Role of expectations in preventing postpartum depression

Clark University (Worcester, Ma), Worcester MA

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of the proposed study is to design, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention program aimed at preventing or reducing the likelihood of postpartum depression. This intervention will focus on providing new mothers with more realistic expectations regarding infant and childcare-related stressors. This focus is justified by the findings of previous studies which have shown that: a. infant and childcare related stressors are among the few factors consistently found to account for a significant amount of variance in the postpartum depression scores; b. parents-to-be are likely to hold unrealistic expectations regarding many areas of their lives and violations of these expectations are linked to more difficulty during the transition to parenthood; c. both direct and indirect evidence links violated expectations regarding infant and childcare-related stressors to increased levels of postpartum depressive symptomatology. The proposed intervention will take place during childbirth classes (a control group will consist of families participating in standard childbirth education classes). Mothers will be asked to report on their expectations regarding infant and childcare related stressors both before and after the intervention. When the babies reach 3 months of age, mothers' levels of postpartum depressive symptomatology will be assessed and they will be asked to report on the reality of their infants' behavior and difficulty of childcare.