PSI Characteristics of Postpartum Depression 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Appetite disturbance in postpartum depression may present as:
- Only increased appetite and overeating
- Only decreased appetite and undereating
- Either significant increase or decrease in appetite (Correct answer)
- No change in appetite, only changes in food preferences
Correct answer: Either significant increase or decrease in appetite
Appetite disturbance in PPD can manifest as either hyperphagia (overeating) or hypophagia (undereating), varying by individual.
Question 2: When a mother with PPD avoids leaving the house and stops responding to friends' messages, this behavior reflects which PPD characteristic?
- Adaptive coping to conserve energy
- Social withdrawal and isolation (Correct answer)
- Healthy boundary-setting as a new parent
- Introversion unrelated to depression
Correct answer: Social withdrawal and isolation
Social withdrawal and isolation are behavioral symptoms of PPD reflecting the depressive impact on motivation and social engagement.
Question 3: Which Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score range is typically used as a threshold to screen positive for PPD?
- 0–5
- 6–8
- 10 or above (Correct answer)
- 20 or above
Correct answer: 10 or above
An EPDS score of 10 or above is the commonly used cutoff to indicate possible PPD and the need for further clinical evaluation.
Question 4: A mother reports she loves her baby but feels no emotional bond. This symptom of PPD is clinically significant because:
- It proves she is an unfit mother
- Disrupted bonding can affect infant attachment and development (Correct answer)
- It is normal and resolves without treatment within days
- It indicates postpartum psychosis rather than PPD
Correct answer: Disrupted bonding can affect infant attachment and development
Disrupted mother-infant bonding associated with PPD can have downstream effects on infant attachment, development, and long-term child outcomes.
Question 5: Excessive, uncontrollable crying without a clear reason is a symptom of PPD that differs from baby blues primarily because:
- Baby blues never involve crying
- In PPD, crying is accompanied by persistent functional impairment beyond two weeks (Correct answer)
- PPD-related crying only occurs at night
- Baby blues crying is always more intense than PPD crying
Correct answer: In PPD, crying is accompanied by persistent functional impairment beyond two weeks
While both baby blues and PPD involve crying, PPD is characterized by persistent functional impairment and duration beyond two weeks.
Question 6: Psychomotor changes in PPD may include:
- Faster reflexes and improved coordination
- Either slowed movements/speech or agitated restlessness (Correct answer)
- Only hyperactivity and rapid speech
- No observable changes in movement or behavior
Correct answer: Either slowed movements/speech or agitated restlessness
PPD can cause psychomotor retardation (slowed movements and speech) or psychomotor agitation (restlessness), both of which are observable to others.
Question 7: A new mother discloses passive suicidal ideation such as 'I wish I could go to sleep and not wake up.' The appropriate clinical response is:
- Reassure her this is normal and will pass
- Conduct a thorough suicide risk assessment immediately (Correct answer)
- Advise her to get more sleep and exercise
- Refer her only if she has an active plan
Correct answer: Conduct a thorough suicide risk assessment immediately
Any suicidal ideation, including passive forms, requires immediate and thorough suicide risk assessment as part of safe PPD management.
PSI Characteristics of Postpartum Depression 4
Appetite disturbance in postpartum depression may present as: