An Exploration of Post-traumatic Growth in Families of Women who have Experienced Postpartum Psychosis

This thesis portfolio comprises three parts:Part One: Systematic Literature ReviewThis review systematically examined the qualitative literature that captures the experiences of women with a learning disability during the perinatal period. A thematic synthesis of ten papers identified two overarching themes: ‘Disempowerment’ and ‘Support from Others’. Seven subthemes also emerged: ‘Feeling Judged’, ‘Feeling Underestimated’, ‘The Importance of Communication’, ‘The Importance of Autonomy’, ‘It Takes a Village’, ‘Positive Encounters with Professionals’, and ‘How Support from Others Could be Improved’. These findings indicate that collaborative, person-centred care seems to be important in empowering mothers with a learning disability during the perinatal period.Part Two: Empirical StudyThe empirical paper explored the shared experiences of families impacted by postpartum psychosis. Couples were jointly interviewed and asked to tell their stories of what changes that they have noticed in their lives following postpartum psychosis. Amongst the small sample of white-British, heterosexual couples, increased empathy seems to develop towards others experiencing mental health difficulties following lived experience of postpartum psychosis. Some evidence of increased feelings of closeness and strength within relationships was also found. These findings emphasise the importance and value of involving women’s partners in the treatment and recovery process of postpartum psychosis.Part Three comprises the AppendicesThe appendices contain supporting information to the systematic literature review and empirical paper, including reflective and epistemological statements.