Research on Psychosocial Factors and Postpartum Depression: A Critique

BirthPublished 1 December 1984

Thomas G. Arizmendi, Dyanne D. Affonso

DOI10.1111/j.1523-536x.1984.tb00791.x

Source URL

Citations21

SJR quartileQ1

SJR score1.01

SNIP1.21

TL;DR

Postpartum depression appears to be related to major stress during pregnancy, birth, or early infant care, and a depressive attributional style has also been implicated.

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Postpartum depression appears to be related to major stress during pregnancy, birth, or early infant care. A depressive attributional style has also been implicated. However, research on psychosocial factors in postpartum depression suffers from differing definitions and measurements of depression, and samples not comparable as to parity, marital and socioeconomic status, and other important variables. None of the studies assessed changes in psychosocial factors over the course of pregnancy and puerperium, and none has included comparisons with women who do not suffer postpartum depression.

Keywords

PsychologyMedicine

Journal of Abnormal PsychologyDepressive attributional style.

1,060 Citations1979Martin E. P. Seligman, Lyn Y. Abramson +2 more

It is argued that three attributional dimensions are crucial for explaining human helplessness and depression: internal-external, stable-unstable, and global-specific.

The British Journal of Psychiatry“Atypical” Depression Following Childbirth

612 Citations1968Brice Pitt

Journal of Health and Social BehaviorLife Stress, Social Support, and Emotional Disequilibrium in Complications of Pregnancy: A Prospective, Multivariate Study

431 Citations1983Jane S. Norbeck, Virginia P. Tilden

The Journal of Nervous and Mental DiseasePostpartum Depression

226 Citations1983Michael W. O’Hara, Lynn P. Rehm +1 more

Depressed and nondepressed women who had recently given birth were compared and predicted that depressed subjects diagnosed on the basis of Research Diagnostic Criteria would have experienced more stressful life events since the beginning of pregnancy and since delivery and would have fewer confidants and receive less instrumental and emotional support from their network members.

The British Journal of PsychiatryProspective Study into Puerperal Depression

182 Citations1971Katharina Dalton

An evolution of mood changes in those who later developed puerperal depression was revealed, characterized by anxiety at the first ante-natal visit, elation during later pregnancy and depression in the puer perium.

PubMedScreening for the patient at risk for postpartum depression.

78 Citations1978J. Braverman, Roux Jf

A simple, accurate, and practical device was designed for detecting the woman at risk for postpartum emotional disorder (PED) and preventive measures could be taken.

JAMAMental Illness in Pregnancy and the Puerperium

77 Citations1979John P. Callan

This short collection of papers from different British authors discusses the biologic basis of postpartum emotional illness, and will likely satisfy neither psychiatrists, obstetricians, nor physicians interested in bridging the gap between the two.

Journal of Abnormal PsychologyDepressive attributional style and depression following childbirth.

71 Citations1982Patricia C. Manly, Robert J. McMahon +2 more