| 1. |
- Kerstis, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Association between mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms, sense of coherence and perception of their child's temperament in early parenthood in Sweden
- 2013
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 41:3, s. 233-239
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: To examine whether there was any association between mothers' and fathers' post-partum depressive symptoms and sense of coherence and perception of their child's temperament. The hypotheses were that parents with depressive symptoms: 1) have more often a poor sense of coherence, and 2) perceive their child's temperament to be more difficult than parents without depressive symptoms. Methods: A total of 401 Swedish-speaking couples, who were the parents of children born through the years 2004-2006 in the northern part of the county of Vastmanland, Sweden, were invited to participate in the study. The parents answered 3 questionnaires including: at inclusion of the study: demographic data (n = 393 couples); at 3 months: the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Sense of Coherence Scale (n = 308 couples); and at 18 months: the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (n = 272 couples). Results: Depressive symptoms measured at 3 months, were reported by 17.7% of mothers and 8.7% of fathers, and correlated significantly between mothers and fathers within couples (rho = 0.165, p = 0.003). Mothers and fathers with depressive symptoms had a poorer sense of coherence (p < 0.001, p < 0.001) and perceived their child's temperament as more difficult than mothers and fathers without depressive symptoms at 3 (p = 0.028, p < 0.001) and 18 months (p = 0.145, p = 0.012 respectively). Conclusions: Early parenthood has been studied thoroughly in mothers, but few studies have included fathers. Identifying problems in early parenthood could help predict later problems exhibited by the preschool child, which might be prevented by supportive programmes.
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| 2. |
- Kerstis, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Association between parental depressive symptoms and impaired bonding with the infant
- 2016
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In: Archives of Women's Mental Health. - : Springer. - 1434-1816 .- 1435-1102. ; 19:1, s. 87-94
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Impaired bonding with the infant is associated with maternal postpartum depression but has not been investigated extensively in fathers. The primary study aim was to evaluate associations between maternal and paternal depressive symptoms and impaired bonding with their infant. A secondary aim was to determine the associations between parents’ marital problems and impaired bonding with the infant. The study is part of a population-based cohort project (UPPSAT) in Uppsala, Sweden. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum and the Postpartum Bonding Questionnaire at 6 months postpartum were completed by 727 couples. The prevalence of impaired bonding was highest among couples in which both spouses had depressive symptoms. Impaired bonding was associated with higher EPDS scores in both mothers and fathers, as well as with experiencing a deteriorated marital relationship. The association between maternal and paternal impaired bonding and the mothers’ and fathers’ EPDS scores remained significant even after adjustment for relevant confounding factors. Depressive symptoms at 6 weeks postpartum are associated with impaired bonding with the infant at 6 months postpartum for both mothers and fathers. It is critical to screen for and prevent depressive symptoms in both parents during early parenthood.
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| 3. |
- Kerstis, Birgitta, 1963-
(author)
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Depressive Symptoms among Mothers and Fathers in Early Parenthood
- 2015
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Aims: The overall aims were to study depressive symptoms among mothers and fathers in early parenthood and how depressive symptoms are related to dyadic consensus (DCS), sense of coherence (SOC), perceiving of the child temperament, separation within the couple and bonding to the infant.Methods: Study I-III was based on the BiT-study, a longitudinal project where 393 couples answered 3 questionnaires including instruments measuring DCS at one week after childbirth, depressive symptoms at 3 months and parental stress at 18 months after childbirth. Study IV was based on the UPPSAT-study, a population based cohort project, where 727 couples answered questionnaires measuring depressive symptoms at 6 weeks and 6 months after childbirth, and impaired bonding at 6 months after childbirth.Results: In the BiT-study, 17.7% of the mothers and 8.7% of the fathers scored depressive symptoms at 3 months after childbirth, using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) cut-off of ≥10. There was an association between depressive symptoms and less consensus (DCS), and the parents partly differed regarding which areas of their relationship they perceived that they disagreed about. Parents with depressive symptoms had a poorer SOC and perceived their child as more difficult than parents without depressive symptoms. Among the couples, 20% were separated 6-8 years after childbirth. Separation was associated with less dyadic consensus, more depressive symptoms and parental stress. In the UPPSAT-study, 15.3% of the mothers and 5.1% of the fathers scored depressive symptoms 6 weeks after childbirth, using the EPDS cut-off of ≥10. Further, there was an association between impaired bonding at 6 months and the parents’ depressive symptoms, as well as experience of deteriorated relationship with the spouse.Conclusions and clinical implications: Health professionals need the knowledge that depressive symptoms are common in both mother and fathers in early parenthood. It is also important to understand how depressive symptoms are associated to dyadic consensus, SOC, separation and impaired bonding in order to optimize conditions for the whole family. This knowledge is also important for the public, so those who are pregnant and new parents as well as the society are aware that there might be problems in early parenthood as depressive symptoms.
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| 4. |
- Kerstis, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Depressive symptoms postpartum among parents are associated with marital separation : A Swedish cohort study
- 2014
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 42:7, s. 660-668
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: To study whether there is an association between dyadic consensus, depressive symptoms, and parental stress during early parenthood and marital separation 6–8 years after childbirth, among couples in Sweden.Methods: At baseline, 393 couples were included. The couples answered three questionnaires, including: Dyadic consensus at 1 week post-partum, depressive symptoms at 3 months post-partum and parental stress at 18 months post-partum. The parents’ addresses were followed up after 6–8 years, to study the marital separation rate.Results: We found, 6–8 years after childbirth, that 20% of study couples were separated. Separation was associated with less dyadic consensus (mothers p < 0.001; fathers p < 0.001), depressive symptoms (mothers p = 0.022; fathers p = 0.041) and parental stress (mothers p = 0.002; fathers p = 0.040). The hazard ratio (HR) for marital separation was related to dyadic consensus for fathers (HR 0.51; 95% CI 0.28–0.92), depressive symptoms for mothers (HR 1.69; 95% CI 1.01–2.84) and fathers (HR 1.92; 95% CI 1.12–3.28), and the mother’s parental stress (HR 2.16; 95% CI 1.14–4.07).Conclusions: Understanding how dyadic consensus, depressive symptoms and parental stress are associated with marital separation is important for health professionals. It could be useful in developing interventions to provide parents with adequate support during pregnancy and early parenthood. This knowledge is also important for the public. Parents should get support in pregnancy and while bringing up children, which may help prevent marital separation and optimize conditions for the children.
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| 5. |
- Kerstis, Birgitta, et al.
(author)
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Depressive symptoms postpartum among parents are associated with marital separation – A Swedish cohort study
- 2014
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In: Depressive symptoms postpartum among parents are associated with marital separation – A Swedish cohort study.
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Conference paper (pop. science, debate, etc.)abstract
- Aims: To determine whether there is an association between dyadic consensus, depressive symptoms, and parental stress during early parenthood and marital separation 6–8 years after childbirth among couples in Sweden. Methods: At baseline, 393 couples were included. The couples answered three questionnaires including: dyadic consensus at one week post-partum, depressive symptoms at three months post-partum, and parental stress at 18 months post-partum. The parents’ addresses were followed up after 6-8 years to study the marital separation rate. Results: Six to eight years after childbirth, 20% of the couples were separated. Separation was associated with less dyadic consensus (mothers p < 0.001, fathers p < 0.001), depressive symptoms (mothers p = 0.022, fathers p = 0.041), and parental stress (mothers p = 0.002, fathers p = 0.040). The hazard ratio (HR) for marital separation was related to dyadic consensus for fathers (HR, 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.28--0.92), depressive symptoms for mothers (HR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.01--2.84) and fathers (HR 1.92; 95% CI, 1.12--3.28), and parental stress for mothers (HR, 2.16; 95% CI, 1.14--4.07). Conclusions: Understanding how dyadic consensus, depressive symptoms, and parental stress are associated with marital separation is important for health professionals and could be useful in developing interventions to provide parents with adequate support during pregnancy and early parenthood. This knowledge is also important for the public. Parents should get support in pregnancy and while bringing up children, which may help prevent marital separation and optimize conditions for the children.Key Words: Depressive symptoms, Dyadic consensus, Marital separation, Parental stress, Parenthood
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| 6. |
- Widarsson, Margareta, et al.
(author)
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Parental stress in early parenthood among mothers and fathers in Sweden
- 2013
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences. - : WILEY. - 0283-9318 .- 1471-6712. ; 27:4, s. 839-847
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Parental stress affects parenting behaviour and the quality of dyadic parent-child interactions. Mothers generally show higher parental stress than fathers. Aims: Our aims were to assess the perceived level of parental stress in early parenthood and examine the differences between mothers and fathers within couples in relation to their levels of education, parental experience, existence of a parental role model and sense of coherence. Methods: In total, 307 mothers and 301 fathers of 18-month-old children answered the Swedish Parenthood Stress Questionnaire (SPSQ); and 318 mothers and 311 fathers answered the Sense of Coherence (SOC-3) scale; 283 couples answered both the SPSQ and SOC-3. Results: Mothers perceived higher levels of stress than fathers in the sub-areas incompetence (p < 0.001), role restriction (p < 0.001), spouse relationship problems (p = 0.004) and health problems (p = 0.027), and in total (p = 0.001). In contrast, fathers perceived higher stress than mothers in the sub-area social isolation (p < 0.001). When the data were stratified with respect to education, parental experience, existence of a parental role model and sense of coherence, significant results were observed in some of these sub-areas. Conclusions: Mothers and fathers experience stress in different areas during their early parenthood. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the differences in stress that exist between mothers and fathers, so that parents can be adequately prepared for parenthood and avoid parental stress.
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| 7. |
- Ahmed, Mobyen Uddin, et al.
(author)
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Third Eye : An Intelligent Assisting Aid for Visual Impairment Elderly
- 2016
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In: Medicinteknikdagarna 2016 MTF.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background Visually impaired older persons need support in daily activities, e.g. moving around inside the house; making and eating food and taking medicine independently. A system that simulates the environment based on both dynamic and static objects, identify obstacles, navigates and translates sensory information in voice would be valuable to support their daily activities. Today several sensors and camera-based systems are popular as ambient-assisted living tools for older adults. However, intelligent assisting aid (IAA) to support older individuals with a recently acquired visual impairment is limited. The proposed system ‘Third Eye’ focuses on the advanced research and development of an IAA to support older individuals with a recently acquired visual impairment. The main goal in this system is to provide a usable, feasible and cost-effective solution for older persons to support their daily activities using intelligent sensor based system. Method The system consists of the following five phases to meet several central challenges in developing IAA in such domain. • User-perspective, focuses on user-driven technical development, investigating needs of potential users. The study will have a participatory design with focus group interviews of lead users. • Sensor-based system, focuses on the identification obstacles based on ultrasounds and/or radio frequencies embedded in white-cane or weaker. • Camera-based system, focuses on image based information translation into voice embedded in white-cane or weaker or glasses. • System of systems, focuses on integration of above systems where knowledge is engineered and suitable representations are learned and reasoning for decisions are made [9]. • Experimental, focuses on usability and feasibility of the IAA, with idiographic and group studies Results The initial results have shown the necessity of the proposed AAI systems for older individuals with a recently acquired visual impairment. However, more extension work e.g., process and analyze the information and synthesize it with existing literature for developing the system is ongoing.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Dahlén, Micael, et al.
(author)
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Changes in Physical Activity Are Associated with Corresponding Changes in Psychological Well-Being : A Pandemic Case Study
- 2021
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In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. - : MDPI AG. - 1660-4601 .- 1661-7827. ; 20, s. 1-9
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Societal crises and personal challenges are often followed by substantial changes in physicalactivity. Is there a link between such changes and psychological well-being? Seeking to answerthis question, we conducted a correlational study on a representative sample in Sweden during thefirst year of the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 1035). About 49% of the sample had decreased theirphysical activity compared to their self-reported activity level prior to the pandemic, whereas 32%had increased it. The results showed a positive and robust association between changes in dailyactivity level and corresponding changes in psychological well-being. Specifically, individuals whohad reduced their physical activity over the last year reported lower life satisfaction than before, andindividuals who had increased their physical activity reported higher life satisfaction than before.The amount of complete physical inactivity (sitting) showed a similar pattern as the exercise data,meaning that individuals who reported increasing inactivity per day also reported a greater declinein life satisfaction. Additional analyses showed that the association between daily activity level andlife satisfaction was somewhat stronger for men than for women, but there was no difference whencomparing individual versus organized activities. The current study was based on a cross-sectionaldesign, measuring self-reported change over time. Recent work from other research teams have usedlongitudinal data and experience-sampling in different settings, finding similar results. We concludethat there is good reason to recommend physical exercise as a coping strategy in difficult times.
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| 10. |
- Dahlén, Micael, et al.
(author)
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The comeback effect : How happy are people who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection?
- 2022
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In: International Journal of Wellbeing. - : International Journal of Wellbeing. - 1179-8602. ; 12:2, s. 114-133
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is already a large body of research on the dramatic negative effects of COVID-19 on peoples’ mental and physical health. Millions of people have died, and the pandemic has negatively influenced the lives of billions of people. Luckily however, the vast majority of people infected with the virus, recovers. The happiness and wellbeing of these people have not been extensively studied. In the current paper, we ask the question: Are people who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection happier than those who have not been infected at all? Building on previous research on hedonic adaptation and counterfactual thinking, we hypothesize, and find, that those who have had an infection appear slightly happier than others. The study relies on two surveys conducted in Sweden during the pandemic in 2020 (n=1029) and 2021 (n=1788).
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