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Self-esteem, optimism, and postpartum depression

K R Fontaine1, L C Jones

  • 1Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Journal of Clinical Psychology
|January 1, 1997
PubMed
Summary
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Self-esteem, not optimism, reliably predicts lower postpartum depression. This finding is crucial for understanding women's mental health after childbirth.

Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Obstetrics
  • Mental Health

Background:

  • Postpartum depression (PPD) affects many women.
  • Predictive factors for PPD require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the predictive value of self-esteem and dispositional optimism for postpartum depression.
  • To understand individual differences in susceptibility to PPD.

Main Methods:

  • Forty-five British women were assessed before childbirth.
  • Standard measures of self-esteem, optimism, and depression were used.
  • Depression was measured prenatally and at two and six weeks postpartum.

Main Results:

  • Optimism correlated with fewer depressive symptoms prenatally and at two weeks postpartum.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Self-esteem was linked to lower depression across all measurement points.
  • Self-esteem remained a significant predictor of lower depression at two weeks postpartum, even after accounting for optimism.

    • Conclusions:

    • Self-esteem, rather than optimism, appears to be a more consistent predictor of reduced susceptibility to early postpartum depression.
    • These findings highlight the importance of self-esteem in maternal mental well-being.