TY - JOUR
T1 - Linguistic features of postpartum depression using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count text analysis
AU - Landoni, Marta
AU - Silverio, Sergio A.
AU - Ciuffo, Giulia
AU - Daccò, Margherita
AU - Pertovic, Milica
AU - Di Blasio, Paola
AU - Ionio, Chiara
N1 - Funding Information:
Sergio A. Silverio (King's College London) is currently supported by the National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration South London [NIHR ARC South London] at King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. He also holds a personal Doctoral Fellowship awarded by the NIHR ARC South London's Capacity Building Theme. The views expressed are those of the author[s] and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. All other authors declare no known competing financial interests or personal relationships which could have appeared to influence the work reported in this article.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022
PY - 2023/2/1
Y1 - 2023/2/1
N2 - Objective: This qualitative study examines the linguistic features associated with postpartum depression. Methods: In this longitudinal online study, 53 mothers completed self-report questionnaires assessing symptoms of postpartum depression and an expressive writing exercise about their pregnancy and birth. Mothers were randomly divided into two groups (intervention and control groups). Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count [LIWC] was used to examine the written data for depression and no depression groups. Results: The overall use of words varied depending on the severity of depressive symptoms. Negative emotions and introspective terms were associated with depression and lower use of first-person plural pronouns but not singular pronouns. Additionally, the groups of individuals with depression showed a positive correlation between depressive symptoms and words referring to friends, leisure activities, the body, breastfeeding, exercise, and eating attitudes. Conclusion: In addition to self-disclosure, word analysis and appropriate categorization could be useful for perinatal symptomatology in pregnant women, and interestingly also a meaningful tool that can be taught and used as a preventive care measure among pregnant and postpartum women.
AB - Objective: This qualitative study examines the linguistic features associated with postpartum depression. Methods: In this longitudinal online study, 53 mothers completed self-report questionnaires assessing symptoms of postpartum depression and an expressive writing exercise about their pregnancy and birth. Mothers were randomly divided into two groups (intervention and control groups). Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count [LIWC] was used to examine the written data for depression and no depression groups. Results: The overall use of words varied depending on the severity of depressive symptoms. Negative emotions and introspective terms were associated with depression and lower use of first-person plural pronouns but not singular pronouns. Additionally, the groups of individuals with depression showed a positive correlation between depressive symptoms and words referring to friends, leisure activities, the body, breastfeeding, exercise, and eating attitudes. Conclusion: In addition to self-disclosure, word analysis and appropriate categorization could be useful for perinatal symptomatology in pregnant women, and interestingly also a meaningful tool that can be taught and used as a preventive care measure among pregnant and postpartum women.
KW - Perinatal mental health
KW - Postpartum depression
KW - Linguistic analysis
KW - Maternal mental health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85144660128&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jnn.2022.04.001
DO - 10.1016/j.jnn.2022.04.001
M3 - Article
SN - 1355-1841
VL - 29
SP - 127
EP - 134
JO - Journal of Neonatal Nursing
JF - Journal of Neonatal Nursing
IS - 1
ER -
