Perinatal Mental Health: a guide to the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
John Cox and Jeni Holden
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression
Scale (EPDS) was designed by the authors as a simple means of
screening for postnatal depression in health care settings. It can
also be used by researchers seeking information on factors that
influence the emotional well-being of new mothers and their
families. The scale has appeared in a number of languages and 20 of
these translations are included here, together with the original
English version.
This handbook is about the use of
the EPDS and is designed for health professionals and
researchers.
- Practical guide to using the EPDS.
- Using the EPDS for research.
- Background on postnatal depression and origins of the
EPDS.
- Discussion of transcultural issues.
- Includes the EPDS in the definitive English version and in 20
other languages.
"If you are seeking a first rate guide to the EPDS then this is an
excellent book."
Primary Care Psychiatry
“A necessary, clear and
concise book. A joy to read.”
Dr J Hanley,
Lecturer, University of Swansea
Contents
1. Postnatal depression: an
overview
Introduction · Other postnatal
psychiatric disorders · Women’s narratives · Effects on
interactions with infants · Persistence of effects on children of
mothers with depression · Fathers and postnatal depression ·
Clinical perspectives · Identifying postnatal depression ·
Confirmation of the diagnosis · Causes · Caring for women with
postnatal depression
2. The origins and
development of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression
Scale
Existing scales · Validating the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression
Scale · Reliability · Comparison with other scales · Other uses of
the EPDS
3. International and
cultural issues
Translation · Validation
4. Using the Edinburgh
Postnatal Depression Scale in clinical settings: research
evidence
Routine postnatal screening · Detection of depression ·
Acceptability of the EPDS · Legitimising feeling · Antenatal
research and the EPDS · Should the EPDS be used as a routine screen
in pregnancy? · Other antenatal prediction measures · Identifying
pregnant women at risk of developing puerperal psychosis ·
Conclusions from EPDS screening research
5. Counselling and other
psychotherapeutic intervention in perinatal
depression
The Edinburgh counselling intervention · Outline of the study ·
What we discovered · Setting up the study · Training the health
visitors · Problems · Extending research findings into clinical
practice · What we learned from the three-centre trial: relevance
to clinical practice · The Cambridge intervention trials · Health
visitor counselling in Sweden · Comparing antidepressant therapy
and cognitive counselling · Interpersonal psychotherapy · Telephone
counselling · Group interventions in postnatal depression ·
Psychotherapy, cognitive therapy and couple counselling · Massage
and support groups · Health-visitor-led support/therapy groups ·
Day hospital care · Antenatal interventions · Antenatal support and
information groups · Other ways of helping during the perinatal
period · Liaison with other agencies · Partners and the extended
family
6. Edinburgh Postnatal
Depression Scale screening and intervention services
The steering committee · A shared framework of understanding ·
Health professionals’ knowledge · The role of nurses in postnatal
depression · The need for clearly indentified referral systems ·
The need for specialist psychiatric services · Implications of
scores on item 10, self-harm · Training and support · Counselling
training · Conclusions
7. Using the Edinburgh
Postnatal Depression Scale
How to use the EPDS · Using the EPDS in research · Using the EPDS
in clinical practice · Honesty of women’s responses · What if
someone does not wish to complete an EPDS? · When, where and how
should the EPDS be given? · Using the EPDS with non-English
speakers · Conclusions
Appendix 1. The Edinburgh Postnatal
Depression Scale
Appendix 2. Translations of the
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
Arabic · Chinese (Mandarin) · Czech · Dutch · French · German ·
Greek · Hebrew · Hindi · Icelandic · Japanese · Maltese · Norwegian
· Portuguese · Punjabi · Slovenian · Spanish · Swedish · Urdu ·
Vietnamese
References
Index