The Role of Partnership Status and Relationship Satisfaction in Inpatient Mother-Child Treatment in Postpartum Mental Disorders

Abstract

The Role of Partnership Status and Relationship Satisfaction in Inpatient Mother-Child Treatment in Postpartum Mental Disorders The study examines the partnership status and satisfaction in connection with symptoms of postpartum mental disorders, mother-child attachment and outcome of inpatient mother-child treatment. Two sub-studies were carried out. In the first study, N = 126 mothers with postpartum mental disorders who went to a preliminary consultation for inpatient mother-child treatment stated their symptom burden (SCL-90), mother-child attachment (PBQ) and satisfaction with their partner relationship (PFB-K). Mothers with stressed relationships showed the highest level of symptom burden and impaired attachment. Mothers without a partner reported the least amount of impairment in mother-child attachment. In the second study, N = 41 mothers were examined over the course of inpatient treatment (within-subject design with a waiting-list). The initial relationship satisfaction was not predictive of symptom reduction or improvement in mother-child attachment. An increase in satisfaction during the treatment was though correlated with an improvement in mother-child attachment.