Parenting Stress and Postnatal Depression

Abstract

Thirty‐eight mothers with postnatal depression (PND) and their spouses were assessed 3, 6 and 12 months after the birth of their infant on the Parenting Stress Index. Compared to 46 non‐depressed controls, PND mothers rated their child as less reinforcing, less acceptable, less adaptable, more moody and more demanding. They rated themselves as less competent, less emotionally attached to the child, less healthy, more depressed and more socially isolated, with a poor relationship with their spouse and a more restricted lifestyle. These differences persisted over the 3–12‐month period, even though the level of depression decreased. Partners of PND mothers also rated themselves, their marital relationship and their child more negatively than controls, and difficulties became more pronounced with time. Results were paralleled by the Profile of Moods Scale scores and the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, which showed less consensus, less expression of affection, less satisfaction and less cohesion for PND compared to control couples. These findings suggest that the difficulties experienced are long lasting, with some deterioration over time. This was reflected by a higher separation/divorce rate in PND couples. The importance of early intervention and the impact on parent–infant attachment is discussed.

Maternal mortality trends in Australia

“…The PSI has been used to demonstrate that mothers with postnatal depression and their spouses score more negatively on the PSI than controls, and that these differences in parenting stress can persist long after the level of depression has decreased [232].…”

“…A few studies have developed and utilised assessment tools that are specific for maternal (or parental) dysfunction, in particular disorders of the mother-infant relationship, which may or may not be related to depressive symptomatology [187,188,[230][231][232]. The Parenting Stress Index (PSI) scale developed by Richard Abidin [188] consists of 120 items under 3 domains: a child domain (with 6 subscales:…”

Perinatal Anxiety and Depression: Associations with Oxytocin and Mother-Infant Interactions

“…Depressed mothers do not experience the joys and challenges of parenting in the same way as non-depressed mothers; reporting lower levels of competence, poorer emotional attachment to their infant, poorer health and more restricted and more socially isolated feelings than non-depressed mothers. Furthermore, they were more likely to report poorer marital quality, higher tension, confusion, anger, fatigue and lower levels of vigour than non-depressed mothers (Milgrom & McCloud, 1996). Although self-reported depression decreased over the study period of 3-12 months, negative ratings of their relationship with their child and their spouse were maintained.…”

“…Postnatal depression has been found to have adverse consequences across multiple domains of the mother's life. Higher levels of postnatal depression have been associated with reduced maternal sleep www.intechopen.com Perinatal Depression 46 (Meltzer & Mindell, 2007) and increased parental stress (Milgrom & McCloud, 1996). Depressed mothers do not experience the joys and challenges of parenting in the same way as non-depressed mothers; reporting lower levels of competence, poorer emotional attachment to their infant, poorer health and more restricted and more socially isolated feelings than non-depressed mothers.…”

Efeitos neurocognitivos e comportamentais da estimulação magnética transcraniana em puérperas com depressão pós-parto

“…Mães deprimidas definiram-se como menos competentes, menos ligadas emocionalmente às suas crianças, mais dependentes e isoladas socialmente (Milgron & McCloud, 1996), relatam menos confiança e satisfação com o desenpenho do papel materno do que mães não-deprimidas (Fowles, 1996), e tenderam a descrever seus bebês como crianças com temperamento difícil (Brown et al, 1994).…”