Factors Affecting Postpartum Depressive Symptoms of Adolescent Mothers
Authors
M. Loretta Secco, Sheila Profit, Evelyn Kennedy, Audrey Walsh, Nicole Letourneau, and Miriam Stewart
Abstract
Objective : To assess the extent that antici pated maternal emotions in response to infant care (infant care emotionality or frustration and dissatisfaction with infant crying or fussing, or both), several forms of social support, and socioeconomic status explain fourth-week postpartum depressive symptoms of adolescent mothers.
Design : Secondary multiple regression analysis of a subset of variables from a larger longitudinal study that examined adolescent mothers and infants.
Setting : Two university teaching hospitals in Western Canada.
Participants : Convenience sample of 78 healthy adolescent mothers.
Main Outcome Measures : Prenatal anticipated infant care emotionality, perceived family and friend social support, socioeconomic status, enacted social support, and postpartum depressive symptoms.
Results : Anticipated infant care emotionality ( R 2 = .19) and socioeconomic status ( R 2 = .07) significantly predicted postpartum depressive symptoms. Family support, friend support, and enacted social support were not significant predictors of postpartum depressive symptoms.
Conclusion : Nurses in various settings can assess the pregnant adolescent’s anticipated infant care emotionality and socioeconomic status to determine their potential risk or vulnerability to postpartum depressive symptoms. More negative prenatal infant care emotionality was the strongest predictor of postpartum depressive symptoms. Validation of study findings with a larger, more representative sample is recommended. JOGNN, 36, 47-54; 2007. DOI: 10.1111/J.1552-6909.2006.00114.x
Longitudinal Study of Social-environmental Predictors of Behavior: Children of Adolescent and Older Mothers Compared
Authors
Nicole Letourneau, Cara B. Fedick, J. Douglas Willms, Miriam Stewart,and Kelly White
Abstracts
Compared to older, more educated mothers, adolescent mothers are more prone to less than optimal parenting interactions with their children. Moreover, adolescents’ children are more likely to experience developmental challenges. Inthis study, effects of social-environmental factors in the first two years of life on children’s anxiety and hyperactivity from age 2 to 8 were examined by analyzing Canadian longitudinal data. Initial levels of anxiety and hyperactivity were higher for children of adolescent mothers, and anxiety increased with age for all children. Female children displayed lower initial levels of hyperactivity than males, and females of adolescent mothers showed a steeper decrease in hyperactivity while males of adolescent mothers showed a steeper increase in hyperactivity than their counterparts parented by older mothers. Parenting, social support and other demographic factors were controlled for and the effects of these predictor variables on trajectories of anxiety and hyperactivity are discussed.