Robert Bradley

Posttraumatic growth after childbirth: a prospective study

A growing body of research has examined the potential for positive change following challenging and traumatic events, this is known as posttraumatic growth (PTG). Childbirth is a valuable opportunity to extend previous work on PTG as it allows the role of different variables to be considered prospectively. The aim of this study was to prospectively examine correlates of PTG after birth, including sociodemographic and obstetric variables, social support and psychological distress, using a prospective, longitudinal design. A total of 125 women completed questionnaires during their third trimester of pregnancy and 8 weeks after birth. At least a small degree of positive change following childbirth was reported by 47.9% of women; however, average levels of growth were lower than generally reported in other studies. A regression model of age, type of delivery, posttraumatic stress symptoms during pregnancy and general distress after birth significantly predicted 32% of the variance in growth after childbirth. The strongest predictors of growth were operative delivery (β 0.23–0.30) and posttraumatic stress symptoms in pregnancy (β 0.32). These findings emphasise the importance of assessing pre-event characteristics when considering the development of PTG after a challenging event.

Exploration of a cognitive model to predict post-traumatic stress symptoms following childbirth

UNLABELLED Women can suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth. This study investigated the application of a cognitive model to PTS symptoms following childbirth and explored the addition of social support to the model. METHODS Women (N=138) completed questionnaires in pregnancy, 3-weeks and 3-months after birth, measuring prior trauma, beliefs, and coping in pregnancy; and birth interventions, social support, post-traumatic cognitions, and PTS symptoms post-birth. RESULTS Using structural equation modeling, a cognitive model explained 23% of the variance in PTS symptoms 3-weeks postpartum. Three-months postpartum, the model explained only 9% of the variance in PTS symptoms. The addition of social support, partially mediated by post-traumatic cognitions, increased the variance to 16%. DISCUSSION Results suggest that a cognitive model accounts for early PTS symptoms after birth. Social support after birth increases the explanatory power of the model at 3 months. A test of the model on a larger sample is warranted.