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01-06-2009 | Original Contribution

Depressive symptomatology in pregnant and postpartum women. An exploratory study of the role of maternal antenatal orientations

Authors: Johan C. H. van Bussel, Bernard Spitz, Koen Demyttenaere

Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health | Issue 3/2009

Abstract

Little is known about how an expecting woman’s view of pregnancy, the child, and motherhood relates to antenatal and postpartum depressive symptomatology. In this study, we investigated the influence of the maternal orientations, as described by Raphael-Leff (Psychological processes of childbearing. The Anna Freud Centre, London, 2005), on the prevalence of depressive symptoms in pregnant and postpartum women. Four hundred three pregnant women participated in a longitudinal study and completed the EPDS and the HADS-D in each pregnancy trimester and between 8 to 12 and 20 to 25 weeks postpartum. In addition, measures of maternal orientation (PPQ), personality (NEO-FFI), coping styles (UCL), adult attachment (RQ), and parental bonding (PBI) were completed antenatally. Bivariate and multivariate analyses revealed that Neuroticism and the Regulator orientation are positively associated with the EPDS and HADS-D in both pregnant and postpartum women. These associations decreased in strength but remained significant after controlling for previous responses on the EPDS and HADS-D. Small negative associations were found between the Facilitator orientation and the HADS-D scores during pregnancy and the early postpartum period. However, this association did not hold its statistical significance within the hierarchical multiple regression models. The maternal orientations have a small but significant and independent contribution in the variance of depressive symptomatology in pregnant and postpartum women.

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Title: Depressive symptomatology in pregnant and postpartum women. An exploratory study of the role of maternal antenatal orientations
Authors: Johan C. H. van Bussel
Bernard Spitz
Koen Demyttenaere
Publication date: 01-06-2009
Publisher: Springer Vienna
Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health / Issue 3/2009
Print ISSN: 1434-1816
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1102
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-009-0061-x

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Depressive symptomatology in pregnant and postpartum women. An exploratory study of the role of maternal antenatal orientations

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