Essay on Beck's Theory of Postpartum Depression

Theory is an arrangement of thoughts meant to describe something. These thoughts and ideas usually have basic principles that validate the purpose of the proposed theory. Nursing theory is a well thought out scholarly structure of concepts. These concepts are created to help guide nursing practice. They explain the fundamentals of nursing care. Multiple clinical decisions are based upon nursing theories. There are many different types of nursing theories developed primarily by nurses. Nursing theorist’s main goal is to examine nursing practice and explain the working or non-working parts

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s story, The Yellow Wallpaper, portrays the life and mind of a woman suffering from post-partum depression in the late eighteenth century. Gilman uses setting to strengthen the impact of her story by allowing the distant country mansion symbolize the loneliness of her narrator, Jane. Gilman also uses flat characters to enhance the depth of Jane’s thoughts; however, Gilman’s use of narrative technique impacts her story the most. In The Yellow Wallpaper, Charlotte Perkins Gilman uses interior monologue to add impact to Jane’s progression into insanity, to add insight into the relationships in the story, and to increase the depth of Jane’s connection with the yellow wallpaper it self.

The theory in which I feel solves a problem within advance nursing practice is Beck’s postpartum depression theory. Postpartum depression affects up to 85% of postpartum women (Cabrera & Schub, 2017). Knowing this, it is important for nurses to identify the signs and intervene early on. In 1992, Cheryl Beck published her theory: Becks postpartum depression theory. The purpose of the theory was to give individuals an understanding into the experience of postpartum depression (McEwen & Wills, 2010). Beck states that there is a four stage process into postpartum depression (McEwen & Wills, 2010).

Based on this, we saw how Tiffany and Pat’s unconscious affects their disorders in a psychodynamic perspective. Their genetics, childhood experiences, and Big Five personality traits explain the biological and trait perspectives of their disorder. Finally, the sociocultural perspectives on their disorders are the effects of their environmental experiences, and look at the environmental factors. I believe the theoretical approaches can be used to look at Pat and Tiffany’s personalities by accurately giving a description of who they are, and why they are who they

designed to guide the practice of nursing” (Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing, 2012). Nursing theories can help patients, managers and other healthcare professionals to recognize what and how much that nurses do contribute to the healthcare field. I never did realize how important theories in nursing practice could be until I became a nursing student myself. Nurses use theories in their everyday practice, but never think about them as being

There are several mood disorders that falls under the umbrella of PPD which makes it vital to decipher between them.

70). This definition begins a departure from the Logical Positivistic Received View, in that it does not emphasize the structure of the theory. According to Meleis (1985) this definition of theory exemplifies the multiple usageof theory, an important issue in dealing with nursing practice, research, education and administration. The definition for use here is one adapted from Meleis (1985) and states that a nursing theory is a conceptualization of phenomena and relationships in or pertaining to nursing for the purpose of describing, explaining, predicting and/or prescribing nursing care. Many of the definitions of nursing theory proposed in the 1960s and ’70s derived their definitions from psychology and the social sciences.Nursing theories, according to Meleis (1985) “evolve from extant nursing reality as seenthrough the mind of a theorist who is influenced by certain historical and philosophical processesor events” (p. 29). Theory is not only a tool for the development of research propositions but is also a goal, in which findings becomemore meaningful (Meleis, 1985). One problem in nursing has been the lack of agreement on the definition of theory. Many authors have used the term theory as interchangeable with such terms as conceptual framework, conceptual model, model, and paradigm. Fawcett (1989) clearly states that “conceptual models and theories are clearly distinguished by their

Postpartum depression is one of the most commons disorders in the early few weeks of child birth. According to the American Psychology Association almost 1 in 7 women are Likely to inherit the disorder. Postpartum depression is caused by the rapid drop of estrogen and progestrone hormone following the birth of a child. The effects include excessive crying without reasoning, irritability, anxiety, loss of memory, and the inability to focus. Within the early weeks of child birth it is expected for a mother embrace her baby however;  The symptoms of postpartum depression can cause intrusive thoughts that can harm both mother and child. Many women suffer from the postpartum due to the lack of a support system. It is likely that if a mother doesn't

This article talked about dealing with women’s postpartum depression (PPD) in a spiritual way. Similar to Borra, C., Iacovou, M., & Sevilla, A’s article, the author also mentioned that the fluctuation of hormonal or chemical levels in women can be triggered by circumstances which include socioeconomic status, prior mental health history and their childbirth experiences such as if the mother had the experience of a traumatic delivery, preterm labor or difficulty in feeding. These factors not only influence on the well-being of the mother but also impact on the families, marriage and the lifelong health development of the child and their siblings.

Post Partum depression causes a new mother to become depressed to a severe extent. PPD causes its patients to fall to an uncomfortable mental state. PPD patients feel discouraged, hostile,

The Center for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 20 people suffer from depression (2014). Although widely recognized and somewhat easy to diagnose, depression is an ignored and almost hidden, disease. In women, the statistics are especially grim for those who are pregnant or were recently pregnant. A great number of women suffer from postpartum depression; an illness which is often overlooked, misdiagnosed and untreated. Postpartum depression (PPD) has been defined as an emotional disorder that occurs in an estimated 10-15% of all women after childbirth (Liberto, 2010). Postpartum depression not only impacts the mother, but can cause long-term psychological challenges for the baby and create emotional turmoil for all family members.

In 2001, Andrea Yates, a Texas mother, was accused of drowning her five children, (aged seven, five, three, two, and six months) in her bathtub. The idea of a mother drowning all of her children puzzled the nation. Her attorney argued that it was Andrea Yates' untreated postpartum depression, which evolved into postpartum psychosis that caused her horrific actions (1) . He also argued that Andrea Yates suffered from postpartum depression after the birth of her fourth child, and that she attempted suicide twice for this very disorder ((1)). What is postpartum depression, and how can it cause a mother to harm her very own children, altering her behavior towards her children in a negative way? One in ten women

Mothers who have brought into this world a blessing have been preparing themselves for a big change in their life. They have been learning and educating themselves about how to be a good mother. Many mothers find it really hard to transition from being an independent woman without children to becoming a mother (Corrigan, Kwasky, & Groh, 2015). Adapting to motherhood can be a drastic change, and usually creates challenges that lead to feeling overwhelmed (Leger & Letourneau, 2015). When a newly mother begins experiencing stress or becomes emotional then there can be a possibility that they can encounter Postpartum Depression (Leger et al., 2015). Postpartum depression can be seen and experienced in many different ways, it all varies on every mother (Corrigan et al., 2015). Many different mental health issues can be seen including baby blues, postpartum depression, postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder, and the most serious, postpartum psychosis (Tam & Leslie, 2001).

Description of Theory- In 1993, Beck published a middle range theory on postpartum depression, entitled Teetering on the Edge. Beck, (1993, p. 44) which describes “walking on a fine line between sanity and insanity”. Beck determined a limited amount of qualitative research available and few instruments for measurement of postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, and “maternity blues”. Beck interviewed 12 women for 18 months detailed their experiences, and determined the main perceived problem was a loss of control (Beck, 1993). Beck’s theory is one that is centered in phenomenology and produced a concise and testable theory (Marsh, 2013).

Given that nursing is a hands-on, professional 'practice,' to speak of nursing 'in theory' may at first seem like a contradiction in terms. However, nursing theory is an important tool, offering the practitioner in the field a way to better make decisions. Theory acts as a guide to practice. Of course, in nursing, theory is never subsumed to the specifics of a case. Unlike philosophy or literary theory, no theory can stand apart from the realities of the need to treat a patient effectively. But nursing theory can be helpful in dealing with unexpected situations. Nursing theories consist of "concepts, definitions, models, propositions and are based on assumptions" of deductive and inductive logic (Nursing theories: An overview, 2012, Nursing Theories).