Nonpsychotic postpartum depression is common in Western culture, but is not widely recognized in Japan. This study investigated the extent of milder postpartum depression in the United States and Japan, and the factors contributing to milder postpartum depression. A total of 21 American and 29 Japanese mothers of newborns filled out the Pitt (1968) Depression Scale and a questionnaire on their backgrounds, feeding style, nighttime sleep loss, contact with adults, life events, social support, women's role concepts, and orientation to work. There were no cross-cultural differences in their depression scores. However, regression equations showed significant differences in the factors contributing to depression. The results are discussed in terms of the cultural differences contributing to depression.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Anzalone, M. K. (1977). Postpartum depression and menstrual tension, life stress, and marital adjustment. Dissertation Abstracts International, 37, 6297B. (University Microfilms No. 77-11, 383)
2.
Brislin, R. W. (1980). Translation and content analysis or oral and written materials. In H. C. Triandis & J. W. Berry (Eds.), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology: Vol. 2. Methodology (pp. 389-444). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
3.
Caudill, W. A. (1973). The influence of social structure and culture on human behavior in modern Japan. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 157, 240-257.
4.
Caudill, W. , & Weinstein, H. (1969). Maternal care and infant behavior in Japan and America. Psychiatry, 32, 12-43.
5.
Clisher, B. , & Kase, H. (1978). Nipponjin ni umarete sonka tokuka [Is it an advantage or disadvantage to be born Japanese?]. Tokyo: Yamate Shobo.
6.
Dalton, K. (1971). Prospective study in puerperal depression. British Journal of Psychiatry, 118, 689-692.
7.
Doi, T. (1973). The anatomy of dependence (J. Bester, Trans.). Tokyo: Kodansha International.
8.
Draguns, J. G. (1982). Methodology in cross-cultural psychopathology. In I. Al-Issa (Ed.), Culture and psychopathology (pp. 33-70). Baltimore: University Park Press.
9.
Harris, B. (1981). "Maternity blues" in East African clinic attenders. Archives of General Psychiatry, 38, 1293-1295.
10.
Hatoya, R. (1977). Sanjokuki no seishin shogai [Postpartum psychological disorder]. Rinsho Seishin Igaku, 6, 493-500.
11.
Heitler, S. K. (1976). Postpartum depression: A multi-dimensional study. Dissertation Abstracts International, 36, 5792B-5793B. (University Microfilms No. 76-10, 175)
12.
Hirai, T. (1974). Sanjokufu no seishin shogai [Psychological disorders of postpartum women]. Seishinka no Sekai, 26, 965-968.
13.
Holmes, T. , & Rahe, R. (1967). The social readjustment rating scale. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 11, 213-218.
14.
Honda, H. (1974). Sanjokuki no seishin shegai to sono taisaku [Postpartum psychological disorder and its treatment]. Shusank Igaku, 4, 78-89.
15.
Jimenez, M. H. (1978). Relationships between job orientation in women and adjustment to the first pregnancy and postpartum period. Dissertation Abstracts International, 38, 3886B. (University Microfilms No. 77-32, 315)
16.
Jimenez, M. H. , & Newton, N. (1982). Job orientation and adjustment to pregnancy and early motherhood. Birth, 9, 157-163.
17.
Marsella, A. J. (1980). Depressive experience and disorder across cultures. In H. C. Triandis & J. G. Draguns (Eds.), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology: Vol. 6. Psychopathology (pp. 237-289). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
18.
Masuda, M. (1979). Amerika no kazoku, Nippon no kazoku [American family, Japanese family]. Tokyo: Nippon Hoso Shuppan Kyotkai.
19.
Mataniti Buru Towa (Maternity Blues). (1983, April 15). Suito Bebi, pp. 13-25.
20.
Modahl, C. , & Newton, N. (1979). Mood state differences between breast and bottle-feeding mothers. In L. Carenza & L. Zichella (Eds.), Emotions and reproduction (Vol. 20A). New York: Academic Press.
21.
Murai, N. , Murai, N., & Takahashi, I. (1978). A study of moods in postpartum women. Tohoku Psycholgica Folia, 37, 32-40.
22.
Paykel, E. S. , Emms, E. M., Fletcher, J., & Rassaby, E. S. (1980). Life events and social support in puerperal depression. British Journal of Psychiatry, 136, 339-346.
23.
Pitt, B. (1968). Atypical depression following childbirth. British Journal of Psychiatry, 114, 1325-1335.
24.
Pitt, B. (1973). "Maternity blues."British Journal of Psychiatry, 122, 431-433.
25.
Robin, A. A. (1962). The psychological changes of normal parturition. Psychiatric Quarterly, 36, 129.
26.
Saito, N. (1973). Clinical psychiatric study of postpartal mental disorder. Iwate Igaku Zasshi, 25, 41-61.
27.
Smith, P. , Kendall, C., & Hulin, C. (1969). The measurement of satisfaction in work and retirement. Chicago: Rand McNally.
28.
Spitzer, R. L. , Endicott, J., & Robins, E. (1978). Research diagnostic criteria (3rd ed.). New York: Biometrics Research.
29.
Tauber, M. A. (1974). Postpartum depression, environmental stress and educational apsiration. Dissertation Abstracts International, 34, 6226B. (University Microfilm No. 74-12, 480)
30.
Ueko, T. , & Masuda, M. (1981). Nipponjin no kazoku kankei [Japanese familial relationship]. Tokyo: Yikaku.
