Having our say: African-American and Latina mothers provide recommendations to health and mental health providers working with new mothers living with postpartum depression
Abstract
Although the research on postpartum depression has grown substantially within the past 20 years, very little research has focused on mothers of color. This article draws on first-person accounts of 30 (19 African-American and 11 Latina) mothers who experienced postpartum depression and links their experiences to existing research to guide health and mental health care providers to render culturally relevant services. The mothers were interviewed regarding their perspectives on postpartum depression, the informal and formal services they used, and their recommendations for service providers. Informal social networks offering emotional and instrumental support partially relieved the mothers of childcare burdens, but were absent or even detrimental for other mothers. Formal services offering responsive and accommodating services were identified as helpful. In contrast, rigid formal mental health treatment and antidepressant medications were identified as unhelpful.
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Highlighting the connection between a woman's wellness and that of her family contributes to better acceptability and engagement with evidence-based interventions among ethnic and racial minority families.
“leveraging family support (Keefe et al., 2016) and highlighting the connection between a woman's wellness and that of her family (Uebelacker et al., 2012) contribute to better acceptability and engagement with evidence-based interventions.”
From Exposure Therapy Acceptability Among Pregnant Latinas With Anxiety: A Qualitative Content Analysis (2025) · cites this paper as Keefe et al., 2016
Leveraging family support contributes to better acceptability and engagement with evidence-based interventions among ethnic and racial minority families.
“leveraging family support (Keefe et al., 2016) and highlighting the connection between a woman's wellness and that of her family (Uebelacker et al., 2012) contribute to better acceptability and engagement with evidence-based interventions.”
From Exposure Therapy Acceptability Among Pregnant Latinas With Anxiety: A Qualitative Content Analysis (2025) · cites this paper as Keefe et al., 2016
Cites
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The neurobiology of depression and antidepressant action
Willner, P., Scheel-Krüger, J., & Belzung, C. (2013) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.12.007 · Cited by 519 · see citing works
Gress-Smith, J. L., Luecken, L. J., Lemery-Chalfant, K., & Howe, R. (2012) · Maternal and Child Health Journal · doi:10.1007/s10995-011-0812-y · Cited by 225 · see citing works
Perinatal depression: a review of US legislation and law
Rhodes, A. M., & Segre, L. S. (2013) · Archives of Women's Mental Health · doi:10.1007/s00737-013-0359-6 · Cited by 86 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Sensationalized cases of mothers harming their young children while suffering from postpartum depression have catalyzed many legislators to begin addressing the problems associated with this and other perinatal mood disorders (Rhodes & Segre, 2013).”
BackgroundHowell, E. A., Balbierz, A., Wang, J., Parides, M., Zlotnick, C., & Leventhal, H. (2012) · Obstetrics & Gynecology · doi:10.1097/aog.0b013e318250ba48 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
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<scp>LGBTQ2S</scp> + childbearing individuals and perinatal mental health: A systematic review
Kirubarajan, A., Barker, L. C., Leung, S., Ross, L. E., Zaheer, J., Park, B., Abramovich, A., Yudin, M. H., & Lam, J. S. H. (2022) · BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology · doi:10.1111/1471-0528.17103 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Exposure Therapy Acceptability Among Pregnant Latinas With Anxiety: A Qualitative Content Analysis
Ponting, C., Ong, E., Dunkel Schetter, C., & Chavira, D. A. (2025) · Cultural Diversity & Ethnic Minority Psychology · doi:10.1037/cdp0000589 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
- Authors
- Keefe, R. H., Brownstein-Evans, C., & Rouland Polmanteer, R. S.
- Affiliations
- University at Buffalo, State University of New York (US)
- Nazareth College (US)
- Corresponding author
- Keefe, Robert H.
- ORCID
- Keefe, Robert H.
- Venue
- Social Work in Mental Health
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2016-03-15
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 497-508
- ISSN
- 1533-2985 (ISSN-L)
- 1533-2993
- OpenAlex
- W2324677657
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 3.65
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Social Work in Mental Health (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Fahs-Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation (1111698-1-65217)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Migration, Health and Trauma
- Keywords
- postpartum depression, African American mothers, Hispanic mothers, mothers of color, lived experience, informal support, childcare burden, antidepressants
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