The Relationship Between Alexithymia and Risk for Postpartum Depression

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is classified as a stressful life experience. The aim of this study was to assess the levels of alexithymia and risk for postpartum depression in women during the COVID-19 pandemic and state-of-emergency lockdown in Serbia. This cross-sectional study included 108 adult (age ≥18 years) postpartum women with children age 12 months or younger. We used the following questionnaires: Edinburgh Post-natal Depression Scale (EPDS), Toronto alexithymia scale (TAS), Hamilton scale for the assessment of anxiety (HAM-A) and depression (HAM-D), and an additional questionnaire constructed for this study. We found that 14.8% of participants had a score of 10 or higher on EPDS, 23.15% had alexithymia, and 31.32% had borderline alexithymia. There was a significant positive correlation of alexithymia with risk for postpartum depression, high-intensity anxiety, and depression in postpartum women with a score of 10 or higher on HAM-D and 18 or higher on HAM-A. Higher rates on TAS were noticed in mothers who were older, single, and dissatisfied with emotional status, with lower educational level, unemployment, and lack of family support. Multiple linear regression analysis including all factors that correlate with higher TAS scores showed that higher scores on HAM-D (beta = 0.75, P < .01) and higher scores on EPDS (beta = 0.69; P < .01) were independent predictors of higher EPDS scores (adjusted R 2 = 0.52, P < .01 for overall model). Alexithymia could develop in response to pandemics, and pandemics and the measures taken to combat a pandemic could be considered as risk factors for postpartum depression. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2021;51(9):431–436.]