The relationship between attachment style and postpartum depression

Abstract

Although an increasing number of studies show an association between adult attachment style and mood disorders, the relationship between adult attachment style and depression associated with childbirth is largely unknown. This study investigated the association between women's attachment style, postpartum depression (PPD), and other risk factors. During the 32nd week of pregnancy, 84 women were interviewed using the Attachment Style Interview. Participants also completed self-report questionnaires about reaction to pregnancy, family relationships, current life stresses, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. At one-month postpartum, they were evaluated for postpartum depressive symptoms using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Eighty-two women completed the second self-report questionnaires and were evaluated for PPD. The data of 76 women were eligible for analysis. PPD was present in 21%. An insecure attachment style was significantly related to depression. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed significant effects for insecure attachment, social economic status, and antenatal depression on PPD. Adding the insecure attachment style factor to the logistic model that predicted PPD increased the area under the curve to 0.87 (95% CI .77-.98; p < .05). The inclusion of attachment styles in assessments of perinatal depressive disorders could improve screening and the design of interventions.

Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy on Guilt Feeling Among Family Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease

“…These findings of the present study are partly in consistent with the findings of the studies conducted by Ikeda et al (2014), Karlin et al (2013), Hedman et al (2013), and Karlin et al (2012). To explain these findings, one can refer to various reasons, one of which is the beneficial effects of group therapy.…”

“…Few studies have been carried out on the impact of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on guilt feeling in different statistical populations. The findings of these studies (Ikeda, Hayashi & Kamibeppu, 2014;Hedman, Ström, Stünkel, & Mörtberg, 2013;Karlin et al 2012) reported the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on guilt feeling. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research on the impact of treatment on guilt feeling.…”

The Experience of Postpartum Depression among Mothers with Withdrawn Attachment Style during Pregnancy and the First Postnatal Month

“…In our previous research examining risk factors reflecting personality structure, we found that the insecure attachment style was significantly related to PPD, and those with withdrawn styles were the most prevalent in the PPD group (Ikeda et al, 2014). The latter was a new finding that differed from results reported in studies about mothers in Western culture.…”

“…In Japan, depression is experienced by approximately 21% of mothers in the first month following delivery (Ikeda, Hayashi, & Kamibeppu, 2014). Risk factors for PPD include previous depression, anxiety and depressive symptoms during pregnancy, recent stressful life events, lack of social support, and low self-esteem (Boyce & Hickey, 2005;Milgrom et al, 2008).…”

Postpartum bonding: the impact of maternal depression and adult attachment style

“…Dual/disorganized attachment is directly associated to psychopathology (Schimmenti and Bifulco 2008), interpersonal problems in adolescence (Schimmenti and Bifulco 2008), and discomfort in romantic relationships in adulthood (Paetzold et al 2015) but also to maladaptive parenting (Busch et al 2008;Goldberg et al 2003). So far, organized insecure attachment strategies were closely linked to depression per se, its duration and severity (Conradi and de Jonge 2009;McMahon et al 2008), and the occurrence of postpartum depression (Bifulco et al 2004;Ikeda et al 2014). Moreover, an association of insecure adult attachment with lower quality of relationship to the baby (Rholes et al 1995;Wilkinson and Mulcahy 2010) and less adequate parenting behavior (Bifulco et al 2009;Haltigan et al 2014) was reported.…”