Vol. 4 No. 2 (2022): July - Decembre 2022
Clinical psychology

Woman’s sentimental attachment style and depressive states in pregnancy: observational study on pregnant women in childbirth preparation courses

pdf (Italiano)
  • Antonio Capodilupo
DOI: https://doi.org/10.32069/PJ.2021.2.167

Published 2022-11-21 — Updated on 2022-11-21

Versions

Keywords

  • emotional attachment to the partner,
  • postpartum depression,
  • support from the partner,
  • risk

How to Cite

Capodilupo, A. (2022). Woman’s sentimental attachment style and depressive states in pregnancy: observational study on pregnant women in childbirth preparation courses. Phenomena Journal - International Journal of Psychopathology, Neuroscience and Psychotherapy, 4(2), 31–49. https://doi.org/10.32069/PJ.2021.2.167

Copyright (c) 2022 Antonio Capodilupo

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Attachment is a primary need, the models of which develop in childhood, in the relationship with the mother and the reference figures, and are reproduced in adult life, integrated with care and sexuality. The woman’s sentimental attachment styles affect the levels of depression (maternal blues and postpartum depression), which she may experience during her pregnancy. The survey, conducted on 73 women participating in childbirth preparation courses, held for a semester in a Lazio family advisory bureau, intends to detect the state of their mood in the third trimester of pregnancy and confirm the association, found in the literature, between the insecure styles and the depressive state. The SDS-Selfrating Depression Scale questionnaires, to measure depression in everyday life, the EPDS-Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale, to measure depression related to pregnancy, and the ECR-R Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised, to detect the matured attachment style in terms of Anxiety and Avoidance, were delivered for self-administration and all returned. The average level of depression in the contingent is lower than the values ​​of the validation sample: 39.8 included in the medium-low range between 32 and 43 of the SDS; 6.6 far from the level of 12 of depressive risk at the EPDS. However, a small group of pregnant women (14.66%) rank high in the EPDS and one of them also in the SDS. Even in attachment, the averages are low compared to the validation sample: the Anxiety dimension with 45.3 versus 56.08 and the Avoidance dimension with 43.2 versus 32.87; however, 9.59% of pregnant women have a high level of Anxiety and 8.22% have a high level of Avoidance. Pearson’s test detects significantly positive correlations between the two anxiety measures (r = 0.686, p <.05). The correlations between SPDS and SDS depression with regard to Anxiety (respectively: r = 0.464 and 0.409, p <.01) and Avoidance (respectively: r = 0.266 and 0.245, p <.05) are also positive. Regression analysis profiles the Anxiety dimension as the most predictive of the depressive state. The study confirms the findings in the literature and, in addition, suggests also investigating the partner’s attachment style, to observe its protective or harmful impact in the couple, proposes to intervene specifically towards pregnant women in high-end depression and anxiety, and advises to involve the partner with a supportive role.

pdf (Italiano)

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