Hostname: page-component-6766d58669-vgfm9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-20T22:56:08.541Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Detection of Postnatal Depression

Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

J. L. Cox ,
J. M. Holden  and
R. Sagovsky
J. L. Cox*
Affiliation:
Department of Postgraduate Medicine University of Keele. City General Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, Department of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh
J. M. Holden
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh
R. Sagovsky
Affiliation:
Department of Postgraduate Medicine University of Keele. City General Hospital, Stoke-on-Trent, Department of Psychiatry, University of Edinburgh
*
University of Keele, Thornburrow Drive, Hartshil, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs S17 7QB
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The development of a 10-item self-report scale (EPDS) to screen for Postnatal Depression in the community is described. After extensive pilot interviews a validation study was carried out on 84 mothers using the Research Diagnostic Criteria for depressive illness obtained from Goldberg's Standardised Psychiatric Interview. The EPDS was found to have satisfactory sensitivity and specficity, and was also sensitive to change in the severity of depression over time. The scale can be completed in about 5 minutes and has a simple method of scoring. The use of the EPDS in the secondary prevention of Postnatal Depression is discussed.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 150 , Issue 6 , June 1987 , pp. 782 - 786
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Bedford, A. & Foulds, G. (1978) Delusions-Symptoms-States. State of Anxiety and Depression (Manual) Windsor: National Foundation for Educational Research.Google Scholar
Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H. & Mendelson, M. et al (1961) An inventory for measuring depression. Archives of Generai Psychiatry, 4, 561–571.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cogill, S. R., Caplan, H. L., Alexandra, H., Robson, K. M. Kumar, R. (1986) Impact of maternal postnatal depression on cognitive development of young children. British Medical Journal, 292, 1165–1167.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cox, J. L. (1986) Postnatal Depression-A Guide for Health Professionals. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.Google Scholar
Cox, J. L. Connor, Y. & Kendell, R. E. (1982) Prospective study of the psychiatric disorders of childbirth. British Journal of Psychiatry, 140, 111–117.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cox, J. L. Henderson, I., McGuire, R. J. & Kendell, R. E. (1983) Prospective study of the psychiatric disorders of childbirth by self report questionnaire. Journal of Affective Disorders, 5, 1–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cox, J. L. Rooney, A., Thomas, P. F. & Wrate, R. W. (1984) How accurately do mothers recall postnatal depression? Further data from a 3 year follow-up study. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 3, 185–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Goldberg, D. P. (1972) The Detection of Psychiatric Illness by Questionnaire. Maudsley Monograph, 21, Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Goldberg, D. P. Cooper, B., Eastwood, M. R., Kedward, H. B. & Shepherd, M. (1970) A standardised psychiatric interview for use in community surveys. British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine, 24, 18023.Google ScholarPubMed
Kumar, R. (1982) Neurotic disorders in child bearing women. In Motherhood and Mental Illness, eds Brockington, I. & Kumar, R. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Kumar, R. & Robson, K. M. (1984) A prospective study of emotional disorders in child bearing women. British Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 35–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nott, P. N. & Cutts, S. (1982) Validation of the 30-item General Health Questionnaire in postpartum women. Psychological Medicine, 12, 409–413.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
O'Hara, M. W., Rehm, L. P. & Campbell, S. B. (1983) Postpartum depression: a role for social network and life stress variables. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 171, 336–341.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Neunaber, D. J. & Zekoski, E. M. (1984) Prospective study of postpartum depression: prevalence, course and predictive factors. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 93, 158–171.Google Scholar
Neunaber, D. J. Emms, E. M., Fletcher, J. & Rassaby, E. S. (1980) Life events and social support in puerperal depression. British Journal of Psychiatry, 136, 339–346.Google Scholar
Pitt, B. (1968) ‘Atypical∗ depression following childbirth. British Journal of Psychiatry, 114, 1325–1335.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Snaith, R. P. (1981) Rating scales. British Journal of Psychiatry, 138, 512–514.Google Scholar
Pitt, B. (1983) Pregnancy-related psychiatric disorder. British Journal of Hospital Medicine, 29, 450–456.Google Scholar
Pitt, B. Constantopoulos, A. A., Jardine, M. Y. & McGuffin, P. (1978) A clinical scale for the self-assessment of irritability. British Journal of Psychiatry, 132, 164–171.Google Scholar
Spitzer, R., Endicott, J. & Robins, E. (1975) Research Diagnostic Criteria. Instrument No. 58. New York: New York State Psychiatric Institute.Google ScholarPubMed
Watson, J. P., Elliott, S. A., Ruoo, A. J. & Brough, D. I. (1984) Psychiatric disorder in pregnancy and the first postnatal year. British Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 453–462.Google Scholar
Williams, P., Tarnopolsky, A. & Hand, D. (1980) Case definition and case identification in psychiatric epidemiology: review and assessment. Psychological Medicine, 10, 101–114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wrate, R. M., Rooney, A. C, Thomas, P. F. & Cox, J. L. (1985) Postnatal depression and child development: a three year follow-up study. British Journal of Psychiatry, 146, 622–627.Google Scholar
Zigmond, A. S. & Snaith, R. P. (1983) The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 67, 361–370.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Zung, W. W. K. (1965) A self-rating depression scale. Archives of General Psychiatry, 12, 63.Google Scholar

This journal is not currently accepting new eletters.

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.