Abstract
We sought to evaluate the prevalence rate and factors associated with post adoption depression. One hundred and twelve adoptive mothers of infants under 12 months of age were recruited from local and national adoption organizations. A modified Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a questionnaire collecting medical and psychiatric history, perceived stress, and demographics were administered retrospectively. The rates of significant depressive symptoms (defined as EPDS ≥12) were calculated at three time points post adoption, and associations with specific clinical variables (personal or family psychiatric history, stress, and adjustment difficulty) were assessed. Eighty-six mothers were included. Rates of significant depressive symptoms (EPDS ≥12) were found in 27.9% of subjects at 0–4 weeks, 25.6% at 5–12 weeks, and 12.8% at 13–52 weeks post adoption. Significant depressive symptoms were not associated with personal or family psychiatric history but were associated with stress (p = 0.0011) and adjustment difficulties (p = 0.042) post adoption. Significant depressive symptoms were relatively common in adoptive mothers within the first year after adoption and were associated with environmental stress. Prospective studies are needed to confirm the existence of post adoption depression and the factors associated with it.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boyd RC, Le HN, Somberg R (2005) Review of screening instruments for postpartum depression. Arch Womens Ment Health 8:141–153
Campbell SB, Cohn JF (1991) Prevalence and correlates of postpartum depression in first-time mothers. J Abnorm Psychol 100(4):594–599
Chandra A, Abma J, Maza P, Bachrach C (1999) Adoption, adoption seeking, and relinquishment for adoption in the United States. Adv Data 306:1–16
Cox JL, Holden JM, Sagovsky R (1987) Detection of postnatal depression. Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Br J Psychiatry 150:782–786
Dean C, Dean NR, White A, Liu WZ (1995) An adoption study comparing the prevalence of psychiatric illness in women who have adoptive and natural children compared with women who have adoptive children only. J Affect Disord 34:55–60
Fontenot HB (2007) Transition and adaptation to adoptive motherhood. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 36:175–182
Gair S (1999) Distress and depression in new motherhood: research with adoptive mothers highlights important contributing factors. Child Fam Soc Work 4:55–66
Gjerdingen DK, Froberg D (1991) Predictors of health in new mothers. Soc Sci Med 33:1399–1407
Harris B, Huckle P, Thomas R, Johns S, Fung H (1989) The use of rating scales to identify post-natal depression. Br J Psychiatry 154:813–817
Melges FT (1968) Postpartum psychiatric syndromes. Psychosom Med 30:95–108
O'Hara MW, Swain AM (1996) Rates and risk of postpartum depression—a meta-analysis. Int Rev Psychiatry 8:37–54
Robinson GE, Stewart DE (1986) Postpartum psychiatric disorders. CMAJ 134(1):31–37
Senecky Y, Agassi H, Inbar D, Horesh N, Diamond G, Bergman YS, Apter A (2009) Post-adoption depression among adoptive mothers. J Affect Disord 115:62–68
Tetlow C (1955) Psychoses of childbearing. J Ment Sci 101:629–639
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2004) How many children were adopted in 2000 and 2001? Child Welfare Information Gateway, Washington, DC
Victoroff VM (1952) Dynamics and management of para partum neuropathic reactions. Dis Nerv Syst 13:291–298
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00737-010-0179-x
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Payne, J.L., Fields, E.S., Meuchel, J.M. et al. Post adoption depression. Arch Womens Ment Health 13, 147–151 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-009-0137-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-009-0137-7