Post-adoption depression among adoptive mothers

Abstract Objective To evaluate the rate of depressive symptomatology and possible underlying factors in adoptive mothers during the transition to motherhood. Design Cohort survey. Setting General Community. Participants Thirty-nine adoptive mothers of reproductive age registered with international adoption agencies. Interventions All women completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) before and 6 weeks after the adoption. Main outcome measures Responses were compared between the study group and published findings for biological mothers in the general population, and within the study group, before and after adoption. Results Symptoms of depression were found in 15.4% of the study group. This rate was similar to that for postpartum depression in the general population, and lower than the rate recorded in the study group before adoption (25.6%). All women with symptoms of depression after the adoption had also shown evidence of depressive features before the adoption. Similar findings were noted for other psychopathologies as well. Conclusion Adopting a child does not cause new-onset, reactive depression among adoptive mothers. It may even lead to a decrease in depressive features, perhaps in response to relief from other adjustment difficulties.