Postpartum depression, father's involvement, and marital and co-parental relationships from mothers' and fathers' perspectives in a low-income Brazilian sample

Abstract

Based on a family systems approach, our objective is to understand how postpartum depression (PPD) affects and is affected by family relationships. Specifically, we intend to better understand the relationship between PPD, father's involvement with the child and the marital and co-parental relationship. Fathers' and mothers' depression in the years following their child's birth is also considered. This study is part of a larger four-year longitudinal project on the origins and consequences of postpartum depression in low-income Brazilian families conducted at Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil. A subsample of 65 mothers completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) three months after delivery. The mothers and 45 fathers completed the EPDS three years later. Mothers and fathers evaluated their family relationships at their child's third birthday. High percentages of depression were found in mothers at both periods and in fathers three years following their child's birth. Mothers' negative percep...