Factor structure of the Japanese version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale in the postpartum period

PLoS One. 2014 Aug 4;9(8):e103941. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103941. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Background: The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a widely used screening tool for postpartum depression (PPD). Although the reliability and validity of EPDS in Japanese has been confirmed and the prevalence of PPD is found to be about the same as Western countries, the factor structure of the Japanese version of EPDS has not been elucidated yet.

Methods: 690 Japanese mothers completed all items of the EPDS at 1 month postpartum. We divided them randomly into two sample sets. The first sample set (n = 345) was used for exploratory factor analysis, and the second sample set was used (n = 345) for confirmatory factor analysis.

Results: The result of exploratory factor analysis indicated a three-factor model consisting of anxiety, depression and anhedonia. The results of confirmatory factor analysis suggested that the anxiety and anhedonia factors existed for EPDS in a sample of Japanese women at 1 month postpartum. The depression factor varies by the models of acceptable fit.

Conclusions: We examined EPDS scores. As a result, "anxiety" and "anhedonia" exist for EPDS among postpartum women in Japan as already reported in Western countries. Cross-cultural research is needed for future research.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Depression, Postpartum / psychology*
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Japan
  • Language
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Biological
  • Postpartum Period*
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

Funding for this study was provided by research grants from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan; the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan; The Academic Frontier Project for Private Universities, Comparative Cognitive Science Institutes, Meijo University; the Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology; Intramural Research Grant (21B-2) for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders of NCNP; and the Specific Research Fund 2012 for East Japan Great Earthquake Revival by The New Technology Development Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.