As relações entre depressão materna e relatos maternos acerca do envolvimento paterno: Um estudo longitudinal

Abstract

This longitudinal study evaluated the relationship between indicators of mother's depression and their perception of paternal involvement. Nineteen mothers of boys, recruited at public maternity hospitals in Salvador, Bahia, were assessed for maternal depression with the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) at the first and 18th month of the child. The participants responded a structured interview regarding maternal perceptions about paternal involvement at the 30th month of the child. The maternal depression scores at the first month of the baby's life were positively correlated to maternal perceptions of paternal availability at the 30th month, particularly concerning to routine care, leisure and child health. The impact of postpartum depression on this specific dimension of paternal involvement are discussed, emphasizing the changes that may occur in the dynamics of family interactions during the transitionto parenthood. Further studies are suggested concerning the relation between maternal depression and paternal involvement, with reports of both fathers and mothers.