title: Effects of postpartum anxiety disorders and depression on maternal self-confidence.
abstract: Low maternal self-confidence may damage the early mother-infant relationship and negatively influence infant development. The goal of this study was to test whether a current and previous history of DSM-IV anxiety and depressive disorders is associated with maternal self-confidence two weeks after delivery. Postpartum anxiety disorder and depression was diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria in a community sample of 798 women. The data showed a significant link between current postpartum anxiety and depressive disorders and maternal self-confidence. Furthermore, women with a depression or anxiety disorder in their previous psychiatric history scored lower in maternal self-confidence. There is a need for appropriate preventive programmes to promote maternal self-confidence. With such programmes it is possible to prevent infant developmental disorders which might result from reduced feelings of maternal self-confidence and associated maternal interaction behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg, Germany. corinna_reck@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reck
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Noe
authors.forename: Jakob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerstenlauer
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stehle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008425:Maternal Behavior; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires