A group psychotherapy approach to postpartum depression.

In this article, the current knowledge of postpartum depression is reviewed, leading to an understanding of this form of depression as an expression of psychosocial factors compounded by the biological changes of the puerperium. A rationale for treating women in the context of the postpartum period is described. A novel approach to treatment is presented. The treatment uses the medium of group psychotherapy to administer interventions. The interventions are introduced in three phases across six months in weekly group sessions. The systematic intervention program focuses on decreasing four symptoms common to postpartum depression: depressed feelings, anxiety, distress, and low self-esteem. Spouses are involved in the treatment plan from the onset, participating in assessment sessions and in a couples group.

Postpartum depression: a debilitating yet often unassessed problem.

Postpartum depression, which affects up to 20 percent of new mothers, is an illness often neglected or dismissed by health professionals, leaving the majority of such mothers and their families untreated and confused. This article describes the reasons postpartum depression frequently goes unrecognized and the characteristics, symptoms, and risk factors that help identify this syndrome. Treatment approaches and interventions, the impact on the family, and the family's involvement in the stages of treatment are addressed. Developing a support group for those experiencing postpartum depression is one way social workers can bring this syndrome to the forefront. Implications for social work practice in identifying, referring, and treating mothers at risk for and currently experiencing postpartum depression are discussed.