Towards Developing a Predictive Model Explaining Postnatal Anxiety

Postnatal anxiety negatively impacts gestational parents and infants yet lacks
the clinical attention received by similar postnatal mood disorders. This preliminary study
aimed to identify predictors of postnatal anxiety. An archival dataset including prenatal
and postnatal screening results (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Antenatal
(Psychosocial) Risk Questionnaire) from 240 women from Melbourne, Australia, was
analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis. Prenatal anxiety explained a large
proportion of the variance in postnatal anxiety, consistent with an emerging body of
research demonstrating this. A distressing childbirth experience and emotional abuse
explained a modest amount of additional variance. Future research incorporating other
variables may provide a more comprehensive and clinically useful model for predicting
postnatal anxiety.