6 - (IOP 16) Sociodemographic Predictors of Postpartum OCD Symptoms: Age, Race, Ethnicity, Income, and Education

Postpartum obsessive-compulsive symptoms (ppOCS) are common but understudied. While research has identified cognitive-behavioral risk factors, little is known about how sociodemographic variables relate to specific themes of ppOCS. Understanding these associations is important for identifying potential disparities in postpartum mental health and informing interventions. The present study examined the relationships between age, education, income, minoritized race, ethnicity, and ppOCS at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum.

Pregnant women from 2 study sites were followed from 20 weeks of pregnancy until 6 months postpartum using the 12-item version of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory (OCI-12), which measures the severity of washing, checking, ordering, and obsessing symptom domains. Multiple linear regression analyses examined associations between sociodemographic predictors and OCI subscale scores at 6 weeks (n = 216) postpartum and 6 months postpartum (n = 189).

The model predicting washing symptoms at 6 weeks postpartum was significant, F(7,208)=3.95, p<.001, explaining 11.7% of the variance. At 6 months, the model remained significant, F(7,189)=3.11, p=.004, explaining 10.3% of the variance. A race-income interaction was the only significant individual predictor in both models, suggesting a relationship between income and washing symptoms that varied by race.

The model predicting checking symptoms at 6 weeks was also significant, F(7,208)=2.98, p=.005, explaining 9.1% of the variance. A race-education interaction was significant. At 6 months, the model remained significant, F(7,190)=3.60, p=.001, explaining 11.7% of the variance. The race-income interaction was also significant. The results indicate a relationship between education and checking symptoms that also varied by race.

The model predicting ordering symptoms at 6 weeks was also significant, F(7,208)=4.08, p<.001, explaining 12.1% of the variance. Education was a significant negative predictor and age was a significant positive predictor. Additionally, the race-income interaction was significant, suggesting differential effects of income on ordering symptoms by race. The model was also significant at 6 months postpartum, F(7,190)=6.17, p<.001, explaining 18.5% of the variance. The race-income interaction remained significant.

The model predicting obsessing symptoms was not significant at 6 weeks, p=.829 or 6 months, p=.414.

Our findings highlight associations between sociodemographic factors and certain OCD symptom dimensions. They suggest that sociodemographic characteristics are relevant to understanding postpartum OCD. The persistence of race as a moderator of the relationship between income and ppOCS over time warrants further investigation into structural and environmental factors that may contribute to these patterns, particularly among minoritized individuals. The lack of significant associations for obsessing symptoms suggests that additional psychosocial or biological factors may also be at play. Future research should explore these relationships in more diverse populations, examine potential mediators, and investigate how broader systemic factors can shape the postpartum OCD experience over time.