Links Among High EPDS Scores, State of Mind Regarding Attachment, and Symptoms of Personality Disorder

Johanne Smith-Nielsen; Howard Steele; Heike Mehlhase; Katharina Cordes; Miriam Steele; Susanne Harder; Mette Skovgaard Væver

doi:10.1521/pedi_2014_28_173

Links Among High EPDS Scores, State of Mind Regarding Attachment, and Symptoms of Personality Disorder

Johanne Smith-Nielsen, Howard Steele, Heike Mehlhase, Katharina Cordes, Miriam Steele, Susanne Harder, Mette Skovgaard Væver

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Underlying persistent psychological difficulties have been found to moderate potential adverse effects of maternal postpartum depression (PPD) on parenting and infant development. The authors examined whether mothers presenting postpartum depressive symptoms showed higher levels of personality pathology and more insecure state of mind regarding attachment compared to nondepressed mothers. Participants (N = 85) were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Present State Examination, the Adult Attachment Interview, and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II. Mothers with high EPDS scores were more likely to have a preoccupied insecure state of mind and to have personality disorder compared with mothers scoring below clinical cutoff. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis showed that personality disorder and AAI classification were independently related to EPDS score, and that these two factors together accounted for 48% of the variance in EPDS score. Findings are discussed in terms of heterogeneity in PPD populations and underline the importance of examining potential coexisting psychological difficulties when studying PPD.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Personality Disorders
Volume	29
Issue number	6
Pages (from-to)	771-793
Number of pages	23
ISSN	0885-579X
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1521/pedi_2014_28_173
Publication status	Published - Dec 2015

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10.1521/pedi_2014_28_173

1 Other (prizes, external teaching and other activities) - Period visiting other institutions

Research visit at Centre for Attachment Research, New School
Smith-Nielsen, J. (Participant)
15 Sept 2013 → 31 Oct 2013
Activity: Other activity types › Other (prizes, external teaching and other activities) - Period visiting other institutions

Cite this

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title = "Links Among High EPDS Scores, State of Mind Regarding Attachment, and Symptoms of Personality Disorder",

abstract = "Underlying persistent psychological difficulties have been found to moderate potential adverse effects of maternal postpartum depression (PPD) on parenting and infant development. The authors examined whether mothers presenting postpartum depressive symptoms showed higher levels of personality pathology and more insecure state of mind regarding attachment compared to nondepressed mothers. Participants (N = 85) were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Present State Examination, the Adult Attachment Interview, and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II. Mothers with high EPDS scores were more likely to have a preoccupied insecure state of mind and to have personality disorder compared with mothers scoring below clinical cutoff. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis showed that personality disorder and AAI classification were independently related to EPDS score, and that these two factors together accounted for 48% of the variance in EPDS score. Findings are discussed in terms of heterogeneity in PPD populations and underline the importance of examining potential coexisting psychological difficulties when studying PPD.",

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AU - Smith-Nielsen, Johanne

AU - Steele, Howard

AU - Mehlhase, Heike

AU - Cordes, Katharina

AU - Steele, Miriam

AU - Harder, Susanne

AU - Væver, Mette Skovgaard

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N2 - Underlying persistent psychological difficulties have been found to moderate potential adverse effects of maternal postpartum depression (PPD) on parenting and infant development. The authors examined whether mothers presenting postpartum depressive symptoms showed higher levels of personality pathology and more insecure state of mind regarding attachment compared to nondepressed mothers. Participants (N = 85) were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Present State Examination, the Adult Attachment Interview, and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II. Mothers with high EPDS scores were more likely to have a preoccupied insecure state of mind and to have personality disorder compared with mothers scoring below clinical cutoff. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis showed that personality disorder and AAI classification were independently related to EPDS score, and that these two factors together accounted for 48% of the variance in EPDS score. Findings are discussed in terms of heterogeneity in PPD populations and underline the importance of examining potential coexisting psychological difficulties when studying PPD.

AB - Underlying persistent psychological difficulties have been found to moderate potential adverse effects of maternal postpartum depression (PPD) on parenting and infant development. The authors examined whether mothers presenting postpartum depressive symptoms showed higher levels of personality pathology and more insecure state of mind regarding attachment compared to nondepressed mothers. Participants (N = 85) were assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Present State Examination, the Adult Attachment Interview, and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II. Mothers with high EPDS scores were more likely to have a preoccupied insecure state of mind and to have personality disorder compared with mothers scoring below clinical cutoff. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis showed that personality disorder and AAI classification were independently related to EPDS score, and that these two factors together accounted for 48% of the variance in EPDS score. Findings are discussed in terms of heterogeneity in PPD populations and underline the importance of examining potential coexisting psychological difficulties when studying PPD.

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Links Among High EPDS Scores, State of Mind Regarding Attachment, and Symptoms of Personality Disorder

Abstract

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Activities

Research visit at Centre for Attachment Research, New School

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