Examining the Role of Family Members in Perinatal Interventions Targeting Postpartum Depression: A Decade in Review

Abstract Extant literature exploring postpartum depression (PPD) primarily focuses on individual risk factors, individual psychotherapy treatment, and psychotropic care. Recent work has started to recognize the importance of including partners and family members in maternal mental health care to improve outcomes. The authors critically examined 12 articles to understand the theoretical foundations, methodologies, and effects of varying levels of family involvement across said work. We applied a systemic lens to increase understanding of family interventions to improve PPD outcomes and applied a tiered model approach to expand on scholarship that translates family science research into these care practices. Results show strong support for family involvement in PPD interventions. Perinatal mental health impacts whole family systems, not just birth mothers, and leveraging social supports may positively impact postpartum outcomes. We conclude with suggestions for clinicians and researchers to further examine diverse experiences and explore nuances in family interventions for this population.