The Correlation between Maternal Adult Attachment Style and Postpartum Depression and Parenting Stress

Sung Yong Park; Sun Mi Kim; Baik Seok Kee; Doug Hyun Han; Churl Na; Gwang Jun Kim; Min Young Park; Na Mi Lee

doi:10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.4.515

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

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

Original Article

Journal of Korean Neuropsychiatric Association 2015; 54(4): 515-522.

Published online: 30 November 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.4.515

The Correlation between Maternal Adult Attachment Style and Postpartum Depression and Parenting Stress

Sung Yong Park, MD¹, Sun Mi Kim, MD, PhD¹, Baik Seok Kee, MD, PhD¹, Doug Hyun Han, MD, PhD¹, Churl Na, MD, PhD¹, Gwang Jun Kim, MD, PhD², Min Young Park, MD, PhD², Na Mi Lee, MD, PhD³

¹Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

²Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung-Ang University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

³Department of Pediatrics, Chung-Ang University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.

Address for correspondence: Sun Mi Kim, MD, PhD. Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Medical Center, 102 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul 06973, Korea. Tel +82-2-6299-1519, Fax +82-2-6298-1508, sunmikim706@gmail.com

Received 6 July 2015 Revised 17 August 2015 Accepted 20 August 2015

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.

Keywords: Maternal adult attachment style, Postpartum depression, Parenting stress

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.

Table 1

Demographic characteristics of study participants

SES : Socio-economic status

Table 2

Psychological scale scores of study participants

* : 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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