrimination as a potential mediator of the association between childhood racism and depressive symptoms. Direct and vicarious childhood racism experiences were each independently associated with greater postpartum depressive symptoms. Furthermore, when adult everyday experiences of racism were included in the models, the effects of childhood racism were no longer significant, suggesting mediation. Consistent with this hypothesis, associations between both childhood direct and indirect racism experiences and postpartum depressive symptoms were partially mediated by the participant's everyday experiences of racism as an adult. Our findings suggest that childhood racism experiences, even those that are observed rather than directly experienced, may have implications for future mental health.