Top

Published in:

01-04-2014 | Original Article

Risk factors associated with trajectories of mothers’ depressive symptoms across the early parenting period: an Australian population-based longitudinal study

Authors: Rebecca Giallo, Amanda Cooklin, Jan M. Nicholson

Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health | Issue 2/2014

Abstract

Approximately 14 % of women experience depressive symptoms in the first postnatal year. Few studies have examined the persistence of symptoms beyond this time. This study aims to (a) assess the course of women’s depressive symptoms from the first postnatal year to when their children were aged 6–7 years, (b) identify distinct groups of women defined by their symptom trajectories over time, and (c) identify antenatal and early postnatal risk factors associated with persistent symptoms. Data from 4,879 women participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children were analysed using latent growth modelling and logistic regression to identify risk factors associated with class membership. For the overall sample, depressive symptoms were highest during the first postnatal year and then gradually decreased over 6–7 years. Two distinct classes were identified with the majority of women (84 %) reporting minimal symptoms over time, and 16 % experiencing persistently high symptoms. Risk factors were younger maternal age, being from a non-English speaking background, not completing high school, having a past history of depression, antidepressant use during pregnancy, child development problems, lower parenting self-efficacy, poor relationship quality, and stressful life events. This research identifies risk factors that may predispose mothers to enduring depressive symptoms, offering opportunities for early identification and targeted early intervention.

Affonso D, Lovett S, Paul S, Sheptak S, Nussbaum R, Newman L, Johnson B (1992) Dysphoric distress in childbearing women. J Perinatol 12(4):325–332PubMed

Bandura A (1997) Self-efficacy: the exercise of control. Freeman, New York

Beck CT (1996) Postpartum depressed mothers’ experience interacting with their children. Nurs Res 45(2):98–104PubMedCrossRef

Beeghly M, Weinberg M, Olson K, Kernan H, Riley J, Tronick E (2002) Stability and change in level of maternal depressive symptomatology during the first postpartum year. J Affect Disord 71:169–180PubMedCrossRef

Bentler P (1990) Comparative fit indexes in structural models. Psychol Bull 107(2):238–246PubMedCrossRef

Bryanton J, Gagnon A, Hatem M, Johnston C (2008) Predictors of early parenting self-efficacy: results of a prospective cohort study. Nurs Res 57(4):252–259PubMedCrossRef

Burke L (2003) The impact of maternal depression on familial relationships. Int Rev Psychiatry 15:243–255PubMedCrossRef

Campbell S, Cohn J (1997) The timing and chronicity of postpartum depression. Implications for infant development. In: Copper PJ (ed) Postpartum depression and child development. Guildford, New York, pp 165–197

Chen Y, Subramanian S, Acevedo-Garcia D, Kawachi I (2005) Women’s status and depressive symptoms: a multilevel analysis. Soc Sci Med 60:49–60PubMedCrossRef

Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services (2004) Parenting information project. Volume 1: Main report. Canberra, Australia

Cooke M, Schmied V, Sheehan A (2007) An exploration of the relationship between postnatal distress and maternal role attainment, breast feeding problems and breast feeding cessation in Australia. Midwifery 23:66–76PubMedCrossRef

Evans J, Heron J, Francomb H, Oke S, Golding J (2001) Cohort study of depressed mood during pregnancy and after childbirth. Br Med J 232:257–260CrossRef

Giallo R, Cooklin A, Wade C, D’Esposito F, Nicholson J (2014) Maternal postnatal mental health and later emotional-behavioural development of children: the mediating role of parenting behaviour. Child: Care, Health and Development (in press)

Glascoe F (2000) Parents evaluation of developmental status—authorised Australian version. Centre for Community Child Health, Parkville

Goodman J (2004) Paternal postpartum depression, its relationship to maternal postpartum depression, and implications for family health. J Adv Nurs 45(1):26–35PubMedCrossRef

Grace S, Evindar A, Stewart D (2003) The effect of postpartum depression on child cognitive development and behavior: a review and critical analysis of the literature. Arch Womens Ment Health 6:263–273PubMedCrossRef

Halligan S, Murray L, Martins C, Cooper P (2007) Maternal depression and psychiatric outcomes in adolescent offspring: a 13-year longitudinal study. J Affect Disord 97:145–154PubMedCrossRef

Hendrick S (1988) A generic measure of relationship satisfaction. J Marriage Fam 50(1):93–98CrossRef

Hiscock H, Wake M (2001) Infant sleep problems and postnatal depression: a community-based study. Pediatrics 107(6):1317–1322PubMedCrossRef

Horowitz J, Goodman J (2004) A longitudinal study of maternal postpartum depression symptoms. Res Theory Nurs Pract Int J 18(2/3):149–163CrossRef

Horowitz J, Damato E, Solon L, von Metzsch G (1996) Identification of symptoms of postpartum depression: linking research to practice. J Perinatol 16(5):360–365PubMed

Jones T, Prinz R (2005) Potential roles of parental self-efficacy in parent and child adjustment: a review. Clin Psychol Rev 25(3):341–363PubMedCrossRef

Kessler R, Barker P, Cople L, Epstein J, Gfroerer J, Hiripi E, Howes M, Normand S, Manderscheid R, Walters E, Zaslavsky A (2003) Screening for serious mental illness in the general population. Arch Psychiatry 60:184–189CrossRef

Klier C, Rosenbaum K, Zeller M, Steinhardt K, Bergemann N, Muzik M (2008) A multirisk approach to predicting chronicity of postpartum depressive symptoms. Depression Anxiety 25:718–724PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef

Kumar R, Robson M (1984) A prospective study of emotional disorders in childbearing women. Br J Psychiatry 144:35–47PubMedCrossRef

Leahy-Warren P, McCarthy G, Corcoran P (2012) First-time mothers: social support, maternal parental self-efficacy and postnatal depression. J Clin Nurs 21(3–4):388–397PubMedCrossRef

Leigh B, Milgrom J (2008) Risk factors for antenatal depression, postnatal depression and parenting stress. BMC Psychiatry 8(24)

Matthey S, Barnett B, Ungerer J, Waters B (2000) Paternal and maternal depressed mood during the transition to parenthood. J Affect Disord 60:75–85. doi:10.1016/S0165-0327(99)00159-7 PubMedCrossRef

McCue Horwitz S, Briggs-Gowan M, Storfer-Isser A, Carter A (2007) Prevalence, correlates, and persistence of maternal depression. J Women's Health 16(5):678–691CrossRef

McLennan J, Kotelchuck M, Cho H (2001) Prevalence, persistence, and correlates of depressive symptoms in a national sample of mothers of toddlers. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 40(11):1316–1323PubMedCrossRef

McMahon CA, Trapolini T, Barnett B (2008) Maternal state of mind regarding attachment predicts persistence of postnatal depression in the preschool years. J Affect Disord 107:199–203. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2007.07.017 PubMedCrossRef

Murray L, Sinclair D, Cooper P, Ducournau P, Turner P (1999) The socioemotional development of 5-year-old children of postnatally depressed mothers. J Child Psychol Psychiatry 40(8):1259–1271PubMedCrossRef

Muthen L, Muthen B (1998–2011) Mplus User’s Guide. Muthen & Muthen, Los Angeles

National Center for Education Statistics (2004) Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS). Department of Education, Washington

O’Hara M, Swain A (1996) Rates and risk of postpartum depression: a meta-analysis. Int Rev Psychiatry 8(1):37–54CrossRef

Paulson J (2010) Focusing on depression in expectant and new fathers: prenatal and postpartum depression not limited to mothers. Psychiatr Times 27(2):48–52

Post and Antenatal Depression Association (2012) The cost of perinatal depression in Australia. Deloitte Access Economics Pty Ltd, Australia

Ross C (2000) Neighborhood disadvantage and adult depression. J Heal Soc Behav 41:177–187CrossRef

Small R, Brown S, Lumley J, Astbury J (1994) Missing voices: what women say and do about depression after childbirth. J Reprod Infant Psychol 12(2):89–103CrossRef

Soloff C, Lawrence D, Johnstone R (2005) Sample design (LSAC Technical Paper, No. 1). Australian Institute of Family Studies, Commonwealth of Australia, Melbourne

Wang L, Wu T, Anderson J, Florence J (2011) Prevalence and risk factors of maternal depression during the first three years of child rearing. J Women's Health 20:711–718CrossRef

Wilhelm K, Mitchell P, Slade T, Brownhill S, Andrews G (2003) Prevalence and correlates of DSM-IV major depression in an Australian National Survey. Journal of Affective Disorders 75:155–162PubMedCrossRef

Title: Risk factors associated with trajectories of mothers’ depressive symptoms across the early parenting period: an Australian population-based longitudinal study
Authors: Rebecca Giallo
Amanda Cooklin
Jan M. Nicholson
Publication date: 01-04-2014
Publisher: Springer Vienna
Published in: Archives of Women's Mental Health / Issue 2/2014
Print ISSN: 1434-1816
Electronic ISSN: 1435-1102
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-014-0411-1

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Risk factors associated with trajectories of mothers’ depressive symptoms across the early parenting period: an Australian population-based longitudinal study

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 2/2014

Pubertal timing, menstrual irregularity, and mental health: results of a population-based study

Systematic review of gamma-aminobutyric-acid inhibitory deficits across the reproductive life cycle

Tough Guys and True Believers: Managing Authoritarian Men in the Psychotherapy Room. John M. Robertson (ed) and Gender in the Therapy Hour: Voices of Female Clinicians Working with Men. Holly Barlow Sweet (ed)

Exposure to childhood traumas ups the odds of giving birth to daughters

Managing benzodiazepine withdrawal during pregnancy: case-based guidelines

Representativeness of obstetric patients who participate in perinatal depression research: findings from the Women's Mental Health and Infants Program (WMHIP) integrated dataset