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. 2023 Mar;43(1):163-170.
doi: 10.1002/npr2.12321. Epub 2023 Jan 25.

Development and validation of the Japanese version of EPDS-P for indirect screening of paternal perinatal depression based on maternal reporting: Protocol for a prospective longitudinal observational study

Keita Tokumitsu  1   2 , Norio Yasui-Furukori  1 , Sheehan David Fisher  3 , Takako Keta  4 , Chihiro Yamada  4 , Junko Takeuchi  2 , Koji Yachimori  2 , Norio Sugawara  1 , Kazutaka Shimoda  1
Affiliations

Development and validation of the Japanese version of EPDS-P for indirect screening of paternal perinatal depression based on maternal reporting: Protocol for a prospective longitudinal observational study

Keita Tokumitsu et al. Neuropsychopharmacol Rep. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Aims: The main purpose of this study is to develop an indirect screening system for paternal perinatal depression based on the female partner's assessment in the Japanese population. The Japanese version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale-Partner (EPDS-P) will be used as the indirect screening tool, and its accuracy will be studied in this longitudinal prospective observational study.

Methods: Public health nurses and midwives at the participating community health center are currently inviting couples to participate, and are distributing self-rating scales to the participants. The primary evaluation scales being used in this study are the Japanese versions of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Japanese version of the EPDS-P which evaluates paternal perinatal depression by women. We will evaluate EPDS-P performance against CES-D, including accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and correlations.

Results and conclusions: Perinatal depression is a mental illness that occurs between pregnancy and postpartum within the 12 months, and it is known to increase the risk of adversely impacting on child development. Men may also experience a psychosocial crisis during their partners' perinatal period. Although it was recently reported that the EPDS-P can indirectly detect paternal perinatal depression, there is, as yet, insufficient evidence of this because the previous studies had relatively small sample sizes and were limited to cross-sectional studies in the postpartum period. The development of a screening system for paternal perinatal depression using the EPDS-P will lead to increased awareness of the disease and provide an opportunity to establish a family-based support system in Japan.

Keywords: EPDS-P; men; partner; perinatal depression; screening.

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Conflict of interest statement

Norio Yasui‐Furukori has been a speaker for Dainippon‐Sumitomo Pharmaceutical, Mochida Pharmaceutical, and MSD. Kazutaka Shimoda has received research support from Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Pfizer Inc., Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Daiichi Sankyo Co., Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Astellas Pharma Inc., Novartis Pharma K.K., Eisai Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and honoraria from Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Meiji Seika Pharma Co., Ltd., Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Shionogi & Co., Ltd., Daiichi Sankyo Co., Pfizer Inc. and Eisai Co., Ltd. These companies had no role in the study design, the data collection and analysis, the decision to publish, or the preparation of the manuscript. The remaining authors declare that they have no competing interests to report.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
SPIRIT schedule. CES‐D, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; EPDS, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; EPDS‐P, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale‐Partner.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Evaluation Direction of Rating Scales. CES‐D, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; EPDS, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; EPDS‐P, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale‐Partner.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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