Scholar and Alum: Maternal Health Expert

Kathleen Kendall-Tackett has done breakthrough research in maternal health. (photo KM)

Visiting Presidential Scholar Kathleen Kendall-Tackett reviewed postpartum depression research and its implications in a talk on February 17. Kendall-Tackett, the third visiting scholar, was on campus through February 19, and was also part of the College of Natural Sciences' seminar series. A CSU, Chico alumna, she received her Ph.D. from Brandeis University in social and developmental psychology, and she received an American Psychology Association Dissertation Award.

Kendall-Tackett left Chico in 1982 after receiving her M.A. in Psychology and serving as the director of a women's crisis program. During that time, she developed her interest in issues of abuse. Kendall-Tackett, nationally known for her work, currently is a research associate at the Family Research Laboratory, University of New Hampshire. She has most recently been researching the connection between abuse and illness in children.

Kendall-Tackett's research on postpartum depression has produced an entirely new way of looking at it. Although traditional medical views of postpartum depression have emphasized hormonal causes, Kendall-Tackett's review of the research found that the "support of the hormonal hypothesis is very weak." Even the best research finds little relationship between hormonal levels and postpartum depression.

She found correlations between several groups of risk factors, including psychological, physiological, and social factors, with social risk factors being highly important. Kendall-Tackett emphasized, "Social support is one of the key variables. It's very, very important; it's something a lot of mothers don't have."

Cultures where new mothers don't experience postpartum depression have social structures that set aside the postpartum period, which mandates rest and allows a separation from usual duties for a specified amount of time.

The implication for recognizing that social risk factors are key means methods of treatment for depressed new mothers need to be changed. The research suggests that ways to help new mothers include support with self-care, such as good nutrition and exercise, increased social supports, and, both talk and drug or herbal therapies.

Kendall-Tackett, addressing nursing professionals and students, emphasized the need to listen to new mothers and to explain some of the factors that can influence how they feel. Knowing, for example, that a colicky or crying baby is something that any new mother has trouble dealing with can relieve a mother's feelings of inadequacy.

Health-care professionals are in a good position to help new mothers mobilize their own support systems. "Mothers do better with a little help from their friends," said Kendall-Tackett.

Replacing the cultural fantasy of new motherhood with the reality is also important. The cultural fantasy is one of energetic new mothers living in spotless homes, with unstained clothing, joyously holding a smiling infant. The reality is that 20-40 percent of new mothers are seriously depressed, concerned about getting to eat breakfast, or getting a shower on a particular day.

Identifying the cause of postpartum depression more accurately will help mitigate risk factors, and in turn, relieve a too common source of suffering that is often made worse by ignorance of the stresses and fears that can accompany new motherhood. }BA/KM