Longitudinal effects of dysfunctional perfectionism and avoidant personality style on postpartum mental disorders: Pathways through antepartum depression and anxiety.

BACKGROUND: There is first evidence that some personality characteristics raise the risk of postpartum depression (PPD). The present longitudinal study investigates whether dysfunctional perfectionism and avoidant personality style predict PPD, postpartum anxiety (PPA) and bonding impairment (BI) directly or indirectly through antepartum anxiety (APA) and antepartum depression (APD).

METHODS: Pregnant women were recruited in two obstetric departments in Germany. The assessment occurred at two measurement time points: In the third trimester of pregnancy (N=297) and twelve weeks postpartum (N=266). Six questionnaires were administered during pregnancy: perfectionism, personality styles, anxiety, and depression. Postpartum, data on PPA, PPD and BI were collected. We conducted two path analyses in order to examine direct and indirect effects of the two personality characteristics on postpartum disorders.

RESULTS: Testing for direct effects of dysfunctional perfectionism and avoidant personality style on PPD, PPA, and BI did not yield significant results. Instead, significant indirect effects were found: PPD, PPA, and BI were influenced indirectly by dysfunctional perfectionism and avoidant personality style via APD and APA. This model explained high portions of the variance of PPD, PPA, and impaired bonding. Each of the two personality characteristics explained a unique part of the outcome measures. The influence on BI was mediated by PPD. APD affected PPD and PPA more strongly than APA.

LIMITATION: Path models with manifest (observed) variables may lead to measurement errors. Self-rating questionnaires may raise the problem of social desirability.

CONCLUSION: Dysfunctional perfectionism and avoidant personality style are significant risk factors for PPD, PPA, and BI. Screenings of both variables, as well as of APA and APD, which mediated the effect of personality traits on postpartum syndromes, are necessary.