THE EXPERIENCE OF POSTNATAL DEPRESSION IN A SAMPLE OF ROMANIAN MOTHERS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbpsyped.2017.1.01Keywords:
postnatal depression, mothers, experience, qualitative research.Abstract
Maternal postnatal depression (PND) is a prevalent condition after birth, with significant effects on both mother and child mental health. The aim of the present research was to explore the experience of postnatal depression in a sample of Romanian mothers. Within an interpretative-phenomenological approach, we interviewed and analyzed the data from three mothers, regarding their perception and experience of postnatal depression. All participants were screened for PND in the first place. Within the interviews, three major themes were delineated: 1) postnatal depression: experience, significance, contextualization; 2) ambivalence; 3) social support. Three specific themes also emerged: 1) worries and dysfunctional cognitions; 2) family conflict; 3) dissatisfaction with self. All three mothers recognized the concept of postnatal depression and knew its meaning. The meanings assigned by the mothers to postnatal depression, respectively to their psychological states were: disorder, tendency to harm the baby, sadness, apathy, dissatisfaction with self. Mothers’ perception of their PND experience was ambivalent, changing from minimization or denial to acknowledgment. Social support was perceived as present, while emotional support was also acknowledged as understanding (of mothers’ experiences). Our results depicted postnatal depression as a phenomenon experienced both in rural and urban contexts, with common and specific features among participants.
Die Erfahrung der postnatalen Depression in einer Stichprobe von rumänischen Müttern. Mütterliche postnatale Depression (MPD) ist eine verbreitete Erkrankung nach der Geburt, mit erheblichen Auswirkungen auf Mutter und Kind psychische Gesundheit. Das Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war die Erfahrung der postnatalen Depression in einer Probe der rumänischen Mütter zu erkunden. Innerhalb eines interpretativ-phänomenologischen Ansatzes haben wir die Daten von drei Müttern in Bezug auf ihre Wahrnehmung und Erfahrung der postnatalen Depression interviewt und analysiert. Alle Teilnehmer wurden in erster Linie auf MPD geprüft. Innerhalb der Interviews wurden drei Hauptthemen abgegrenzt: 1) postnatale Depression: Erfahrung, Bedeutung, Kontextualisierung; 2) Ambivalenz; 3) soziale Unterstützung. Es gab auch drei spezifische Themen: 1) Sorgen und dysfunktionale Kognitionen; 2) Familienkonflikt; 3) Selbstunzufriedenheit. Alle drei Mütter erkannten das Konzept der postnatalen Depression und wussten ihre Bedeutung. Die Bedeutungen zugewiesen von den Müttern zur postnatalen Depression bzw. zu ihre psychologischen Zustände waren: Störung, Tendenz dem Baby zu schaden, Traurigkeit, Apathie, Selbstunzufriedenheit. Die Wahrnehmung der Mütter in Bezug auf ihre MPD-Erfahrung war ambivalent und wechselte von der Minimierung oder der Ablehnung der Anerkennung. Die soziale Unterstützung wurde als Gegenwart wahrgenommen, während die emotionale Unterstützung war auch als Verständnis (der Erfahrungen der Mütter) anerkannt. Unsere Ergebnisse zeigten eine postnatale Depression als ein Phänomen, das sowohl im ländlichen als auch im urbanen Kontext auftritt, mit gemeinsamen und spezifischen Merkmalen unter den Teilnehmern.
Schlüsselwörter: postnatale Depression, Mütter, Erfahrung, qualitative Forschung
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