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Women
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Women’s Mental Health—in Honor of Prof. Mary Seeman
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Women’s Mental Health—in Honor of Prof. Mary Seeman

A special issue of Women (ISSN 2673-4184).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2026 | Viewed by 6069

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Alexandre González-Rodríguez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mental Health, Mutua Terrassa University Hospital, University of Barcelona (UB), CIBERSAM, Terrassa, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
Interests: psychopathology; clinical psychiatry; delusional disorder; schizophrenia; neuroscience
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Susana Ochoa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red de Salud Mental, Madrid, Spain
Interests: clinical; cognitive; metacognitive and psychosocial basis of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Mary V. Seeman and focuses on her pioneering work in understanding gender differences in relation to schizophrenia and psychosis. Dr. Seeman was a renowned psychiatrist known for her compassionate care and significant contributions to women’s mental health. Her research shaped treatment guidelines and opened new avenues for clinical research, particularly in understanding how gender impacts the course and treatment of schizophrenia. This Special Issue intends to capture her passion for the study of women and psychosis and will include several articles that explore various aspects of gender in the field of psychosis using a bio-psychosocial approach. It will also highlight the unique challenges faced by women with schizophrenia, including social functioning, symptomatology, and personal recovery. This Special Issue aims to honor Dr. Seeman’s legacy by continuing to advance the field of gender-sensitive mental health research and by providing insights that can lead to more personalized and effective interventions for women with psychosis.

Dr. Alexandre González-Rodríguez
Dr. Susana Ochoa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Women is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • women
  • gender differences
  • sex differences
  • schizophrenia
  • psychosis
  • symptoms
  • treatment
  • motherhood

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 312 KB  
Article
Modern Motherhood Between Fulfillment and Vulnerability: Mothers’ Perceptions and Needs—An Observational Study in Romanian Population
by Daniela Eugenia Popescu, Ioana Roșca, Alina Turenschi, Andreea Teodora Constantin, Alexandru Dinulescu, Alexandru-Cosmin Palcău, Ciprian Andrei Coroleuca, Elena Poenaru and Leonard Năstase
Women 2026, 6(2), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/women6020029 - 23 Apr 2026
Viewed by 298
Abstract
Motherhood is a profoundly transformative stage, associated with both emotional fulfillment and psychological and physical vulnerability. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions, difficulties and resources needed by mothers in the experience of motherhood. We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional observational [...] Read more.
Motherhood is a profoundly transformative stage, associated with both emotional fulfillment and psychological and physical vulnerability. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions, difficulties and resources needed by mothers in the experience of motherhood. We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional observational study, based on an online questionnaire administered to 172 mothers. We analyzed socio-demographic data, experiences related to pregnancy and childbirth, perceived level of support, emotional difficulties, and resources considered useful in the role of motherhood. Most participants were women aged 30 to 45, with university or postgraduate education, married and with one or more children. Although motherhood was predominantly described in positive terms such as “fulfillment”, “love” and “joy”, a significant percentage of mothers reported increased fatigue, lack of personal time and emotional difficulties. The resources considered essential for maternal balance were family support, personal time, emotional support and access to clear and empathetic medical information. In conclusion motherhood is perceived as a complex experience, in which fulfillment frequently coexists with emotional overload and vulnerability. This exploratory study highlights the complex emotional and psychosocial dimensions of motherhood among Romanian women. The findings suggest the need for accessible emotional and social support resources. A comprehensive approach addressing both emotional and practical needs may contribute to improved maternal well-being. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women’s Mental Health—in Honor of Prof. Mary Seeman)
13 pages, 611 KB  
Article
Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Adult Women: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Mediating Role of Perceived Stress
by Adrianna Maria Kosior-Lara, Jacek Wąsik, Małgorzata Kuchta and Dorota Ortenburger
Women 2026, 6(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/women6010014 - 10 Feb 2026
Viewed by 741
Abstract
This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationship between the level of physical activity and the severity of depressive symptoms in adult women, taking into account the mediating role of perceived stress and differences in this relationship across levels of depressive symptom severity. [...] Read more.
This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationship between the level of physical activity and the severity of depressive symptoms in adult women, taking into account the mediating role of perceived stress and differences in this relationship across levels of depressive symptom severity. The study included 200 women aged 18–65 years. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), depressive symptom severity was measured with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and perceived stress was evaluated using a standardized stress scale. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, hierarchical regression, mediation analysis with bootstrapping, and quantile regression (Q25, Q50, Q75) were applied, controlling for selected sociodemographic variables. The results showed that perceived stress was the strongest predictor of depressive symptom severity. Physical activity was not a significant independent predictor of depression after adjustment for stress; however, it demonstrated a significant indirect effect through stress reduction. Quantile regression analysis revealed that the protective effect of physical activity was more pronounced in the lower and middle quantiles of depressive symptom severity and attenuated at higher levels of severity. These findings indicate that the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms is predominantly indirect and conditional, supporting the integration of physical activity promotion with stress-reduction–focused interventions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women’s Mental Health—in Honor of Prof. Mary Seeman)
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Review

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26 pages, 625 KB  
Review
Challenges in Accessing Mental Health Services in Underserved Pregnant and Postpartum Women: A Scoping Review
by Kayla Ernst, Gabriella Dasilva, Megha Srivastav, Alexandra Campson, Pedro Soto, Avanthi Puvvala, Elisheva Knopf, Diana Lobaina, Goodness Okwaraji, Jennifer Mendonca, Mindy Brooke Frishman, Michelle Keba Knecht and Lea Sacca
Women 2025, 5(3), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/women5030031 - 29 Aug 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4099
Abstract
The purpose of this scoping review is to identify major social determinants of health and barriers affecting access to mental health services in pregnant and postpartum women in the United States. It will also examine the scope of existing evidence-based interventions and dissemination [...] Read more.
The purpose of this scoping review is to identify major social determinants of health and barriers affecting access to mental health services in pregnant and postpartum women in the United States. It will also examine the scope of existing evidence-based interventions and dissemination and implementation strategies that were developed and implemented to increase accessibility to mental health treatment in high-risk pregnant and postpartum women. The Arksey and O’Malley Framework guided the review process, along with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) recommendations for the extraction, analysis, and presentation of results in scoping reviews. Additionally, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-SCR) was used as a reference checklist. A total of 21 studies were used for analysis that were published between 2015 and 2025. An examination of social determinants of health (SDOH) influencing factors of mental health determined that those related to neighborhood and built environment had the highest rates. Using the socioecological model, individual barriers exhibited the highest frequency, with the most common themes to these barriers across all studies being language barriers, cultural barriers, and stigma-related challenges, followed by financial and childcare challenges and transportation challenges. Major findings included important evidence that therapeutic relationships with pregnant women who are depressed can be developed and that telehealth interventions improved access for women living in rural areas. Recommendations from this review will inform evidence-based interventions to address the gap in accessibility and affordability of mental health services in US pregnant and postpartum women residing in underserved communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Women’s Mental Health—in Honor of Prof. Mary Seeman)
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