The Impact of Depression on the Psychological Well-being among Selected Unwed Mothers in Kerala India

Pages: 247-251
Lintu Joseph and Lucila O. Bance (Department of Clinical Psychology, Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas Manila Philippines)

Unwed pregnancy is an inevitable psychosocial subject globally, especially in developing countries like India, because of its social, religious, and economic characteristics. Moreover, experiences such as social stigma, disapproval, and economic insecurity lead to depression and low psychological well-being. The negative relationship between psychological well-being and depression among unwed mothers between the ages of 18-35 in this study was examined using the correlational research design. The population was purposively selected from different shelter homes in Kerala, India. Ryff Scales of Psychological Wellbeing and Beck Depression Inventory scale were used to measure the variables. To examine the data and regression analysis, SPSS software was employed. The study showed that unwed mothers with a low level of psychological well-being experience a comparatively high level of depression and vice versa. The present study gave the idea that enhancing psychological well-being can reduce depression among unwed mothers. To see if depression could predict psychological well-being, the researcher used multivariate regression analysis. The analysis indicated that depression was predicted by psychological.