Abstract

The following research study measured possible psychological and psychosocial predictors of postpartum depression (PPD) with specific scales from the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, 2nd Edition (MMPI-2). This personality instrument was administered to women during their third trimester of pregnancy. In the postpartum period the same subjects were assessed by a specific measure of postpartum depression, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Scores on the EPDS were subsequently correlated to specific MMPI-2 scales to determine the personality and symptom predictors of the onset of postpartum depression symptoms and to validate the MMPI-2 as a predictor of PPD symptom-severity. The following MMPI-2 scales were found to significantly positively correlate with the EPDS at both one week and three weeks following delivery; Depression (Scale 2), four of Scale 2's five Harris-Lingoes subscales, Psychasthenia (Scale 7), Social Introversion (Scale 0), and Schizophrenia's (Scale 8) subscale Social Alienation (Sc,). One Scale 2 subscale, Psychomotor Retardation, failed to significantly correlate with the outcome measure at either follow-up administration.

LLU Discipline

Psychology

Department

Psychology

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Janet L. Sonne

Second Advisor

Matt L. Riggs

Third Advisor

Elmar P. Sakala

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Degree Level

Psych.D.

Year Degree Awarded

2006

Date (Title Page)

9-2006

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Depression, Postpartum; Postpartum Period -- psychology; MMPI; Depression.

Type

Doctoral Project

Page Count

x; 88 p.

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

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Psychology Commons

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