J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc.  2015 Nov;54(4):515-522. 10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.4.515.

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

• Park SY
• Kim SM
• Kee BS
• Han DH
• Na C
• Kim GJ
• Park MY
• Lee NM

• KMID: 2149334
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/jknpa.2015.54.4.515

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.

Keyword

Maternal adult attachment style; Postpartum depression; Parenting stress

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Anxiety
Depression, Postpartum*
Female
Humans
Mass Screening
Parenting*
Parents*
Parturition
Postpartum Period*
Pregnant Women

Figure

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  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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