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. 2018 Sep 25;18(1):309.
doi: 10.1186/s12888-018-1892-7.

Related but different: distinguishing postpartum depression and fatigue among women seeking help for unsettled infant behaviours

Nathan Wilson  1 , Karen Wynter  2   3 , Jane Fisher  2   4 , Bei Bei  5
Affiliations

Related but different: distinguishing postpartum depression and fatigue among women seeking help for unsettled infant behaviours

Nathan Wilson et al. BMC Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: A growing body of evidence in relatively healthy populations suggests that postpartum depression and fatigue are likely distinct but related experiences. However, differentiating depression and fatigue in clinical settings remains a challenge. This study aimed to assess if depression and fatigue are distinct constructs in women with relatively high fatigue and psychological distress symptoms attending a residential program that assists with unsettled infant behaviour.

Methods: 167 women (age: M = 34.26, SD = 4.23) attending a private residential early parenting program completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21-D), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and self-report sleep variables before program commencement. Confirmatory Factor Analysis examined the associations between depression and fatigue latent factors.

Results: A two-factor model of separate but related depression and fatigue constructs provided a significantly better fit to the data than a one-factor model of combined depression and fatigue (p < .001). In the two-factor model, the depression and fatigue latent factors were moderately correlated (.41). Further predictive utility of this two-factor model was demonstrated as both depression and fatigue factors were independently predicted by worse self-reported sleep efficiency.

Conclusions: This study provides empirical evidence that for women attending a clinical service with relatively high fatigue and psychological distress, postpartum depression and fatigue remain separate but related experiences. These findings suggest that in women seeking clinical support in the postpartum period, both depression and fatigue need to be carefully assessed to ensure accurate diagnoses, and (b) whilst depression intervention may improve fatigue, targeted fatigue intervention may also be warranted.

Keywords: Confirmatory factor analysis; Depression; Depressive; Fatigue; Postnatal; Postpartum.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The Avenue Hospital Research Ethics Committee (Trial 182) and Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (CF15/1233–201,500,575) provided ethical approval. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Competing interests

NW has nothing to disclose. KW has nothing to disclose. JF reports personal fees from Masada Private Hospital, which is owned by Ramsay Healthcare, other from Global Public Health Unit, during the conduct of the study. BB has nothing to disclose.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
One-factor model of depression and fatigue. Note: Loadings are standardised
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Two-factor model of depression and fatigue. Note: Loadings are standardised
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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