Skip to main content

Table 1 Psychosocial assessment and questions

From: Negotiating policy in practice: child and family health nurses’ approach to the process of postnatal psychosocial assessment

Variables (Risk factors)

Suggested format for psychosocial assessment questions

I. Lack of support

1. Will you be able to get practical support with your baby?

2. Do you have someone you are able to talk to about your feelings or worries?

II. Recent major stressors in the last 12 months.

3. Have you had any major stressors, changes or losses recently (i.e., in the last 12 months) such as, financial problems, someone close to you dying, or any other serious worries?

III. Low self-esteem (including lack of self-confidence, high anxiety and perfectionist traits)

4. Generally, do you consider yourself a confident person?

5. Does it worry you a lot if things get messy or out of place?

IV. History of anxiety, depression or other mental health problems

6a. Have you ever felt anxious, miserable, worried or depressed for more than a couple of weeks?

6b. If so, did it seriously interfere with your work and your relationships with friends and family?

7. Are you currently receiving, or have you in the past received treatment for any emotional problems?

V. Couple’s Relationship Problems or Dysfunction (if applicable)

8. How would you describe your relationship with your partner?

9. a) Antenatal: What do you think your relationship will be like after the birth?

OR

b) Postnatal (in Community Health Setting): Has your relationship changed since having the baby?

VI. Adverse childhood experiences

10. Now that you are having a child of your own, you may think more about your own childhood and what it was like. As a child were you hurt or abused in any way (physically, emotionally, sexually)?

VII. Domestic violence (DV) Questions must be asked only when the woman can be interviewed away from partner or family member over the age of 3 years. Staff must undergo training in screening for domestic violence before administering questions

11. Within the last year have you been hit, slapped, or hurt in other ways by your partner or ex-partner?

12. Are you frightened of your partner or ex-partner? (If the response to questions 11 and 12 is “No” then offer the DV information card and omit questions 13–18)

13. Are you safe here at home?/to go home when you leave here?

14. Has your child/children been hurt or witnessed violence?

15. Who is/are your children with now?

16. Are they safe?

17. Are you worried about your child/children’s safety?

18. Would you like assistance with this?

Opportunity to disclose further

19. Are there any other issues or worries you would like to mention?

  1. [11].