Article2012

Maternal Postadoption Depression, Unmet Expectations, and Personality Traits

Karen J. Foli · Susan C. South · Eunjung Lim · Megan Hebdon

29 citations0/0 files storedJournal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association

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Child Welfare and Adoption Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum Personality Disorders and Psychopathology

Abstract

BACKGROUND: There are approximately 2 million adoptive parents in the United States and some struggle with depressive symptoms postplacement. We know little about personality traits that may be associated with depression in adoptive parents. OBJECTIVES: This study describes the relationships between personality traits, unmet expectations, and maternal postadoption depression. DESIGN: Adoptive mothers (N = 136) were surveyed for depressive symptoms using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Analyses included correlations and a regression analysis between depressive symptoms and unmet expectations with the Five-Factor Model personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, openness to experience) as measured by the Ten-Item Personality Inventory. RESULTS: Both the CES-D and EPDS were significantly, negatively correlated with all five personality dimensions. Mothers whose expectations of themselves as parents matched pre- and postplacement were more likely to be emotionally stable and extraverted. Approximately 36% of the variance in depressive symptoms was explained by personality traits (emotional stability: p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: The postadoption period is a crucial time of transition for mothers and their children. Maternal emotional stability, depressive symptoms, and unmet expectations may affect this period. Mothers who are lower in emotional stability may be at risk for postadoptive depressive symptoms. In planning and providing innovative care that promotes positive mother-child relationships, nurses should assess adoptive mothers for depressive symptoms, emotional stability, and unmet expectations.

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References

1977The CES-D Scale 1982Asymptotic Confidence Intervals for Indirect Effects in Structural Equation Models 2003A very brief measure of the Big-Five personality domains 2008Handbook of Personality: Theory and Research 1993The structure of phenotypic personality traits.2010Linking “big” personality traits to anxiety, depressive, and substance use disorders: A meta-analysis.2005Personality and the Prediction of Consequential Outcomes 2008A multi-method examination of the effects of mindfulness on stress attribution, coping, and emotional well-being

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2015Adoption 2019Depression and Anxiety Symptoms of British Adoptive Parents: A Prospective Four-Wave Longitudinal Study 2018Adoptive parents' evaluation of expectations and children's behavior problems: The mediational role of parenting stress and parental satisfaction

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