Psychiatrists' Perspectives on Prescribing Psychopharmacological Treatment for Parents With Depression

The aim of the study was to explore psychiatrists' perspectives on prescribing psychopharmacological treatment for parents with depression. Nine psychiatrists were interviewed about how the patient's status as a parent influenced their decisions regarding medical treatment, and how they considered parental functioning to be affected by the treatment. The results showed that psychiatrists weighed the advantages of psychopharmacological treatment against its disadvantages, irrespective of whether the patient was a parent or not. Although some were more restrictive when prescribing medication to parents due to sedative effects, few mentioned how emotional blunting caused by antidepressants could affect a parent's emotional availability. Furthermore, none of the psychiatrists was aware of any specific guidelines related to the treatment of parents with depression. The lack of guidelines regarding prescription decisions when treating parents may result in a wide range of approaches, depending on what each psychiatrist considers to be optimal treatment.