Thesis (M.S. in pharmacology and toxicology)--Washington State University, May 2010. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on July 23, 2010). "Graduate Program in Pharmacology and Toxicology." Includes bibliographical references (p. 25-30).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-149). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

No description available.

Postpartum depression is a debilitating condition that has been researched in different populations. A surge in prevalence has been noted in non-western cultures and extremely high prevalence has been recorded in some South African studies. There is a dearth of literature on prevalence or experiences of postpartum depression in South African Indian women. AIMS: This study sought to understand the causes and experiences of South African Indian women potentially suffering from postpartum depression with a view to making recommendations for prevention and care of postpartum depression. METHOD: Low-income South African Indian women were screened for postpartum depression at primary health care clinics at two locations in KwaZulu-Natal. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to screen women for postpartum depression. A semi-structured interview was then carried out to determine eight women’s levels of coping. These included individual, interpersonal, community, societal and cultural coping mechanisms and support systems. RESULTS: In line with other studies on postpartum depression, the study revealed that interpersonal issues, abusive relationships, economic hardships and a lack of adequate social support precipitated or aggravated depressive feelings in the postpartum period. CONCLUSION: A number of recommendations for prevention and treatment of postpartum depression were identified and include Routine Screening, Psycho-education, Interpersonal Therapy, Task-shifting to Community Health Workers to aid in prevention and treatment and increased maternity and paternity leave. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2010.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitudes of hospital postpartum and public health nurses towards postpartum depression (PPD) using interpretive description. Postpartum depression is the leading complication after childbirth and impacts negatively on the health of the mother and her child. The nurses in this study participated in focus groups and/or participant observation. The five patterns that describe participants experiences related to PPD were: “Nurses understand PPD in different ways”, “Nurses recognize that women need support”, “Nurses reported that teaching about PPD makes a difference”, “Strong relationships with a primary care provider is essential in the post partum period”, and “a key role of the nurse is to listen”. The nurses in this study revealed a rich understanding of PPD leading to recommendations for practice by hospital and public health nurses related to PPD contributing to better care for women experiencing PPD.

This study examined the influence of two personality variables, Dependency and Self-Criticism, on mothers' postpartum adjustment. These dimensions were also examined in relation to social support and infant characteristics. During pregnancy, 204 primiparous women completed measures of Dependency and Self-Criticism, depressive symptomatology and mood, and social support. A subsample of 72 women, identified as Dependent, Self-Critical, Mixed, or Control, were assessed at 6 weeks and 3 months postpartum on measures of depressive symptoms, mood, and maternal characteristics. Infant measures were obtained at 6 weeks and 3 months. Multiple regression analyses revealed that Self-Criticism was a stronger predictor of depressive symptomatology and mood than Dependency and predicted a wider range of problems in maternal role functioning. Social support and infant characteristics made significant contributions to postpartum adjustment, and maternal depressive symptoms predicted less optimal infant socioemotional development. Results suggest the need to modify current conceptualizations of Dependency and Self-Criticism. Implications for identification and treatment of women vulnerable to adjustment problems during the transition to motherhood were discussed.

Adolescent pregnancy has been of longstanding societal concern primarily because of the inability of most young mothers to provide adequately for their infants. Depression often results in disengagement from mother-child interaction. Adolescent mothers identified as depressed are at increased risk of future psychopathology, with additional deleterious effects on their infants&rsquo / lives. The purpose of this study was to explore adolescent mothers&rsquo / experiences of motherhood and memories of feeling depressed during or after the birth of their babies. The first aim was to explore the young women&rsquo / s experiences of mothering, by focusing upon the practice of being a mother. The second aim was to explore the young women&rsquo / s experiences of depression, by focusing on their physical behaviour and emotional experiences. The third aim was to explore their perceptions of the causes of their depression. The rationale for this study was that these issues will further enhance the body of knowledge available to practitioners working with adolescent mothers. It will also provide a source of insights and hypotheses for preventive intervention research. The study was located within a feminist standpoint framework that begins from the perspective of women with the aim to explore women&rsquo / s accounts of their experiences in relation to depression as an important source of knowledge. A qualitative research design and methodology was employed in the region of the Western Cape. Eight adolescent mothers between the ages of 16 and 19 were recruited and interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured and consisted out of open-ended questions. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis of data was carried out. The findings of this research yielded some interesting areas for future research and implications for treatment and intervention with first-time adolescent mothers. The adolescent mothers in this study experienced similar depressive symptoms to adult mothers in previous research. All the participants revealed that they feared their parents&rsquo / disappointment in them for being pregnant. This factor contributed to their depression, because they received very little (if any) support from their parents or the father of their baby. The participants discussed that their pregnancy or giving birth was linked to various aspects of themselves that they had lost as an adolescent. Before they received counselling, none of the participants understood why they experienced depressive symptoms or what was happening to them at the time after their pregnancies.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Western Australia, 2005.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2007. / Abstract. Includes bibliographic references (p.91-99).