Journal List > J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc > v.54(4) > 1017769

Park, Kim, Kee, Han, Na, Kim, Park, and Lee: The Correlation between Maternal Adult Attachment Style and Postpartum Depression and Parenting Stress

Abstract

Objectives

We aimed to determine whether the adult attachment styles of pregnant women could predict development of postpartum depression.

Methods

Korean version of Revised Adult Attachment Scale, State Trait Anxiety Inventory-State/Trait (STAI-S/T), and Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) were administered at baseline. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Parenthood Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), STAI-S, and CES-D were assessed at week 2 and 6 postpartum. Participants were categorized into the secure-mom (SM ; n=48) or insecure-mom (IM ; n=9) group.

Results

While STAI-S scores in SM showed a continuous decrease during the entire observation period, STAI-S scores in IM decreased during the first two weeks but increased during the next four weeks. While SM showed decreased CES-D scores from week 2 to 6, IM showed increased CES-D scores from week 2 to 6. Although SM showed decreased EPDS scores from week 2 to 6, IM showed increased EPDS scores from week 2 to 6. In SM, the change in EDPS score from week 2 to week 6 showed positive correlation with PSQ-ability and PSQ-social subscale scores.

Conclusion

Assessing the maternal adult attachment style before giving birth appears to be helpful for screening the high-risk group who are vulnerable to development of postpartum depression.

Figures and Tables

Fig. 1

The changes in psychological scale scores. A : STAI-S. B : CES-D. C : EPDS. STAI-S : State Trait Anxiety Inventory-State, CES-D : Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, EPDS : Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.

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Table 1

Demographic characteristics of study participants

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SES : Socio-economic status

Table 2

Psychological scale scores of study participants

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* : Statistically significant. STAI-S/T : State Trait Anxiety Inventory-State/Trait, CES-D : Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, EPDS : Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, PSQ : Parenthood Stress Questionnaire

Notes

Conflicts of Interest The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

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