Background <p>Cognitive reactivity (CR) has strong predictive power for the occurrence or recurrence of depression, but few studies have explored it in postpartum depression (PPD). Based on theoretical and empirical research on family function and resilience, this study constructed a chain mediation model to test whether family function and resilience play mediating roles in CR and depression in postpartum women.</p> Methods <p>A cross-sectional study was conducted on 546 women who underwent outpatient gynecological examinations across 42 days after delivery at four tertiary hospitals in Fuzhou, Quanzhou, and Putian City, Fujian Province, China. All participants completed self-report measures of demographic information, CR, family function, resilience, and depression. The chain mediation models were examined using a structural equation model.</p> Results <p>There were significant positive correlations between CR and PPD. Women’s PPD was affected by CR through three pathways: the mediating role of family function, resilience, and the chain-mediating role of family function and resilience. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that healthcare providers should pay attention to those with high CR levels of parturient women who are already at high risk of depression, and targeted intervention can be carried out from the perspective of family function and resilience.</p>