Plenary: “Frontiers in treating of perinatal depression”

Dr Michael O'Hara, Ph.D., is Professor and Starch Faculty Fellow in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Iowa. He is the founder and the co-director of the Iowa Depression and Clinical Research Center.  He is also the Director of Clinical Training for the department’s clinical psychology program.  Dr. O’Hara received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Pittsburgh in 1980. Over the years his research has addressed the validity of psychological models of depression in postpartum women, epidemiology of depression during pregnancy and the postpartum period, and environmental, psychological, social, and hormonal causes of postpartum depression, and treatment interventions for women with postpartum depression and depression during pregnancy.  In particular, he and his colleagues have developed Interpersonal Psychotherapy for postpartum depression.  He has over 150 peer-reviewed articles, chapters and books.  His most recent book with C. Steven Richards is Oxford Handbook of Depression and Comorbidity. Dr. O’Hara has served as the President of the Marcé Society for Perinatal Mental Health (1996-1998) and was awarded the Marcé Medal in 2002. He also has served as President of the Society for Research in Psychopathology (1998-1999).