Attachment ratings in couples as predictors of depressive symptomatology postpartum

Abstract

Objective: To determine how far self and mutual attachment ratings within couples predict postpartum depressive symptomatology. Method: At 20 weeks prepartum (T1) 163 women completed depression, attachment and dyadic adjustment measures. At T1 partners completed the same attachment measure (the Relationship Questionnaire, RQ), completed by women and partners as self-ratings, and also as each believed the other would complete it. At 3 months postpartum (T2) the women again completed the depression measure. Results: Including only those women for whom there were data at T1 and T2, and from the partner at T1, as bivariate correlations women’s depression at T2 was predicted by higher T1 depression, lower dyadic adjustment, lower self-rated RQ-derived ‘model of self’ (MOS) and ‘model of other’ (MOO), and the woman believing that her partner would rate his MOS lower. How the partner rated his own attachment models did not predict the woman’s T2 depression. In a hierarchical regression, T2 depression was predicted by higher T1 depression, the woman’s lower self-rated MOS, and the absolute discrepancy in ratings of her MOS. Conclusions: Both a woman’s self-rated MOS, and discrepancies with how her partner believes she would rate her MOS, uniquely improved the prediction of postpartum depression. The findings suggest that an aspect of partner understanding may contribute to a woman’s adjustment postpartum.