Depressiva reaktioner hos blivande och nyblivna mödrar : kvinnors och mäns upplevelser av föräldraskap första året efter barnets födelse.

The overall aim of this thesis was to study the prevalence of maternal emotional distress and depressive mood in pregnant and new mothers and the consequences for women’s and men’s perceptions of the unborn and newborn infant, parenthood and everyday life during the first year after childbirth. Method: Project A: A total of 232 women in Stockholm filled out three screening instruments for depression after the birth of their first baby: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Postpartum and Depression Symptoms Rating Scale (PDRS) as well as to complete various background data. Project B: A total of 298 women and their partners (n=282) were recruited from antenatal clinics in Stockholm to participate in a longitudinal study, including assessment at two months before, two months after, and one year after childbirth. The following questionnaires were used: Demographic and psychosocial background data, EPDS and Maternal/ Paternal Fetal Attachment Scale (MFA/PFA); EPDS and Infant Characteristic Questionnaire (ICQ); EPDS and Experiences of Motherhood/Fatherhood Questionnaire (EMQ/EFQ). Results: Background data were compared with the outcome of the screening scales at 4-6 weeks and 10-12 weeks after the birth of the first child. EPDS measured during the last 2 months of pregnancy showed a stronger prediction of depressed mood at one year (r=0.45, p<0.05) compared to EPDS measured two months after childbirth (r=0.26, p<0.05), correlating with the MFA and PFA. Physical aspects of pregnancy and the perception of fetal movements were assessed differently by women with and without signs of depression (p=0.03 and p=0.01 respectively). Parents’ perceptions of their infant’s temperament were assessed at two months after childbirth; families where the mother was possibly depressed (EPDS≥13) both fathers (p=0.05) and mothers (p=0.03) perceived their infant as fussier compared to families with a non-depressed mother. No difference emerged on the other ICQ-subscales. Depressed mood in women cast a long shadow over the mothers’ view of life one year after childbirth; both women and men were less satisfied with their sex life. The findings are discussed in relation to the midwife’s professional responsibility for maternal care and reproductive health for women, their partner’s and their children

Eye movements during reading and their relationship to reading assessment outcomes in Swedish elementary school children

The characteristics of children’s eye movements during reading change as they gradually become better readers. However, few eye tracking studies have investigated children’s reading and reading development and little is known about the relationship between reading-related eye movement measures and reading assessment outcomes. We recorded and analyzed three basic eye movement measures in an ecologically valid eye-tracking set-up. The participants were Swedish children (n = 2876) who were recorded in their normal school environment. The relationship between eye movements and reading assessment outcomes was analyzed in using linear mixed effects models. We found similar age-related changes in eye movement characteristics as established in previous studies, and that eye movements seem to correlate with reading outcome measures. Additionally, our results show that eye movements predict the results on several tests from a word reading assess- ment. Hence eye tracking may potentially be a useful tool in assessing reading development

Breastfeeding and depression: a systematic review of the literature

Background: Research has separately indicated associations between pregnancy depression and breastfeeding, breastfeeding and postpartum depression, and pregnancy and postpartum depression. This paper aimed to provide a systematic literature review on breastfeeding and depression, considering both pregnancy and postpartum depression. Methods: An electronic search in three databases was performed using the keywords: “breast feeding”, “bottle feeding”, “depression”, “pregnancy”, and “postpartum”. Two investigators independently evaluated the titles and abstracts in a first stage and the full-text in a second stage review. Papers not addressing the association among breastfeeding and pregnancy or postpartum depression, non-original research and research focused on the effect of antidepressants were excluded. 48 studies were selected and included. Data were independently extracted. Results: Pregnancy depression predicts a shorter breastfeeding duration, but not breastfeeding intention or initiation. Breastfeeding duration is associated with postpartum depression in almost all studies. Postpartum depression predicts and is predicted by breastfeeding cessation in several studies. Pregnancy and postpartum depression are associated with shorter breastfeeding duration. Breastfeeding may mediate the association between pregnancy and postpartum depression. Pregnancy depression predicts shorter breastfeeding duration and that may increase depressive symptoms during postpartum. Limitations: The selected keywords may have led to the exclusion of relevant references. Conclusions: Although strong empirical evidence regarding the associations among breastfeeding and pregnancy or postpartum depression was separately provided, further research, such as prospective studies, is needed to clarify the association among these three variables. Help for depressed pregnant women should be delivered to enhance both breastfeeding and postpartum psychological adjustment.This research was supported by FEDER Funds through the Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade – COMPETE and by National Funds through FCT – Fundaçãopara a Ciência e a Tecnologiaunder the project: PTDC/SAU/SAP/116738/2010. The sponsors had no further role in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the paper for publication

Ledsna mammor – besvikna kvinnor? Perinatal depression och kvinnors och mäns föräldraskap första året efter barnets födelse

The aim of the present thesis was to study the prevalence of maternal depressive mood during pregnancy and up to one year after childbirth in relation to the parents' psycho-social conditions, perception of the infant's temperament and experience of parenthood. Methods: In a longitudinal community-based study, 434 pregnant women were invited to the study. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was measured at two months before childbirth (I), two months after childbirth (II) and one year after childbirth (III). The parents' psycho-social conditions and experiences of parenthood were enquired at two months and at one year after childbirth, when the form Experience of Motherhood/Fatherhood Questionnaire (EMQ/EFQ) was applied. In addition Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ) was filled in by fathers and mothers two months after childbirth. Results: Nearly three fourths of the parents responded to the questionnaires. The period prevalence was 28%, and the point prevalence found on the EPDS I was 21%, EPDS II 17% and EPDS III 12%. Correlations between antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms, antenatal and depressive symptoms at one year were found, r=0.61 and r=0.45 respectively. Women with financial worries, lack of social support, showed more symptoms of depressed mood. The maternal depressive mood influenced negatively on breast-feeding and experiences of motherhood, but not fatherhood. "Depressed" mothers and their partners perceived their children as more temperamentally "difficult" than couples in families with a non-depressed mother. Conclusion: Since depressive mood occur already during pregnancy it is of utmost importance that the midwife develops methods to identify these women in greater need for social support and a good dialogue to guide them through pregnancy and childbirth to a healthy interaction with their baby and partner

Emotional distress and depressive mood in pregnant and new mothers : women’s and men’s perceptions of parenthood during the first year after childbirth [Elektronisk resurs]

The overall aim of this thesis was to study the prevalence of maternal emotional distress and depressive mood in pregnant and new mothers and the consequences for women’s and men’s perceptions of the unborn and newborn infant, parenthood and everyday life during the first year after childbirth. Method: Project A. A total of 232 women in Stockholm filled out three screening instruments for depression after the birth of their first baby: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) Postpartum and Depression Symptoms Rating Scale (PDRS) as well as to complete various background data. Project B. A total of 298 women and their partners (n=282) were recruited from antenatal clinics in Stockholm to participate in a longitudinal study, including assessment at two months before, two months after, and one year after childbirth. The following questionnaires were used: Demographic and psychosocial background data, EPDS and Maternal/ Paternal Fetal Attachment Scale (MFA/PFA); EPDS and Infant Characteristic Questionnaire (ICQ); EPDS and Experiences of Motherhood/Fatherhood Questionnaire (EMQ/EFQ). Results: Background data were compared with the outcome of the screening scales at 4-6 weeks and 10-12 weeks after the birth of the first child. EPDS measured during the last 2 months of pregnancy showed a stronger prediction of depressed mood at one year (r=0.45, p<0.05) compared to EPDS measured two months after childbirth (r=0.26, p<0.05), correlating with the MFA and PFA. Physical aspects of pregnancy and the perception of fetal movements were assessed differently by women with and without signs of depression (p=0.03 and p=0.01 respectively). Parents’ perceptions of their infant’s temperament were assessed at two months after childbirth; families where the mother was possibly depressed (EPDS≥13) both fathers (p=0.05) and mothers (p=0.03) perceived their infant as fussier compared to families with a non-depressed mother. No difference emerged on the other ICQ-subscales. Depressed mood in women cast a long shadow over the mothers’ view of life one year after childbirth; both women and men were less satisfied with their sex life. The findings are discussed in relation to the midwife’s professional responsibility for maternal care and reproductive health for women, their partner’s and their children

Sad mothers – disappointed women? Perinatal depression and women's and men's parenthood the first year after childbirth [Elektronisk resurs]

The aim of the present thesis was to study the prevalence of maternal depressive mood during pregnancy and up to one year after childbirth in relation to the parents' psycho-social conditions, perception of the infant's temperament and experience of parenthood. Methods: In a longitudinal community-based study, 434 pregnant women were invited to the study. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was measured at two months before childbirth (I), two months after childbirth (II) and one year after childbirth (III). The parents' psycho-social conditions and experiences of parenthood were enquired at two months and at one year after childbirth, when the form Experience of Motherhood/Fatherhood Questionnaire (EMQ/EFQ) was applied. In addition Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ) was filled in by fathers and mothers two months after childbirth. Results: Nearly three fourths of the parents responded to the questionnaires. The period prevalence was 28%, and the point prevalence found on the EPDS I was 21%, EPDS II 17% and EPDS III 12%. Correlations between antenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms, antenatal and depressive symptoms at one year were found, r=0.61 and r=0.45 respectively. Women with financial worries, lack of social support, showed more symptoms of depressed mood. The maternal depressive mood influenced negatively on breast-feeding and experiences of motherhood, but not fatherhood. "Depressed" mothers and their partners perceived their children as more temperamentally "difficult" than couples in families with a non-depressed mother. Conclusion: Since depressive mood occur already during pregnancy it is of utmost importance that the midwife develops methods to identify these women in greater need for social support and a good dialogue to guide them through pregnancy and childbirth to a healthy interaction with their baby and partner

Recording Data

Eye movement recording

Screening for Reading Difficulties Using Lexplore

Poster presented at the 2019 Annual International Dyslexia Association Conference. Portland, OR. Abstract: This study examines the validity of Lexplore, a new method for screening students for reading difficulties that uses eye tracking technology and machine learning models to assess oral and silent reading fluency. Lexplore was incorporated into the standard benchmark assessment battery at several elementary schools (N = 1,700 students) during the 2018– 2019 school year. Concurrent and predictive validity will be examined through correlational analyses, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses, classification accuracy statistics, and logistic regression.</p