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Mental distress in mothers of young children in Harrogate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Ian Berg ,
Alan Butler ,
Jackson Houston  and
Ralph McGuire
Ian Berg*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Leeds
Alan Butler
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Leeds
Jackson Houston
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Leeds
Ralph McGuire
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Leeds
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Ian Berg, Department of Psychiatry, University of Leeds, 15 Hyde Terrace, Leeds LS2 9LT.
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Synopsis

Two hundred and forty women with young children who were patients in a Harrogate general practice were studied. About a third of them were found to be suffering from ‘mental distress’. Younger mothers were more affected. The number and spacing of their children were not related to symptoms of depression and anxiety, but poor personal relationships and difficulties getting out and about were so related, despite relatively affluent circumstances. Children of distressed mothers were more inclined to be disturbed. A controlled trial using amitryptyline involving 25 of the women suggested that this drug can improve depressive symptoms under these circumstances and that the improvement is likely to be maintained over the course of a year.

Type
Research Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , May 1984 , pp. 391 - 399
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1984

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