Abstract
Similar to biological mothers during the postpartum period, women who adopt children experience increased stress and life changes that may put them at risk for developing depression and anxiety. The purpose of the current study was to compare levels of depression and anxiety symptoms between postpartum and adoptive women and, among adoptive women, to examine associations between specific stressors and depressive symptoms. Data from adoptive mothers (n = 147), recruited from Holt International, were compared to existing data from postpartum women (n = 147). Differences in the level of depression and anxiety symptoms as measured by the Inventory of Depression and Anxiety Symptoms among postpartum and adoptive women were examined. Associations between specific stressors and depressive symptoms were examined among adoptive mothers. Postpartum and adoptive women had comparable levels of depressive symptoms, but adoptive women reported greater well-being and less anxiety than postpartum women. Stressors (e.g., sleep deprivation, history of infertility, past psychological disorder, and less marital satisfaction) were all significantly associated with depressive symptoms among adoptive women. The level of depressive symptoms was not significantly different between the two groups. In contrast, adoptive women experienced significantly fewer symptoms of anxiety and experienced greater well-being. Additionally, adoptive mothers experienced more depressive symptoms during the year following adoption when the stressors were present. Thus, women with these characteristics should be routinely screened for depression and anxiety.
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Notes
The IDAS general depression scale (i.e., the dependent variable) includes items assessing sleep. However, because sleep was entered as a predictor variable, data were reanalyzed excluding the sleep items from the general depression scale, which yielded the same pattern of significant results. In addition, the same pattern of results emerged when the dysphoria scale, which does not contain any items that assess sleep, was used as the dependent variable.
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Acknowledgements
We thank Abbie Smith with Holt International, who helped with participant recruitment, and the staff at the Iowa Depression and Clinical Research Center, who assisted with the preparation and editing of the manuscript. Funding for this study was provided by CDC Grant MM-0822 awarded to Dr. Stuart. The CDC has no further role in study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
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Mott, S.L., Schiller, C.E., Richards, J.G. et al. Depression and anxiety among postpartum and adoptive mothers. Arch Womens Ment Health 14, 335–343 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-011-0227-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-011-0227-1