Maladaptive personality styles in a clinical sample of women with postpartum depression.

Background: Personality traits are associated with the onset and course of postpartum depression. The impact of maladaptive personality traits on mother-child bonding and parenting is less studied. Therefore, the aims of this study are to investigate: a) the frequency of maladaptive personality styles in women with postpartum depression; b) the association between personality styles and the course of maternal psychopathology; and c) the association between personality styles and mother-child bonding and parenting competence.