SELF-ESTEEM, OPTIMISM, AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

This study was conducted to assess the predictive utility of self-este em and dispositional optimism to postpartum depression. Forty-five Bri tish women completed standard measures of self-esteem, optimism, and p ostpartum depression several weeks before childbirth. Depression was a gain measured at two and six weeks postpartum. Optimism was associated with less depressive symptoms during pregnancy and at two weeks postp artum, while self-esteem was associated with lower depression over all three administrations. After controlling for optimism and earlier lev els of depressive symptoms, self-esteem remained associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms two weeks postpartum. This suggests tha t self-esteem and not optimism appears to be a reliable contributing f actor to the differential susceptibility to depression in the early po stpartum period. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.