This is an old revision of this page, as edited by C.Fred (talk | contribs) at 16:03, 3 February 2011 (Undid revision 411743431 by Roscelese (talk) - unexplained tilting of the article out of neutrality). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 16:03, 3 February 2011 by C.Fred (talk | contribs) (Undid revision 411743431 by Roscelese (talk) - unexplained tilting of the article out of neutrality)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Priscilla K. Coleman is a Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.
Coleman has published articles in peer-reviewed journals that document there is a correlation between abortion and poor mental health, and has claimed in interviews that there is a causal relationship. One of her co-authors is David Reardon.
Biography
Coleman has a masters degree from James Madison University and a Ph.D. from West Virginia University.
Coleman has in adition to many peer-reviewed, long term studies on the mental health effects of abortion also pubished opinion pieces in such works as the National Review.
Criticsm
The statistical methods Coleman and her co-authors use have been criticized by the American Psychological Association (APA) A panel convened by the APA has written that the studies by Coleman, and her co-authors have "inadequate or inappropriate" controls and don't adequately control "for women's mental health prior to the pregnancy and abortion." Coleman for her part has pointed out the methological insuffciancies and political biases in the actions of the APA Task Force on Abortion and Mental Health.
Coleman, Cougle, Reardon and Rue have also been criticized by other researchers in the field. Jillian Henderson, a professor of gynecology, and Katharine Miller wrote to the Journal of Anxiety Disorders claiming, "We believe that Cougle, et al., operate with strong political views regarding abortion, and unfortunately their biases appear to have resulted in serious methodological flaws in the analysis published in your journal. are involved in building a literature to be used in efforts to restrict access to abortion." Nancy Russo, a psychology professor and abortion researcher, examined two of Coleman and Reardon's articles, and alleged that when the methodological flaws in the studies were corrected, the supposed correlation between abortion and poor mental health disappeared. This whole argument ignores the fact that much of Coleman's work focuses on the groups that are liekly to suffer post-abortion mental health issues, and that trigger factors are a complexed issue, but if we want to have adequate mental health care we need to recognize that abortion is traumatic.
A 2010 review of the group's analysis of the National Comorbidity Survey, an analysis which claimed that women who had abortions suffered from higher rates of depression and substance abuse, alleged that Coleman and her colleagues had failed to control for pre-existing mental health problems and for other risk factors for mental health problems, such as sexual or physical violence. Julia Steinberg, one of the researchers, said, "We were unable to reproduce the most basic tabulations of Coleman and colleagues...Moreover, their findings were logically inconsistent with other published research -- for example, they found higher rates of depression in the last month than other studies found during respondents' entire lifetimes. This suggests that the results were substantially inflated." Coleman responded that her analysis had used different methods and examined long-term psychological problems.
References
- BGSU :: College of Education and Human Development :: Priscilla Coleman, Ph.D
- ^ Bazelon, Emily (January 21, 2007). "Is there a Post-Abortion Syndrome?". The New York Times.
- ^ NOW with David Brancaccio PBS
HINOJOSA: In emails, two prominent independent scientists, on a panel that is reviewing the scientific literature for the American Psychological Association told us the studies have "inadequate or inappropriate" controls and don't adequately control "for women's mental health prior to the pregnancy and abortion." - Bowling Green State University bio of Coleman
- National Review article by Coleman
- Life News, Aug. 14, 2008 article by Coleman
- Pam Chamberlain (summer 2006). "How Anti-Abortion Myths Feed the Christian Right Agenda". Public Eye Magazine. Political Research Associates. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - interview with Coleman where she speaks of the specific risk factors in abortion mental health issues
- Stein, Rob (December 13, 2010). "Study disputes link between abortion and mental health problems". Washington Post.