Exploring the experiences of women with postnatal depression who access community services

The aim of this thesis is to explore the experiences of women who access community services for postnatal depression.

Paper one is a qualitative literature review that synthesises the findings of seven empirical papers. Following a thematic analysis, a hierarchical model of five themes (External hopelessness, secrets and permission, desire for choice, loss of control and inadequate services) was developed to illustrate the experiences of women and the cultural and societal influences that impact upon these experiences.

Paper two is an empirical research paper that explores the experiences of six women who self-identify with the term postnatal depression and accessed NHS community services for support with this. Face to face interviews were completed and data analysed using a narrative approach. A single story was constructed to illustrate the shared meanings from the women’s experiences. This identified trauma, feeling unheard, the use of language and the impact of social constructs of motherhood as key narratives. The clinical application of the research is discussed as well as future research implications.

The final paper is an executive summary produced in order to provide a succinct summary of the empirical research paper. Main findings of the research are presented along with clinical implications and recommendations in the context of service development of perinatal mental health services.