CHILDHOOD ABUSE, PARENTING AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION

Objective: While the potential negative effects on children of materna l depression has been documented, the influence of a maternal history of childhood abuse on child development is unclear. This study, the fi rst stage of a 3-year follow-up study, looks at childhood abuse in wom en with depression in the postpartum period. Method: Fifty-six women a dmitted with postpartum depressive disorders were assessed with respec t to their wellbeing, relationships and infant interaction, Twenty-eig ht women had a history of sexual abuse before the age of 16, nine phys ical/emotional abuse and 19 had no history of abuse. Results: The moth er-infant relationship was seen to be impaired in the sexually abused group (p = 0.007). The significance increased when all abused women we re compared to controls (p = 0.001). In addition, abuse was associated with more severe depression on the Beck Depression Inventory (p = 0.0 46), and a trend to higher anxiety and longer lengths of stay (p = 0.0 5 for physical abuse). Partners rated themselves as being more skilled and confident parents. Conclusions: The effect of childhood abuse was indistinguishable between emotional and physical abuse in postpartum depressed women. The most significant effect was a deleterious one on the mother-infant relationship in those women with a history of abuse.