{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T20:41:04Z","timestamp":1789677664980,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,25]],"date-time":"2025-08-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756080000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Threatened preterm labor is associated with heightened emotional distress in pregnant women, including anxiety, guilt, and depressive symptoms. Effective coping relies on psychosocial resilience, particularly emotional suppression and perceived social support. This study examined the mediating role of social support in the relationship between anxiety and emotional suppression. Methods: The study was conducted in Poland between December 2024 and June 2025 among 213 women hospitalized due to threatened preterm labor. Participants completed the Berlin Social Support Scales, the State\u2013Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale, and a structured interview. Results: Women hospitalized for threatened preterm labor have moderate levels of anxiety as a state (M = 44.08 \u00b1 10.59) and trait (M = 39.75 \u00b1 9.99). Mediation analyses revealed that two dimensions of social support\u2014perceived available support and Buffering\u2013Protective support\u2014significantly influenced the relationship between anxiety and emotional suppression (anger, depression and anxiety). In contrast, need for support, support seeking, and Currently Received Support were not significant mediators. Conclusions: The results indicate a complex interplay between anxiety, perceived support, and emotional suppression. The hypothesized simple buffering model was not confirmed. However, perceived available support was associated with reduced emotional suppression, suggesting a protective role. Buffering\u2013Protective Support showed an activating effect, possibly encouraging emotional inhibition in stressful situations. These results underscore the importance of assessing perceived social support in clinical settings and tailoring psychological interventions for pregnant women at risk of preterm labor.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14176002","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,26]],"date-time":"2025-08-26T06:26:31Z","timestamp":1756189591000},"page":"6002","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["The Mediating Role of Social Support Between Pregnancy Anxiety and Emotional Suppression in Women with Threatened Preterm Labor"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4925-2044","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Joanna","family":"Grzesik-G\u0105sior","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"State University of Applied Sciences in Krosno, 38-400 Krosno, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Katarzyna","family":"Zalewska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"State University of Applied Sciences in Krosno, 38-400 Krosno, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3799-091X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Agnieszka","family":"Pieczykolan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chair of Obstetrics Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sebastian","family":"Kowalski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"State University of Applied Sciences in Krosno, 38-400 Krosno, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Karolina","family":"\u017bak-Kowalska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"New Medical Techniques Specialist Hospital of the Holy Family, 36-060 Rudna Ma\u0142a, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0244-2748","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Iwona","family":"Niewiadomska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Social Psychoprevention, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5268-6900","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Agnieszka","family":"Bie\u0144","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chair of Obstetrics Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106114","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psyneuen.2023.106114","article-title":"Pregnancy-specific anxiety and gestational length: The mediating role of diurnal cortisol indices","volume":"153","author":"Ross","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychoneuroendocrinology"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e03253","DOI":"10.1590\/s1980-220x2016048003253","article-title":"Anxiety in pregnancy: Prevalence and associated factors","volume":"51","author":"Silva","year":"2017","journal-title":"Rev. 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