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Comm 1312: Writing and Research
Section # 202, Dr. Runna Alghazo
Name:
ID:
Assignment’#1: Research Proposal
Depression
(Postpartum Depression)
1. Introduction
The thought of having a new baby become part of a family can only bring thoughts of
happiness, especially for new parents. Just for the parents to know that they are bringing life
to a new member of their family can bring tears of joy. However, a new bundle of joy may
not be joy at all for some parents.
Postpartum depression is a complex and serious disorder that is affecting not only mothers
after childbirth but also their infants. Postpartum depression is a feeling of hopelessness,
unhappiness, and inadequacy that are usually suffered by a mother following childbirth,
which arises for several reasons, from hormonal changes to money insecurities and fatigue.
This condition can be serious to the point where it is life threatening to the mother or the
child. For that reason, mothers and fathers should report any symptoms to their doctor,
especially when it comes to life-and-death situations.
Most people would be surprised to know that men also suffer from postpartum depression.
As mothers have negative effects on their infants, fathers also have damaging effects on the
normal learning and developing rate of the child during the child’s first year after birth. This
disease is becoming increasingly prominent among men and women. Therefore, young men
and women should be educated about the major disorders that may happen during or after
pregnancy and its effects. The youth of the on going generations should be educated to be
aware of the dangerous circumstances that might occur, for, knowledge is power.
2. Research Questions (at least 3 research questions):

What causes postpartum depression?

How can postpartum depression be prevented?

How is postpartum depression treated?

Do men suffer from postpartum depression?

Statistically speaking, how often does postpartum depression affect women after
birth?
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
Can postpartum depression have a serious effect on the relationship between the
mother or the father and the infant?

What are the implications that could happen to the parent or the child?
3. Research Thesis
While young men and women receive sex education in schools, other important
information is being ignored. Postpartum depression is one of many conditions that mothers
and fathers can experience after childbirth. It is hard to say that young women should be
educated about all the diseases and complications that may happen during or after pregnancy,
but they should know the most common diseases and how to deal with them. In addition,
men should be educated about the effects these diseases could have on themselves.
4. Research Importance
1- This research will help educate new mothers and young women in general about
postpartum depression and its symptoms.
2- It is important for people to acknowledge the reasons and the effects this
condition may have on men.
3- This research can help depressed mothers find the help they need.
4- It is important to understand the causes of this complex disease to help prevent
problems or serious harm to either the child or the parent.
5. Methodology
This research will contain information from academic articles, books, and websites about
postpartum depression. It will also contain the causes, effects, and the different treatments for
this disorder. In addition, interviews from both a doctor and a previously depressed mother
explaining how she felt and how she dealt with the disease will be included. Furthermore,
there will be a questionnaire that will be conducted among PMU facility to find how many
have suffered from this disorder and another questionnaire among PMU students to
determine how much students know about these kinds of conditions.? All this information
will be collected and analyzed to determine a strong conclusion that answers all possible
questions about this topic.
6. Important Definitions:
Postpartum depression: also known as postnatal depression is a feeling of sadness,
loneliness, and anxiety that can occur up to a year after childbirth and usually needs
treatment, which varies according to its severity.
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7. Preliminary Bibliography
1- Depression in Men in the Postnatal Period and Later Child Psychopathology: A Population
Cohort Study by Ramchandani, Paul G.; Stein, Alan; O'Connor, Thomas G.; Heron, Jon;
Murray, Lynne; Evans, Jonathan
2- Depressive mood in men after the birth of their offspring in relation to a partner's
depression, social support, fathers' personality and prenatal expectations by
Bielawska‐Batorowicz, Eleonora; Kossakowska‐Petrycka, Karolina
3- Fathers Also Experience Postpartum Depression by USA Today Magazine
4- Issues in the Psychology of Women by Biaggio, Maryka ? Hersen, Michel ?
5- Men's Voices: Postnatal Depression From the Perspective of Male Partners by Davey,
Sarah J.; Dziurawiec, Suzanne; O'Brien-Malone, Angela
6- Postpartum Depression Strikes New Dads as Well as Moms by Scarton, Dana
7- Pregnancy Blues: What Every Woman Needs to Know about Depression During
Pregnancy by Kulkarni Misri, Shaila ?
8- Psychological health of men with partners who have post-partum depression by Roberts,
Sarah L.; Bushnell, John A.; Collings, Sunny C.; Purdie, Gordon L.
9- Psychosocial assessment of expectant fathers by Fletcher, R.; Vimpani, G.; Russell, G.;
Sibbritt, D.
10- Screening for Perinatal Depression by Henshaw, Carol ? Elliott, Sandra
11- Surviving Post-Natal Depression: At Home No One Hears You Scream by Aiken, Cara ?
12- When Baby Brings the Blues: Family Therapy and Postnatal Depression by Hunt,
Christine
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Questionnaire for PMU Facility Members
Are you married?
Yes
No
If so,
Do you have children?
Yes
No
If your answer was YES,
Section #1: During the first year after giving birth to any of your children…
1- Did you blame yourself unnecessarily when things went wrong?
Yes
Sometimes
No
2- Did you feel scared or panicky for no very good reason?
Yes
Sometimes
No
3-Did you feel anxious or worried for no good reason?
Yes
Sometimes
No
Section #2:
1-Did you have regular check-ups after the birth of each of your children?
Yes
No
2- Do you know what postpartum depression is?
Yes
No
If your answer was YES,
Explain your understanding of
it____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
?
How did you learn about postpartum depression?
_______________________________________________________________________
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3- Have you ever been diagnosed with postpartum depression?
Yes
No
4- From your understanding can men suffer from postpartum depression?
Yes
No
Questionnaire for PMU Students
1- Do you believe that young women should learn more about the main complications that may
occur during or after pregnancy?
Yes
No
2- Do you believe that psychological therapy is the best treatment for different types of depression?
Yes
No
3- Do you believe that medication is the best treatment for different types of depression?
Yes
No
4- Do you know what postpartum depression is?
Yes
No
If your answer was YES,
Explain your understanding of
it____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
How did you learn about it? ________________________________________________
5- Would you like to learn more about postpartum depression?
Yes
No
6- From your understanding can men suffer from postpartum depression?
Yes
No
If YES, why?
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
If NOT, why?
______________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Interview Questions for a Doctor
1-Are regular check-ups being made for mothers who have delivered within a short period of time?
3- How many mothers have been experiencing postpartum depression this year?
4- How many fathers have been experiencing postpartum depression this year?
4- Is the percentage of postpartum depressed parents increasing or decreasing throughout the years?
5- Is postpartum depression being acknowledged enough by the public?
6- How often do parents report their symptoms when they experience them?
7- Has serious damage occurred to either the parent or the child within the last few years?
Interview Questions for a Previously Depressed Mother
1- How did you know that you had postpartum depression?
2- How did you feel when you were experiencing the disease?
3- How did you handle the situation?
4- How long did the condition last?
5- Do you feel that your depression affected your child?
6- Did you get professional help or help from friends and family?
7- How did the depression affect you and your daily life?
8- Did you experience any dangerous situations?
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