According to the American Psychological Association, up to 1 in 7 women develop postpartum depression after giving birth (American Psychological Association, 2017). Mothers with the disorder exhibit several symptoms, including “extreme sadness, despair, tearfulness, insomnia, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, compulsions, panic attacks, feelings of inability to cope, and suicidal thoughts” (Comer, 2015, p. 221). Consequently, many psychological researchers assume that the distress and dysfunction caused by postpartum depression may have an impact on the children of women affected; one such impact could be a rise in the rates of corporal punishment of these children. In “History of Postpartum Depression and the Odds of Maternal Corporal Punishment”
…show more content…
Numerous factors, including small sample size (76 mothers), little racial diversity (78% White or African American), little economic diversity (many mothers had a low socioeconomic status), enrollment in a parent-training program, and reliance on retrospective reporting, make it difficult to ascertain what populations these findings may be applicable to (Knox, Rosenberger, Sarwar, Mangewala, & Klag, 2015, p. 398). Despite these limitations, this study can serve as a foundation for future research that may analyze the impact of postpartum depression on rates of corporal punishment. Additionally, this and future research could influence the considerations taken during the treatment of women with postpartum depression and cause clinicians to become increasingly aware of the impact that postpartum depression has on the lives of children. In addition to this study’s insight into the effect of postpartum depression on rates of corporal punishment, it also notes a significant difference between postpartum depression and parental depression; it would be worthwhile for researchers in the field of abnormal psychology to further explore the differences between these two forms of …show more content…
I know numerous women who have faced postpartum depression and far too many who have refused to seek help for the disorder; I believe that studies such as this may bring to light the influence mental disorders have on the children of those diagnosed and influence parents to seek treatment. Additionally, I would hope that insight into the impacts of postpartum depression may make professionals in the field more aware of the various possible risks that are increased in people who are diagnosed with the disorder. Unfortunately, I disliked that this study felt far from conclusive and failed to use methods that make it generalizable to various populations. After reading the article, I am left wondering how much internal and external validity this study truly possesses. Though I am unsure that an experimental study would be ethically possible with this subject matter, I do feel that random selection, test-retest reliability, and clinically valid measures could make this correlational study more valid. I sincerely hope that the work of Knox, Rosenberger, Sarwar, Mangewala, and Klag opens the door for more conclusive research on corporal punishment rates in relation to postpartum
Numerous factors, including small sample size (76 mothers), little racial diversity (78% White or African American), little economic diversity (many mothers had a low socioeconomic status), enrollment in a parent-training program, and reliance on retrospective reporting, make it difficult to ascertain what populations these findings may be applicable to (Knox, Rosenberger, Sarwar, Mangewala, & Klag, 2015, p. 398). Despite these limitations, this study can serve as a foundation for future research that may analyze the impact of postpartum depression on rates of corporal punishment. Additionally, this and future research could influence the considerations taken during the treatment of women with postpartum depression and cause clinicians to become increasingly aware of the impact that postpartum depression has on the lives of children. In addition to this study’s insight into the effect of postpartum depression on rates of corporal punishment, it also notes a significant difference between postpartum depression and parental depression; it would be worthwhile for researchers in the field of abnormal psychology to further explore the differences between these two forms of …show more content…
I know numerous women who have faced postpartum depression and far too many who have refused to seek help for the disorder; I believe that studies such as this may bring to light the influence mental disorders have on the children of those diagnosed and influence parents to seek treatment. Additionally, I would hope that insight into the impacts of postpartum depression may make professionals in the field more aware of the various possible risks that are increased in people who are diagnosed with the disorder. Unfortunately, I disliked that this study felt far from conclusive and failed to use methods that make it generalizable to various populations. After reading the article, I am left wondering how much internal and external validity this study truly possesses. Though I am unsure that an experimental study would be ethically possible with this subject matter, I do feel that random selection, test-retest reliability, and clinically valid measures could make this correlational study more valid. I sincerely hope that the work of Knox, Rosenberger, Sarwar, Mangewala, and Klag opens the door for more conclusive research on corporal punishment rates in relation to postpartum