The effect of educational intervention on prevention of postpartum depression: an application of health locus of control.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To assess the effectiveness of application of health locus of control in pregnant women for prevention of postpartum depression in Iran.


BACKGROUND
Nearly 10-15% of women suffer postnatal depression by the end of the second week after delivery, which creates problems in caring for the child that may affect child's future learning and concentration.


DESIGN
Pre-post experimental design.


METHODS
Two hundred and thirty volunteer women were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale and the Edinburg Depression Scale. Based on the associations found in the pretest, intervention programme was planned and carried out in the focused group discussion method. Data were collected after the end of scheduled sessions, immediately and one month later. The data were analysed with SPSS-16 using statistical methods including anova, chi-square test, Student's t-test and paired t-test.


RESULTS
Chance health locus of control significantly reduced and internal health locus of control significantly increased, immediately after intervention. Also, a month after intervention, a significant difference was observed between the two groups in reducing postpartum depression.


CONCLUSIONS
The planned participatory intervention led to empowerment and increased awareness and internalisation of health control beliefs and less tendency towards external health control beliefs, especially chance, improvement in general health leading to improved psychological health for prevention of postpartum depression in mothers.


RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE
Clinicians might assess chance and internal health locus of control to identify the women at risk of developing depression during their pregnancy and to develop prevention and treatment plans.
['Moshki|Mahdi|M|', 'Baloochi Beydokhti|Tahereh|T|', 'Cheravi|Khadijeh|K|']
D000328:Adult D019052:Depression, Postpartum D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007231:Infant, Newborn D007389:Internal-External Control D007492:Iran D008297:Male D010353:Patient Education as Topic D011247:Pregnancy D011295:Prenatal Care D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
postpartum depression health locus of control pregnancy