Longitudinal mother-rated screening of male partners' depressive symptoms using the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale during the perinatal period.

This study examined the validity of a mother-rated partner version of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS-MRP) for screening perinatal depressive symptoms in male partners and the factors associated with proxy-rating accuracy. A longitudinal survey was conducted with 201 pregnant women (i.e., mothers) and their male partners recruited from three facilities during pregnancy and at 3-6 months postpartum. Mothers evaluated their partners' depressive symptoms using the EPDS-MRP. Mothers and partners completed the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II), partners completed the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and both completed the Mother-to-Infant Bonding Scale postpartum. Mothers completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAI-JYZ). According to the EPDS, 17.4% of male partners had suspected depressive symptoms at each time point. Positive correlations were found between partners' BDI-II and EPDS scores (r = 0.598-0.634, p < .01). Although mothers' EPDS-MRP scores were lower than partners' self-rated EPDS scores at both time points (both ps < 0.001), EPDS-MRP scores correlated positively with partners' BDI-II and EPDS scores (r = 0.229-0.336, p < .01). Lower item-level agreement between self-reports and proxy reports on the EPDS/EPDS-MRP was observed among mothers with moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms at both time points (both ps = 0.001), high state anxiety at both time points (p = .022 and p = .041), and high trait anxiety during pregnancy (p = .044). Maternal proxy assessment of male partners' depressive symptoms using the EPDS-MRP may be informative, but proxy-rating accuracy was associated with mothers' mental health symptoms.