Proximity between partners and depression symptoms during the transition to parenthood

Postpartum depression (PPD) affects approximately one in eight women in the year following childbirth, with significant implications for maternal and child outcomes. While theoretical perspectives emphasize the importance of social support during this challenging transition, particularly from partners, current research relies heavily on self-reported measures of support that are susceptible to cognitive biases and may be confounded with depression symptoms. A critical factor that may influence maternal mental health outcomes is the actual time spent in proximity with one's partner, as these periods provide opportunities for both emotional and practical support. In the proposed project, we will examine patterns of partner proximity across pregnancy and the extended postpartum period using innovative wearable devices (TotTags) that dynamically and unobtrusively measure physical distance between partners in their daily ecological context. Our central hypothesis is that reduced partner proximity will prospectively predict increases in maternal depression symptoms (Aim 1). We will also investigate the bidirectional relationships between both partners' depression symptoms and their proximity patterns (Aim 2) and examine how infant caregiving contexts influence these dynamics (Aim 3). This project addresses a critical gap in the perinatal mental health literature by advancing our understanding of how objective measures of partner support relate to depression risk during the transition to parenthood. This study will set the foundation for future research that can inform interventions aimed at preventing postpartum depression in both mothers and fathers. Through this project, the candidate will develop specialized expertise in perinatal mental health research, ecological assessment methods, and advanced statistical approaches for analyzing dynamic social interactions, positioning them to establish an independent research program examining how partner support shapes mental health outcomes during major life transitions. Project Number: 1F32MH143424-01 | Fiscal Year: 2026 | NIH Institute/Center: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) | Principal Investigator: Hannah Rasmussen | Institution: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY, Nashville, TN | Award Amount: $79,300 | Activity Code: F32 | Study Section: Special Emphasis Panel[ZRG1 F01A-S (21)] View on NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11313475