2002 International International Biennial Scientific Meeting

PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION: ARE THE EFFECTS ENDURING?

Michael W O'Hara

University of Iowa

mike-ohara@uiowa.edu

Since the publication of the pioneering work of Holden, Sagovsky, and Cox in 1989, there have been a number of published papers reporting on trials of psychotherapy for postpartum depression. Brief counseling interventions as well as psychotherapeutic interventions based on Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Interpersonal Psychotherapy have proven to be effective in treating depression in the postpartum period. Prior to the publication of the first studies on the psychotherapeutic treatment of postpartum depression, there had been a large literature suggesting that postpartum depressions often were associated with continued vulnerability to depression over a period of at least five to seven years. These findings reflected the general literature on the natural history of depression, which indicates that depression is a recurring disorder. Moreover, findings from longitudinal follow-up studies of women treated for postpartum depression indicate that even women who were successfully treated have recurrences of their depression. These recurrences have important implications for the social adjustment of women as well as for the health and well-being of their children. New strategies to keep women well following successful treatment for depression are needed.