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Postpartum depression and social support in adolescents
M Cynthia Logsdon1, John C Birkimer, Theresa Simpson
1School of Nursing at the University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40292, USA. mclogs@aol.com
Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing : JOGNN
|January 28, 2005
Summary
This study found that social support interventions did not prevent postpartum depression symptoms in adolescent girls. However, receiving more social support and having low self-esteem predicted depression.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal mental health
- Adolescent psychology
- Social support interventions
Background:
- Postpartum depression (PPD) affects adolescent mothers.
- Social support is crucial during the postpartum period.
- Interventions aim to mitigate PPD symptoms in this vulnerable group.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of a social support intervention for pregnant adolescents.
- To prevent depression symptoms at 6 weeks postpartum.
Main Methods:
- Repeated measures design with 128 pregnant/postpartum adolescents.
- Intervention groups: pamphlet, video, pamphlet + video, or control.
- Data collected using Postpartum Support Questionnaire, Rosenberg's Self-Esteem, and Center for Epidemiological Studies of Depression (CES-D) instruments.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in CES-D scores between intervention and control groups.
- Higher perceived social support from friends and family predicted fewer depression symptoms.
- Low self-esteem was also a predictor of postpartum depression symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The tested social support interventions were not effective in preventing postpartum depression.
- Perceived social support and self-esteem are key factors in adolescent maternal mental health.
- Findings suggest a need for tailored approaches addressing self-esteem and support networks.