Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Support on Pregnancy Outcomes
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic led to myriad effects across multiple disciplines of research. Among populations of note for this period are individuals who were pregnant and gave birth during the time of pandemic-related lockdowns. In my honors thesis, I plan to explore associations between social support and birth outcomes through the years 2019-present. My intention in selecting a sample from this period is to capture data from individuals who were pregnant pre-pandemic, during the peak of the pandemic, and post-pandemic lockdowns and restrictions. I plan to use online survey methodology to recruit individuals who gave birth during the period of 2019-2025. Caregivers will complete the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Pregnancy and Birth Stress Inventory, and the Health-Resiliency-Stress Questionnaire, which is a measure of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The latter will be completed by the caregiver on behalf of both themself and their child. With this data, I will test several hypotheses. First, I hypothesize that social support will correlate negatively with ACEs. Second, I expect to see social support correlate negatively with pregnancy and birth stress. Third, I predict that social support will act as a mediator between caregiver ACEs and child ACEs. My final hypothesis is that mean levels of social support will be significantly lower in 2020 and 2021 when compared to 2019, but that they will reach levels equal to 2019 in later years. For the first two hypotheses, I will use a Pearson correlational analysis to analyze results. I will test my third hypothesis using a mediation analysis. Finally, I will test my fourth hypothesis using an independent samples t-test. I hope through this study I can contribute to a greater understanding of how social support impacts pregnancy and help psychologists appropriately respond to effects of future crises if they occur.
Start Time
16-4-2025 9:00 AM
End Time
16-4-2025 10:00 AM
Room Number
272
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
Research-in-Progress
Presentation Category
Social Sciences
Faculty Mentor
Wallace Dixon
Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Social Support on Pregnancy Outcomes
272
The COVID-19 pandemic led to myriad effects across multiple disciplines of research. Among populations of note for this period are individuals who were pregnant and gave birth during the time of pandemic-related lockdowns. In my honors thesis, I plan to explore associations between social support and birth outcomes through the years 2019-present. My intention in selecting a sample from this period is to capture data from individuals who were pregnant pre-pandemic, during the peak of the pandemic, and post-pandemic lockdowns and restrictions. I plan to use online survey methodology to recruit individuals who gave birth during the period of 2019-2025. Caregivers will complete the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Pregnancy and Birth Stress Inventory, and the Health-Resiliency-Stress Questionnaire, which is a measure of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The latter will be completed by the caregiver on behalf of both themself and their child. With this data, I will test several hypotheses. First, I hypothesize that social support will correlate negatively with ACEs. Second, I expect to see social support correlate negatively with pregnancy and birth stress. Third, I predict that social support will act as a mediator between caregiver ACEs and child ACEs. My final hypothesis is that mean levels of social support will be significantly lower in 2020 and 2021 when compared to 2019, but that they will reach levels equal to 2019 in later years. For the first two hypotheses, I will use a Pearson correlational analysis to analyze results. I will test my third hypothesis using a mediation analysis. Finally, I will test my fourth hypothesis using an independent samples t-test. I hope through this study I can contribute to a greater understanding of how social support impacts pregnancy and help psychologists appropriately respond to effects of future crises if they occur.