Depressive Symptoms In Mothers Research Articles

The role of lack of grandparental support in perinatal depression

BackgroundLow social support has been identified as a risk factor for perinatal mental health problems. However, previous studies mainly focused on partner support or general social support and neglected the roles of grandparents. Here, we examine whether a lack of grandparental support is related to increased risk of a diagnosis of perinatal depression. In addition, we examine whether poor grandparental support is related to more depressive symptoms in mothers with and without previously diagnosed perinatal depression and whether perceived grandparental support buffers against parenting difficulties in mothers with perinatal depression. MethodsThe sample was drawn from an Australian pregnancy cohort study and consisted of 725 women, including 230 women who met criteria for Major Depression. At 12 months postpartum, women reported on grandparental geographical proximity and hours of grandparental childcare support. Perceived grandparental support was assessed with the Postpartum Social Support Questionnaire and parenting difficulties and depressive symptoms with the Parenting Stress Index and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. ResultsPerceived grandparental support was related to fewer depressive symptoms among mothers with perinatal depression. In addition, higher levels of perceived grandparental support were related to lower parenting stress in mothers with and without perinatal depression. LimitationsIntergenerational conflicts and quality of grandparenting were not assessed. ConclusionsOur findings indicate that supportive grandparents may prevent the development of more severe perinatal depression in mothers experiencing perinatal mental health problems. Future studies should examine whether involving grandparents in treatment may add to the effectiveness of existing perinatal mental health interventions.

The effects of flavonoid supplementation on the mental health of postpartum parents.

During the postpartum period, parents face psychological challenges and consequently, changes in mood and associated mood disorders have become increasingly prevalent in the 6-months following birth. Dietary flavonoids have been found to benefit mood and are therefore an appealing non-pharmacological option for potentially treating mood disorders in the postpartum. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a two-week dietary flavonoid intervention would improve mothers' and fathers' mental health in the immediate 6-month postpartum period. The study employed a randomised, parallel groups, controlled design to explore the effects of a flavonoid intervention vs. control group on several outcomes, including mood (PANAS), postpartum depression (EPDS), postpartum anxiety (PSAS-RSF-C) and quality of life (WHOQOL). Sixty participants (mothers n = 40, fathers n = 20) in the 6-month post-partum period were randomised to either a "flavonoid" or "control" condition. The flavonoid group were asked to add two flavonoid-rich foods (approximate flavonoid intake 218 mg/day) into their daily diet whilst controls (n = 23) were asked to continue with their usual diet for two-weeks (ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04990622). Significant effects were found in the flavonoid group where mothers reported higher positive affect and lower postpartum depression after the two-week intervention relative to baseline. This finding is especially relevant as a clinical reduction in postpartum depression scores in the flavonoid group by an average 2.6 scoring points was observed, which equated to a reduction from "possible depression" at baseline to "little or no depression" at 2-weeks, which was not observed in the control group. Fathers' data was not analysed due to non-compliance with the intervention. This study provides evidence for the benefits of a dietary flavonoid intervention for mood and mental health in new mothers, supporting the utility of non-pharmacological, self-administrable changes to the diet for improving positive mood outcomes and reducing symptoms of postpartum depression in mothers during an especially challenging time. Further research for the effect of dietary interventions on paternal mental health is needed. ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04990622.

Partner support for women's antidepressant treatment and its association with depressive symptoms in pregnant women, mothers, and women planning pregnancy.

To examine the association between partner support for women's antidepressant treatment and depressive symptoms in pregnant women, those planning pregnancy, and mothers who ever used antidepressants. We included 334 women (n=44 planners, n=182 pregnant, n=108 mothers) ever treated with antidepressants within the HEALTHx2 study, a web-based cross-sectional study conducted across Norway in June 2020 to June 2021. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and two questions of the Patient Health Questionnaire measured depressive symptoms, by degree of severity and for depressed mood, anxiety, and anhedonia sub-dimensions. Partner support was measured using one item from the Antidepressant Compliance Questionnaire. Association was estimated via unadjusted and adjusted linear and logistic regression models. Being unsupported by the partner was associated with increased odds of reporting moderate-to-very-severe depressive symptoms in mothers (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 3.57; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04-12.19) and pregnant women (aOR, 3.26; 95% CI, 0.95-11.14), relative to being supported. Pregnant women (adjusted mean difference (β), 0.76; 95% CI, 0.14-1.38) and mothers (β, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.23-1.64) with no support for their antidepressant treatment presented greater symptoms of anhedonia; for women planning pregnancy, this association emerged in relation to anxiety symptoms (β among non-users of antidepressant, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.04-4.13). Partner support for women's antidepressant treatment may play a key role in depressive symptoms severity and the subtypes of anhedonia and anxiety, among women planning pregnancy, pregnant women, and mothers. This highlights the importance of partner inclusion in the complex decision-making process for antidepressant treatment around the time of pregnancy.

(In)Congruence in Perceived Mother-child Cohesion and Informants' Depressive Symptoms: A Dyadic Response Surface Analysis.

Mother-child cohesion, reflecting the emotional connection between mothers and children, is a protective factor for individuals' mental health. The Modified Operations Triad Model suggests that children and mothers hold either congruent or incongruent views of their perceived cohesion, which reflects family functioning and is an indication of future mental health outcomes for family members. Despite increasing research on the impact of (in)congruence in perceived family functioning on children's mental health, few studies concurrently address the mental health of both mothers and children, overlooking their interdependence. This longitudinal study with multi-informant reports explored the long-term and developmental effects of (in)congruence in perceived mother-child cohesion on informants' depressive symptoms. A total of 577 families participated at the first time point, comprising 577 children (52.34% girls, Mage = 10.11 years) and 577 mothers (Mage = 37.32 years). The Dyadic Response Surface Analysis revealed that mother-child congruence at high levels of cohesion (versus low levels) predicted fewer depressive symptoms in mothers and children after three and nine months, as well as decreased depressive symptoms over nine months. Children who reported higher levels of cohesion than their mothers experienced fewer depressive symptoms after three months. Mothers with higher levels of cohesion than their children reported fewer depressive symptoms after three months. The current findings emphasize the importance of identifying and resolving discrepancies in perceived mother-child cohesion between mothers and children to promote a healthy family environment.

Maternal Prenatal Depressive Symptoms and Fetal Growth During the Critical Rapid Growth Stage

Fetal growth in the critical rapid growth stage (CRGS) before delivery, approximately between 30 to 37 gestational weeks, carries significant implications for subsequent overweight, obesity, and arterial health. Previous evidence has demonstrated the association between maternal depressive symptoms and fetal growth trajectories from early to late pregnancy, but there remains limited understanding of the association of these symptoms with the longitudinal fetal growth change within the CRGS. To investigate the association between maternal depressive symptoms and fetal growth during the CRGS before delivery. This prospective birth cohort study was conducted from January 2018 to December 2020. Volunteer pregnant women were enrolled in their first trimester of prenatal visits. Women with severe disease before pregnancy and multiple births, fetuses with congenital anomalies, and preterm or postterm births were excluded. This multicenter study was based in 13 hospitals covering 81 counties across 12 cities in Sichuan Province, China. Follow-up visits were performed at the second trimester, the third trimester, and 24 hours after delivery. The analysis was conducted from January to May 2023. Maternal depressive symptoms, as a continuous variable, measured by the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) at a median gestational week of 24 (range, 14 to 27) weeks of gestation. A higher score on the EPDS indicates worse depressive symptoms. The main outcomes included ultrasonography-measured biparietal diameter (BPD), femur length (FL), and abdominal circumference (AC), along with calculated estimated fetal weight (EFW). These parameters were evaluated longitudinally at a median gestational week of 30 (range, 28 to 32) and 37 (range, 35 to 39) weeks. Linear mixed models were used to estimate the associations between maternal depressive symptoms and fetal growth parameters. A total of 2676 mother-offspring dyads were included, in which the mean (SD) age of mothers was 28.0 (4.4) years, and 1294 (48.4%) of the offspring were female. The median (IQR) maternal EPDS score was 5.0 (4.0 to 9.0). After adjustment for confounders, a significant correlation was found between a higher score of depressive symptoms in mothers and a slower rate of fetal growth across FL (β = -0.40; 95% CI, -0.58 to -0.22), AC (β = -1.97; 95% CI, -2.90 to -1.03), and EFW (β = -50.11; 95% CI, -68.46 to -31.75). These associations were stronger in female fetuses or those with better family socioeconomic conditions. In this prospective cohort study, maternal depressive symptoms were associated with slower fetal growth rate in the CRGS before delivery. Early screening for depressive disorders in pregnant women appears to be essential for fetal growth and later health.

Doğum Sonrası Babalık Depresyonu: Aile ve Çocuk Gelişimine Etkisi

The postpartum period is when parents undergo great changes and gain new responsibilities. Factors such as the changes that come with having a baby, not meeting the expectations about parenthood, having a child with a difficult temperament or health problems, or relational problems can be quite challenging in this period. These problems can deeply affect the psychological well-being of the parents. Although studies on depressive symptoms of mothers during pregnancy and postpartum are at an important level, studies aiming to examine the psychological state of fathers for the same period are still limited. However, perceptions that postpartum depression develops due to hormonal changes during pregnancy have been reshaped by the findings that this situation may also develop due to psychosocial factors. Relatedly, the number of studies on postpartum depression experienced by fathers has increased over time. Results of those studies show that fathers' psychological state also influences their parenting and the development of children. Fathers may experience paternal depression due to a lack of social support, economic conditions, relationship dynamics, and changing living conditions in the postpartum period. This situation may cause fathers to avoid parenting duties, spend less time with their children, be unable to cooperate with the mother, and have anger problems or deterioration in the relationship with the mother. The effects of depression on individuals' parenting styles negatively affect child-parent attachment and may cause children to develop emotional and behavioral problems. Therefore, it is very important to examine fathers' psychological state for children's development and the healthy progress of family dynamics. This review aims to address the effect of paternal depression on parenting and child development.

Association between depressive symptoms of mothers and eating behaviors of school-going children in Urban Bangladesh: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the association between depressive symptoms among mothers and the eating behaviors of their school-going children in Urban Bangladesh.Materials and methodsThis analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in the context of the urban area of Bangladesh. A multistage sampling technique was applied to select 324 children’s mothers in Dhaka City. Data were collected from both city corporation settings in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Semi-structured questionnaires were used in this study. We estimated the depressive symptoms among mothers using the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. We examined the association of mothers of school-going children’s socio-demographic variables and eating behaviors of school-going children with their mother’s depression by using chi-square and evaluating the impact of these variables on mothers’ depression through univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression.ResultsIn our study, 57.7% of the mothers of school-going children had depressive symptoms, and 42.3% had no depressive symptoms. The study explored that consuming fewer vegetables (AOR = 0.237, 95% CI: 0.099–0.569), taking fewer fruits (AOR = 0.177, 95% CI: 0.093–0.337), and interestingly, taking fast food less than 4 days per week (AOR = 3.024, 95% CI: 1.517–6.031) were significantly associated with mothers’ depressive symptoms.ConclusionMothers with depressive symptoms of school-going children in Dhaka city are alarmingly high as a grave concern. The eating behaviors of children are associated with their mothers’ depressive symptoms. With an aim to build rigorous awareness on depression and child’s healthy eating behaviors, it is imperative to arrange health education and awareness related programs.

Impact of Parental Mental Health and Help-Seeking on Adolescents' Suicidal Ideations and Help-Seeking Behaviors.

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of parental mental health on adolescent offspring. Data regarding 6512 families from the 2010-2021 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed; among them, 428 were placed in the suicidal ideation (SI) group and 421 were placed in the matched control (MC) group. This number was selected for the use of the propensity score matching method. The findings highlighted significant associations between parental mental health and adolescent suicidal ideation, with mothers in the SI group having higher odds of Diagnosed Depression (OR 2.109, 1.023-4.350 95% CI), Depressive Mood (OR 2.155, 1.224-3.793 95% CI), and Suicidal Ideation (OR 2.532, 1.322-4.851 95% CI) compared to the MC group. Regarding the fathers, paternal Suicidal Ideation (OR 4.295, 1.747-10.599 95% CI) was the only significant factor for adolescent suicidal ideation. In contrast, maternal depressive symptoms and help-seeking behavior significantly impacted adolescent help-seeking; Maternal Depressive Mood increased with adolescent Help-Seeking (OR 4.486, 1.312-15.340 95% CI) while Maternal Suicidal Ideation reduced the probability of Help-Seeking in the SI group (OR 0.15, 0.031-0.721, 95% CI). Chronic and severe depressive symptoms in mothers could make adolescents less likely to seek help for their suicidal ideations. Therefore, clinicians working with adolescents should prioritize a family-oriented approach.

Depressive symptoms in mothers of preterm infants before and during COVID-19 restrictions in neonatal intensive care units.

Little is known about the specific restriction measures used in intensive care units (NICUs) during the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on parental well-being. Hence, this study aimed to assess the association between restriction measures and mothers' post-partum depressive symptoms. This comparative cohort study included mothers who gave birth before 35 weeks of gestation in Estonia. The outcome measure was mothers' post-partum depressive symptoms at the time of infant discharge, evaluated using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). In addition to the pandemic itself, the number of restriction measures in the NICUs was analysed as a potential explanatory factor for depressive symptoms. The study included 55 mothers before the pandemic in 2018-2019 and 54 mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. No significant difference was found in the median EPDS scores between the cohorts: 7.0 [interquartile range (IQR): 4.0-12.0] and 8.0 (IQR: 5.0-12.8) respectively. The number of restriction measures was not associated with mothers' EPDS scores in either unadjusted or adjusted models. The COVID-19 pandemic or the number of restriction measures used in Estonian NICUs did not associate with mothers' post = partum depressive symptoms.

Associations between mother's depressive symptoms during pregnancy and newborn's brain functional connectivity.

Depression during pregnancy is common and the prevalence further increased during the COVID pandemic. Recent findings have shown potential impact of antenatal depression on children's neurodevelopment and behavior, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Nor is it clear whether mild depressive symptoms among pregnant women would impact the developing brain. In this study, 40 healthy pregnant women had their depressive symptoms evaluated by the Beck Depression Inventory-II at ~12, ~24, and ~36weeks of pregnancy, and their healthy full-term newborns underwent a brain MRI without sedation including resting-state fMRI for evaluation of functional connectivity development. The relationships between functional connectivities and maternal Beck Depression Inventory-II scores were evaluated by Spearman's rank partial correlation tests using appropriate multiple comparison correction with newborn's gender and gestational age at birth controlled. Significant negative correlations were identified between neonatal brain functional connectivity and mother's Beck Depression Inventory-II scores in the third trimester, but not in the first or second trimester. Higher depressive symptoms during the third trimester of pregnancy were associated with lower neonatal brain functional connectivity in the frontal lobe and between frontal/temporal lobe and occipital lobe, indicating a potential impact of maternal depressive symptoms on offspring brain development, even in the absence of clinical depression.

Mother and father depression symptoms and child emotional difficulties: a network model.

Mother and father depression symptoms often co-occur, and together can have a substantial impact on child emotional well-being. Little is understood about symptom-level mechanisms underlying the co-occurrence of depression symptoms within families. The objective was to use network analysis to examine depression symptoms in mothers and fathers after having a baby, and emotional symptoms in children in early adolescence. We examined data from 4492 mother-father-child trios taken from a prospective, population-based cohort in the UK. Symptoms were examined using two unregularised partial correlation network models. The initial model was used to examine the pattern of associations, i.e. the overall network structure, for mother and father depression symptoms, and then to identify bridge symptoms that reinforce depression symptoms between parents during offspring infancy. The second model examined associations between the parent symptom network, including bridge symptoms, with later child emotional difficulties. The study included 4492 mother-father-child trios; 2204 (49.1%) children were female. Bridge symptoms reinforcing mother and father depression symptoms were feeling guilty and self-harm ideation. For mothers, the bridge symptom of feeling guilty, and symptoms of anhedonia, panic and sadness were highly connected with child emotional difficulties. For fathers, the symptom of feeling overwhelmed associated with child emotional difficulties. Guilt and anhedonia in fathers appeared to indirectly associate with child emotional difficulties through the same symptom in mothers. Our findings suggest that specific symptom cascades are central for co-occurring depression in parents and increased vulnerability in children, providing potential therapeutic targets.

Investigation of the Role of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Strategies on Depressive Symptoms in Mothers of Children Given A Diagnosis of Cancer.

The role of cognitive emotion regulation on depressive symptoms in mothers of children given a diagnosis of cancer is not yet well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cognitive emotion regulation strategies on depressive symptoms in mothers of children with cancer. This study was conducted with a cross-sectional correlational design. The study included 129 participants. Participants completed the sociodemographic characteristics form, Beck Depression Inventory, and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to determine the effect of cognitive emotion regulation strategies on depressive symptoms. Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that depressive symptoms were independently associated with self-blame (β = 0.279, P = .001) and catastrophizing (β = 0.244, P = .003) after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics of mothers. Emotion regulation strategies explained approximately 39.9% of the variance in depressive symptoms. The results of the study indicate that more frequent engagement of self-blame and catastrophizing were associated with more depressive symptoms. Nurses should screen mothers of children with cancer for depressive symptoms and identify mothers of children with cancer who use maladaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies, such as self-blame and catastrophizing, as a risk group. Furthermore, nurses need to be involved in developing psychosocial interventions including adaptive cognitive emotion regulation strategies to help mothers coping with adverse emotions during a childhood cancer journey.

Racial discrimination, depressive symptoms, and parenting in African American families

AbstractObjectiveThe goal was to examine direct and indirect associations between racial discrimination and parenting among African American mothers and fathers.BackgroundExperiences of racial discrimination are common among African Americans, with well‐documented effects on individual functioning. Greater attention to associations between racial discrimination and family functioning, including parenting, is needed, as are tests of whether these associations might arise indirectly through depressive symptoms.MethodData from 346 African American families were used to examine correlations between racial discrimination and nurturant involved parenting, consistent discipline, and educational involvement among mothers and fathers, and to examine indirect effect models testing linkages through depressive symptoms.ResultsThere was minimal evidence of significant direct (bivariate) associations between racial discrimination and parenting. There were, however, significant negative indirect effects from racial discrimination to nurturant involved parenting and to consistent discipline through depressive symptoms for mothers and fathers.ConclusionHigher levels of racial discrimination were associated with lower levels of nurturant involved parenting and consistent discipline through higher depressive symptoms.ImplicationsConceptual models describing the effects of racial discrimination on families should integrate indirect effects through individual functioning. Interventions focused on supporting African American parents should address the harmful effects of racial discrimination on individual and family well‐being.

The Effect of Hopelessness on Depressive Symptoms in Mothers of Infants Hospitalized at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: The Mediating Role of Anxiety

Objective: Mothers of infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at high risk for depressive symptoms. This study investigated whether anxiety symptoms mediate the relationships between hopelessness and depressive symptoms in mothers with newborn infants admitted to the NICU. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the NICU of a university hospital in Turkey between October 2021 and March 2022. A total of 100 mothers whose infants were hospitalized in the NICU participated in the study. The data were collected using the Sociodemographic Data Form, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS). Linear regression analysis was used to examine the effect of demographic characteristics on scale scores. In order to test whether the anxiety score has a mediating role in the relationship between hopelessness and depression, the analysis was made based on the bootstrap method and the Maximum Likelihood method. Results: Levels of the depression, anxiety and hopelessness levels of the NICU mothers were not affected by the demographic variables of the parent and the infant. Hopelessness was found to predict depressive symptoms (β = 0.476; p < .050). In addition, according to the mediator variable analysis results, it was found that anxiety had a mediating role between the level of hopelessness and depressive symptoms (β = 0.596; p < .050). Accordingly, hopelessness explains 52.5% of the change in depression along with anxiety. Conclusion: Our study detailed the specific process of depressive symptoms caused by hopelessness in NICU mothers.

Polygenic risk for neuroticism is associated with externalizing symptoms in 2-year-old boys

Recent advances in genome-wide association studies have enabled the estimation of genetic risk of complex traits, including neuroticism, with polygenic risk scores (PRS). Neuroticism PRS has been associated with psychiatric disorders and symptoms in adults, but studies in children are scarce. We studied whether neuroticism PRS, and its subscales, worry PRS and depressive affect PRS, were associated with externalizing and internalizing symptoms in 2-year-olds. We also examined parental neuroticism PRSs' association with children's externalizing and internalizing symptoms and whether parental depressive symptoms mediated the effect. Participants from two Finnish birth cohorts, CHILD-SLEEP and FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, who had DNA and data on Brief Infant-Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA) available were included in the study (N = 806 and N = 987, respectively). PRSs were calculated based on GWAS data from UK Biobank. Child's neuroticism PRS, and its subscale worry PRS, were positively associated with externalizing symptoms in 2-year-old boys, but not in girls. Mother's depressive symptoms mediated the association between maternal neuroticism PRS and externalizing and internalizing symptoms in boys, but not in girls. Our results suggest that neuroticism PRS, and its subscale worry PRS, are associated with externalizing symptoms in already as young as 2-year-old boys, and, that subclinical symptoms of maternal depression that are based on genetic disposition, have an effect on boy's internalizing and externalizing symptoms. As we did not find any associations in girls, our study supports the suggestion that girls and boys may differ in how genetic and environmental factors contribute to their development.

Prenatal maternal depression predicts neural maturation and negative emotion in infants

Despite widespread acceptance that prenatal symptoms of depression in mothers are detrimental to infants’ long-term emotional and cognitive development, little is known about the mechanisms that may integrate outcomes across these domains. Rooted in the integrative perspective that emotional development is grounded in developing cognitive processes, we hypothesized that prenatal symptoms of depression in mothers would be associated with delays in neural maturation that support sociocognitive function in infants, leading to more problematic behaviors. We used a prospective longitudinal study of mothers (N = 92) and their infants to test whether self-reported symptoms of depression in mothers during the second and third trimesters were associated with neural development and infant outcomes at 4 months of age. While controlling for postpartum symptoms of depression, more prenatal symptoms of depression in mothers predicted less neural maturation in the parietal region of 4-month-old infants. Less neural maturation, in turn, was associated with greater infant negativity, suggesting neural maturation as a putative mechanism linking maternal symptoms of depression with infant outcomes. Differences in neural regions and developmental timing are also discussed.

Gender Differences in Depressive Symptoms Following Child Death in Later Life.

This study examined short- and long-term psychological adjustment to parental bereavement in later life for mothers and fathers. Using 9 waves of data from the United States (1998-2014 Health and Retirement Study), I estimated trajectories of mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms surrounding child death in later life, highlighting gender differences in adjustment. Moderation analyses were performed to uncover heterogeneous trajectories across parental characteristics. Mothers were more likely to experience child death and reported higher depressive symptoms prior to parental bereavement than fathers. Mothers and fathers who lost a child reported an increase in depressive symptoms that diminished over time. The short-term elevation in depressive symptoms was marginally greater for mothers than fathers, but depressive symptoms declined at a faster rate for mothers than fathers in the years following the death. These counterbalancing changes resulted in mothers and fathers returning to their respective prebereavement levels of depressive symptoms between 2 and 4 years postbereavement. Parental age moderated trajectories distinctly by gender, and the presence of surviving children buffered the impact of child death on depressive symptoms for mothers but not fathers. Mothers more often experience child death in later life and their adjustment process differs from that of fathers, underscoring the salience of gender in shaping how older parents respond to the death of a child. Older parents and mothers without surviving children are vulnerable to prolonged elevations in depressive symptoms following the death of a child in later life.

Individual and dyadic network analyses of depressive symptoms in Chinese postpartum couples: A cross-sectional study

Background: The network approach to psychopathology is symptom oriented and may open new possibilities for intervention development and health care practices in postpartum depression.Objective: To investigate the individual and dyadic symptom network of postpartum depression in Chinese mothers and fathers in the very early postpartum period.Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted.Settings and participants: A total of 457 couples in the 2∼3 days postpartum period was recruited consecutively from a hospital in Guangzhou, China from September 2020 to April 2021.Methods: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and socio-demographic and obstetric data sheet were used to collect data. We estimated the individual symptom networks of postpartum mothers and fathers separately and a dyadic symptom network that consisted of symptoms of both spouses. Network characteristics including global strength and node centralities were analyzed and systematically compared.Results: Strength centralities in the individual networks showed acceptable stability [Correlation stability coefficient (CS) for mothers = 0.60; CS for fathers = 0.52]. The central depressive symptoms in mothers were Crying (Zstrength = 1.32), Overwhelmed (Zstrength = 1.01) and Sad mood (Zstrength = 0.93). The central depressive symptom in fathers was Sad Mood (Zstrength = 1.35). The symptom “Crying” had a distinctive link to thoughts of self-harm in fathers. The symptom network of mothers (global strength = 4.15) was more interconnected than that of fathers (global strength = 3.74). There was a statistically significant but unstable within-couple connection of thoughts of self-harm (CS = 0.21).Conclusions: Postpartum mothers are more vulnerable to activation spreads of depressive symptoms than postpartum fathers. Symptoms including “Sad mood”, “Overwhelmed” and “Crying” warrant the attention of health care providers. Investigations with larger sample sizes and gender-sensitive instruments are needed to further unfold the individual and dyadic symptom dynamics of postpartum depression.

Feeding self-efficacy and feeding outcome expectancy mediate the association between maternal depressive symptoms and responsive feeding

Previous research has demonstrated a link between maternal depressive symptoms and infant feeding behavior; however, the underlying mechanisms linking the two remain unclear. This study examined the association between maternal depressive symptoms and responsive feeding, and the potential mediating role of feeding self-efficacy and outcome expectancy. A panel study with 487 women, from pregnancy through postpartum, was conducted. Maternal depressive symptoms at one month postpartum were assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Responsive feeding included feeding on demand and unforced feeding domains. Responsive feeding, feeding self-efficacy, and feeding outcome expectancy were assessed at three months postpartum. Maternal depressive symptoms were associated with less responsive feeding, but the association was fully mediated by feeding self-efficacy and feeding outcome expectancy. Infant feeding problems are associated with depressive symptoms in mothers. Health professionals could work with depressed mothers to enhance infant feeding by targeting feeding self-efficacy and feeding outcome expectancy.

Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence in Children Aged 6 Months to 8 Years: Factors Associated with Mothers' Awareness of Children's Exposure to This Violence

Early childhood exposure to intimate partner violence (EIPV) is a serious social and public health matter. Parents underestimate EIPV in comparison to their own victimization of intimate partner violence (IPV). However, few studies have attempted to compare the differences between the child's EIPV and the IPV victimization from the mothers' perspective and document the associated explanatory factors. Consequently, this study was conducted on a representative sample of 2046 children aged 6 months to 8 years in Quebec (Canada) to estimate the prevalence of EIPV and mother's awareness of EIPV over the past 12 months and to investigate factors that are associated with mother's awareness of EIPV. Findings revealed that 11.1% of young children were exposed to at least one form of IPV. However, that proportion decreases to 5.9% when the mother is asked whether the child is aware or a witness of the violence. Regression analyses revealed that child's younger age, mother's depressive symptoms, being a single parent, and the presence of adults' violent behaviors toward children were significantly associated with the mother's higher perceived awareness of EIPV. While some of these findings are consistent with previous studies, others such as living in a single-parent family open the door to different interpretations, including the presence of increased postseparation violence. As EIPV is increasingly recognized as affecting children regardless of their awareness of violent events, further studies are needed to better understand the context facilitating parental recognition of this exposure.