title: Revised Beck Depression Inventory scores of inner-city adolescents: pre- and postpartum.
abstract: The revised Beck Depression Inventory was administered to 109 (69.0%) black, 33 (20.9%) Hispanic, and 16 (10.1%) white adolescents who were attending prenatal and postpartum clinics offered by two inner-city hospitals at 28 wk. of pregnancy, 5 wk. postpartum, and 6 mo. postpartum. The mean Beck scores significantly decreased between 28 wk. of pregnancy and 5 wk. postpartum but did not change between 5 wk. and 6 mo. postpartum. The levels of depression were comparable to those previously reported for nonpregnant adolescent females. Using a Beck cut-off score greater than 20 as indicative of depression, 134 (84.8%) were never depressed; 11 (7.0%) became depressed after delivery; 8 (5.1%) ceased being depressed after delivery; and 5 (3.1%) were depressed throughout.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, UMDNJ-School of Osteopathic Medicine, Camden, 08103-1505.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Steer
authors.forename: T O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Scholl
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Beck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010556:Personality Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000523:psychology*