Maternal depression and early parenting: A comparison between culturally and linguistically diverse and Australian born mothers

Eatt, J., Watson, S.J.ORCID: 0000-0001-7228-3490, Ball, H.L., Sevar, K. and Galbally, M.ORCID: 0000-0003-3909-1918 (2022) Maternal depression and early parenting: A comparison between culturally and linguistically diverse and Australian born mothers. Australasian Psychiatry .

Abstract

Objective:

To examine the risk of perinatal depression, parenting stress and infant sleep practices in Australian culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) women.

Method:

Within the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study, we examined 487 pregnant women of whom 52 were CaLD and 435 non-CaLD. Depression was measured using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. In addition, Parenting Stress Index and infant sleep measures were collected.

Results:

Fewer CaLD women had a depression diagnosis but there were no differences between CaLD and non-CaLD women for perinatal mental health symptoms. More mothers in the CaLD group were bed sharing with their infant during the night at six months; however, bedsharing was only associated with higher parenting stress for non-CaLD mothers.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest both differences in infant sleep parenting practices and in parenting stress but not general emotional wellbeing. Future research is required to replicate these findings.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	Psychology, Counselling, Exercise Science and Chiropractic
Publisher:	SAGE
Copyright:	© 2022 by The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/63654

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