Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge, Free School Lane, Cambridge CB2 3RQ, UK.
School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, UK.
J Affect Disord. 2020 Mar 15;265:372-380. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2020.01.133. Epub 2020 Jan 22.
Becoming a parent is a time of both joy and stress. Associations between exposure to postnatal depression and negative child outcomes underscore the importance of understanding trajectories and correlates of perinatal depression and anxiety.
In a study of 438 expectant couples (from the UK, USA and Netherlands) tracked across four time-points (third trimester, 4, 14 and 24 months), we used dyadic latent growth curve modeling (LGCM) of self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression (CES-D, GHQ, STAI) to investigate the affective impact of becoming a parent.
Confirmatory factor analyses of anxious-depressive symptoms revealed a single latent factor with measurement invariance across time and parent. Dyadic LGCM intercepts showed greater prenatal problems in mothers compared with fathers. LGCM slopes revealed stable maternal problems but worsening paternal problems. Both intercepts and slopes showed significant within-couple associations. Controlling for prenatal salivary cortisol levels and perinatal couple relationship quality, support from friends attenuated mothers' psychological distress and support from family reduced fathers' psychological distress across the transition to parenthood.
Our sample was low risk (i.e., predominantly well-educated and affluent and no history of serious mental illness), limiting the generalizability of findings. In addition, the inverse association between psychological distress and social support may, in part, reflect the use of self-report for both measures.
The international dyadic longitudinal design strengthens conclusions regarding variation in trajectories of psychological distress in both mothers and fathers. Crucially, social support appears pivotal in enabling new parents to flourish.
成为父母既是喜悦也是压力。产后抑郁与儿童不良结局之间的关联强调了理解围产期抑郁和焦虑轨迹及其相关因素的重要性。
在一项对 438 对（来自英国、美国和荷兰）准父母进行的研究中，研究人员在四个时间点（第三个三个月、4 个月、14 个月和 24 个月）对他们进行了跟踪，使用双因素潜增长曲线模型（LGCM）对自我报告的焦虑和抑郁症状（CES-D、GHQ、STAI）进行了分析，以研究成为父母对情绪的影响。
对焦虑抑郁症状的验证性因素分析显示，在时间和父母方面存在单一的潜在因素。双因素 LGCM 截距显示母亲在产前比父亲有更多的问题。LGCM 斜率显示母亲的问题稳定，但父亲的问题恶化。截距和斜率都显示出夫妻之间的显著关联。在控制了产前唾液皮质醇水平和围产期夫妻关系质量后，来自朋友的支持减轻了母亲的心理困扰，来自家庭的支持减少了父亲在过渡到父母身份期间的心理困扰。
我们的样本风险较低（即，受教育程度高、富裕，且没有严重精神疾病史），限制了研究结果的普遍性。此外，心理困扰和社会支持之间的反比关系可能在一定程度上反映了这两种测量方法都采用了自我报告。
国际双因素纵向设计加强了母亲和父亲心理困扰轨迹变化的结论。至关重要的是，社会支持似乎对新父母的茁壮成长起着关键作用。
