Depression in former school-age mothers and community comparison subjects

Abstract

This paper examines the lifetime prevalence and correlates of major depressive disorder in a cohort of former school-age mothers and compares the prevalence and correlates to those found in women of the same age, ethnicity, and geographical location as the school-age mothers. The sociodemographic characteristics show some striking differences. The former young mothers were less likely to be on public assistance (19% vs. 42%), but were more likely to be working (78% vs. 55%), to have completed high school or college and to meet the DSM-III criteria for depression (10.7% vs. 4.9%) than the sample of community women. The only factor related to depression in the former school-age mothers was a diagnosis of drug/alcohol abuse or dependence.