Perspectives on supporting fathers affected by postnatal depression and a history of violence

Intimate partner violence in the perinatal period is a significant problem that remains underscreened, underdiagnosed and undertreated. The establishment of evidence-based guidelines to enable health visitors to identify couples experiencing violence and offer appropriate support has been hampered by the complex interplay between maternal and paternal mental health problems and violence. This study explored the experiences of UK fathers who voluntarily engaged with services designed to eliminate their ideation to violence. The findings indicate that the tendency to violence is increased by stresses associated with the transition to parenthood. Men felt pressured by concerns for their partner's mental health, changes in the relationship, sleep disturbances and the burden of infant care they assumed when the mother was unable to cope. Health visitors are ideally placed to assess for factors linked to the emergence of violence and put in place interventions to minimise occurrence

Postpartum depression on the neonatal intensive care unit: current perspectives

Noor N Tahirkheli,1 Amanda S Cherry,1 Alayna P Tackett,2 Mary Anne McCaffree,3 Stephen R Gillaspy11Section of General and Community Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USA; 2Department of Psychology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, USA; 3Section of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK, USAAbstract: As the most common complication of childbirth affecting 10%–15% of women, postpartum depression (PPD) goes vastly undetected and untreated, inflicting long-term consequences on both mother and child. Studies consistently show that mothers of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience PPD at higher rates with more elevated symptomatology than mothers of healthy infants. Although there has been increased awareness regarding the overall prevalence of PPD and recognition of the need for health care providers to address this health issue, there has not been adequate attention to PPD in the context of the NICU. This review will focus on an overview of PPD and psychological morbidities, the prevalence of PPD in mothers of infants admitted to NICU, associated risk factors, potential PPD screening measures, promising intervention programs, the role of NICU health care providers in addressing PPD in the NICU, and suggested future research directions.Keywords: neonatal intensive care unit, postpartum depression, mother

Factors associated with parental adaptation to children with an undiagnosed medical condition

Little is known about the adaptive process and experiences of parents raising a child with an undiagnosed medical condition. The present study aims to assess how uncertainty, hope, social support, and coping efficacy contributes to adaptation among parents of children with an undiagnosed medical condition. Sixty-two parents of child affected by an undiagnosed medical condition for at least two years completed an electronically self-administered survey. Descriptive analysis suggested parents in this population had significantly lower adaptation scores when compared to other parents of children with undiagnosed medical conditions, and parents of children with a diagnosed intellectual and/or physical disability. Similarly, parents in this population had significantly lower hope, perceived social support and coping efficacy when compared to parents of children with a diagnosed medical condition. Multiple linear regression was used to identify relationships between independent variables and domains of adaptation. Positive stress response was negatively associated with emotional support (B\ua0=\ua0−0.045, p\ua0≤\ua00.05), and positively associated with coping efficacy (B\ua0=\ua00.009, p\ua0≤\ua00.05). Adaptive self-esteem was negatively associated with uncertainty towards one’s social support (B\ua0=\ua0−0.248, p\ua0≤\ua00.05), and positively associated with coping efficacy (B\ua0=\ua00.007, p\ua0≤\ua00.05). Adaptive social integration was negatively associated with uncertainty towards one’s social support (B-0.273, p\ua0≤\ua00.05), and positively associated with uncertainty towards child’s health (B\ua0=\ua00.323, p\ua0≤\ua00.001), and affectionate support (B\ua0=\ua00.110, p\ua0≤\ua00.001). Finally, adaptive spiritual wellbeing was negatively associated with uncertainty towards one’s family (B\ua0=\ua0−0.221, p\ua0≤\ua00.05). Findings from this study have highlighted the areas where parents believed additional support was required, and provided insight into factors that contribute to parental adaptation