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Suffering in Silence: A Qualitative Meta‐Data‐Analysis of Postpartum Depression
Author(s) -
KnudsonMartin Carmen,
Silverstein Rachelle
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of marital and family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.868
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1752-0606
pISSN - 0194-472X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-0606.2009.00112.x
Subject(s) - feeling , silence , psychology , interpersonal communication , grounded theory , psychological intervention , qualitative research , qualitative analysis , postpartum depression , interpersonal relationship , isolation (microbiology) , psychotherapist , social psychology , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , pregnancy , sociology , aesthetics , social science , philosophy , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics
In this article, we apply a relational lens to a grounded theory meta‐data‐analysis of qualitative studies on postpartum depression (PPD) conducted between 1999 and 2005. Women in all studies report feeling that they have failed to live up to cultural standards for a “good mother.” Central to this experience is a sense that these negative feelings could not be spoken. The analysis shows how constructions of motherhood and the reactions of others combine with feelings of incompetence to precipitate isolation from others. Women survive depression through support that validates their experience and promotes eventual reconnection with others. Conclusions emphasize the need for persons trained to facilitate relational connection to develop interventions that address the interpersonal contexts of PPD.