This research will measure the affects of social support on postpartum depression in women ages 18-40. Each participant will have already tested positive to having postpartum depression 1-24 months following the delivery of one child. Levels of depression will be measured using the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Deck Depression Inventory (DDI). We plan to conduct a quasi-experimental, one group prospective pre-test, post-test study to evaluate whether a psychiatrist-managed intervention, support group will improve levels of postpartum depression in 20 women in four different counties in Florida, who are enrolled in a prenatal program at their local health department. After the local health departments agree, we must find
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Exclusion criteria will include receiving mental health services from any health care provider other than the ones provided from our experiment and meeting criteria for a current anxiety disorder, substance use disorder, or psychosis determined by the DSM-V.
Research Instrument The EPDS is the most commonly used self-assessed method to diagnose postpartum depression in women, including minorities and teenagers. Each question response is coded from 0-3, with 30 being the maximum total score. A cutoff score of 10 or more identifies women as high risk for postpartum depression. A cutoff score of 13 or more indicates a major depressive disorder.
The DDI has been determined reliable across different populations. It is one of the most widely used evaluations for measuring the severity of depression. Scores between 0 and 9 indicate that the respondent is experiencing minimum symptoms of depression. A score of 10-16 indicates the respondent is experiencing minor levels of depression, while scores of 17-29 indicate that the participant is experiencing average levels of depression. If a respondent has a score between 30 and 63, they are suffering from a major or severe form of
Exclusion criteria will include receiving mental health services from any health care provider other than the ones provided from our experiment and meeting criteria for a current anxiety disorder, substance use disorder, or psychosis determined by the DSM-V.
Research Instrument The EPDS is the most commonly used self-assessed method to diagnose postpartum depression in women, including minorities and teenagers. Each question response is coded from 0-3, with 30 being the maximum total score. A cutoff score of 10 or more identifies women as high risk for postpartum depression. A cutoff score of 13 or more indicates a major depressive disorder.
The DDI has been determined reliable across different populations. It is one of the most widely used evaluations for measuring the severity of depression. Scores between 0 and 9 indicate that the respondent is experiencing minimum symptoms of depression. A score of 10-16 indicates the respondent is experiencing minor levels of depression, while scores of 17-29 indicate that the participant is experiencing average levels of depression. If a respondent has a score between 30 and 63, they are suffering from a major or severe form of