title: Predictors of maternal and paternal depressive symptoms at postpartum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postnatal depression has emerged as a major public health concern, which has deleterious effects on the well-being of the entire family. The aim of this study was to examine the predictive role of prenatal family sense of coherence, stress, social support and family, and marital functioning; the effect that any changes in these factors from pregnancy to postpartum; and partner's depressive symptoms on depressive symptoms at 6 months postpartum.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used a longitudinal design. A convenience sample of 200 childbearing couples in Hong Kong completed assessments of family sense of coherence, stress, social support, family, and marital functioning and depressive symptoms during pregnancy and at 6 months postpartum. Multiple regression analyses were employed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that a low level of family sense of coherence and a high level of depressive symptoms during pregnancy and partner's depressive symptoms were significantly associated with an increase in depressive symptoms for both mothers and fathers at 6 months postpartum. A lack of social support was significantly associated with increased risk of depressive symptoms for mothers, but not for fathers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that couple-based interventions that foster a sense of family coherence may be helpful in promoting parental well-being. Well-designed trials to test the effects of such interventions are recommended for future research.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, The Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Room 417, 4/F, William M W Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. Electronic address: fwngai@hku.hk.
authors.forename: Fei-Wan
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Ngai
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Mary Hospital, The Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 6/F, William MW Mong Block, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Siew-Fei
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Ngu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005220:Fathers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Depressive symptoms; Family sense of coherence; Postpartum; Pregnancy; Social support