The Relationship Between Marital Intimacy and Postnatal Depression

SynopsisPrevious research into the relationship between marital adjustment and postnatal depression (PND) has been inconclusive. To examine this relationship in greater depth, 3 matched groups were compared. A group of current PND patients (N = 16), recovered PND patients (N = 16), and a control group (N = 33). Two dimensions of marital intimacy, “care” and “control”, were assessed with the Intimate Bond Measure. The study controlled for the current effect of depression with the use of the Beck Depression Inventory. Results showed that while there were significant differences between the PND (current) and PND (recovered) groups on the measure of current depression, there were significant differences between both the PND groups and the control group on both dimensions of marital intimacy. These results suggest that women in marriages characterised by high levels of control and low levels of care are at a greater risk of experiencing PND.