Prevalence and correlates of postpartum depression in first-time mothers

Article Abstract:

The postpartum period has long been thought to be associated with increased risk for the onset of psychiatric disorders and adjustment difficulties in women, and this has generally been confirmed by research findings. The present study sought to determine the prevalence of postpartum depression and its correlates in a sample of first-time mothers who had full-term pregnancies and gave birth to healthy babies. The mothers were married and considered to be middle class, and had graduated from high school. Of the 1,033 mothers studied, 96 (9.3 percent) met research criteria for depression at some time during the first two postpartum months. Of these, 36 (38 percent) reported depressed mood and had five or more symptoms indicative of major depression. The duration of symptoms ranged from two weeks (the minimum to meet the criteria) to eight weeks. More surprising is the finding that 39 percent of the nondepressed women reported at least one symptom of depression, indicating that postpartum women who do not meet the criteria for depression often experience similar symptoms. Despite the fact that all the mothers were generally considered to be at low risk, some demographic variables correlated with postpartum depression: depressed mothers and their spouses had attained significantly lower educational levels; and the husbands of depressed mothers held jobs with slightly lower occupational status than the husbands of nondepressed mothers. In addition, depressed mothers were more likely to have experienced complications during pregnancy or delivery. No differences were found between depressed and nondepressed mothers in terms of current or anticipated working status or sex of the infant. These data are similar to those of other studies of postpartum women. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Surveys, Postpartum depression, Childbirth, Delivery (Childbirth), Pregnancy, Mothers

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Childhood stress, behavioural symptoms and mother-daughter pubertal development

Article Abstract:

The theory of Belsky, Steinberg and Draper that early childhood stress in the family is related to childhood behavioral symptoms, early puberty and early, less discriminate sexual behavior, was tested in a survey of 28 daughters. Results showed that earlier menarche correlated with more family stress in a late childhood; more conflict with mother in early childhood; more rejection from and less closeness to mother throughout childhood; more anxiousness and internalizing symptoms in late childhood; earlier age at dating boys; and more boyfriends.

Research, Children, Teenage girls, Mothers and daughters, Mother-daughter relations, Stress (Psychology), Family

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