bBeAMom: Effectiveness of a Cognitive-Behavioral Blended Intervention for Postpartum Depression

NCT ID: NCT04441879

Last Updated: 2022-07-15

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

110 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-04-01

Study Completion Date

2024-01-31

Brief Summary

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Be a mom program (a web-based cognitive-behavioral intervention) is being tested in another clinical trial as a preventive intervention for postpartum depression (NCT03024645). However, given its effectiveness in reducing depressive symptoms among women presenting early-onset postpartum depressive symptoms, Be a Mom can also have potential as a postpartum depression complement treatment tool. The main goal of this research is to apply and evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of a blended cognitive-behavioral intervention for the treatment of postpartum depression (Be a Mom Coping with Depression) by integrating face-to-face sessions with the web-based program Be a Mom.

The RCT will be a two-arm trial. Women who have had a child during the prior 12 months will be enrolled in the study. A minimum number of 110 women will be enrolled in the study. After agreeing to participate in the study, women will be screened and evaluated for the presence of clinically significant depressive symptoms (according to DSM-5) by a researcher (licensed psychologist). Participants who meet the eligibility criteria will be randomly assigned to one of the conditions: the blended intervention (Be a Mom Coping with Depression) or the control condition (online intervention - Be a Mom). The sample will be recruited online.

Participation in this study will last 6 months. The blended intervention will last about 3 months. Participants in both conditions will be invited by the researchers via email to complete baseline, post-intervention and follow-up (3-months post-intervention) assessments. Assessments will include self-report questionnaires to assess several indicators (e.g., depressive and anxiety symptoms, quality of life, marital satisfaction, mother-child bonding, and maternal self-efficacy), mechanisms that may be involved in the treatment response (e.g., psychological flexibility, emotional regulation, and self-compassion) and user's acceptability and satisfaction.

Detailed Description

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In the present study, a blended intervention to treat postpartum depression (Be a Mom Coping with Depression) will be tested.

The main goal of this research is to apply and evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of a blended cognitive-behavioral intervention for the treatment of postpartum depression by integrating face-to-face sessions with the web-based program Be a Mom. The efficacy of the intervention will be assessed considering two indicators: a) decrease or absence of clinically significant depressive symptoms at post-intervention and follow-up; and b) post-intervention and follow-up improvements in mother's psychosocial adjustment indicators (e.g., anxiety symptoms, marital satisfaction, maternal self-efficacy). The present study will also aim to investigate the mechanisms explaining the treatment response (e.g., psychological flexibility, self-compassion) and characteristics moderating the treatment response (e.g., motivation for therapy, therapeutic relationship).

The research design of the trial followed the methodological recommendations for the development and evaluation of blended interventions. A feasibility study was conducted prior to the randomized controlled trial (RCT), in order to evaluate preliminary version of the blended intervention. The feasibility study was conducted with women with a clinical diagnosis of postpartum depression according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5) disorders criteria. Pre- and post-intervention assessments, using self-report questionnaires, and individual interviews were used to gather information concerning acceptability (relevance of contents and structure), feasibility, usability and preliminary clinical effectiveness (non-controlled). Appropriate adjustments to the blended protocol were carried out considering the results.

The RCT will be a two-arm trial. The intervention condition (blended intervention - Be a Mom Coping with Depression) will be compared with a control condition (online intervention - Be a Mom). The sample will include adult women who delivered an healthy baby in the postpartum period (up to 12 months postpartum). Women will be enrolled through online recruitment. A minimum number of 45 women per condition will be required (N=90). Accounting for the 20% of expected attrition rate over time, an anticipated sample of 110 women will be enrolled in the study.

Women who demonstrate interest in the study will be informed of the study goals, the structure and arms of the research and the researchers' and participants' roles. Women who agree to participate in the study will sign an informed consent form. All ethical requirements for research with humans are guaranteed.

After women's agreement to participate in the study, women who have a positive screen (indicating the presence of clinically relevant depressive symptoms) and meet the remaining eligibility criteria, will be interviewed (SCID-5) by the researcher (licensed psychologist) to assess the presence of clinically significant depressive symptoms. Women who do not fulfill the eligibility criteria will end their participation in the study and will be referred to intervention by local providers. Participants presenting at least 4 symptoms of a major depressive episode according to DSM-5, being one depressed mood or lost of pleasure or interest, with will be randomly assigned (blocked randomization, with allocation concealment) to one of the conditions: the intervention (blended intervention) or the control condition (online intervention).

Participation in this study will last 6 months. The blended Be a Mom intervention will last about 3 months and will be conducted by the researcher (licensed psychologist). Participants in both conditions will be invited by the researchers via email to complete baseline, post-intervention and follow-up (3-months post-intervention) assessments. Assessments will include self-report questionnaires to assess several indicators (e.g., depressive and anxiety symptoms, quality of life, marital satisfaction, mother-child bonding, and maternal self-efficacy), mechanisms that may be involved in the treatment response (e.g., psychological flexibility, emotional regulation, and self-compassion), and user's acceptability and satisfaction. The necessary statistical analyses will be conducted, using the intention-to-treat and per-protocol principles.

Conditions

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Postpartum Depression

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Blended intervention

Women will receive a blended intervention (integrating face-to-face and online sessions) for the treatment of postpartum depression.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Be a Mom Coping with Depression

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Be a Mom Coping with Depression is a blended cognitive-behavioral intervention for the treatment of postpartum depression. It consists of 13 weeks of face-to-face and online sessions, each session targeting a specific thematic content, and providing participants with both information and specific therapeutic strategies (with a strong focus on cognitive-behavioral techniques) to address each thematic content.

Control (online intervention)

Women will receive an online intervention (Be a Mom program).

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Be a Mom

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Be a Mom is an online intervention consisting of 6 modules, each one targeting a specific thematic content, and providing women with both information and specific therapeutic strategies (with a strong focus on cognitive-behavioral techniques) to address each thematic content. Women will receive biweekly phone calls from a psychologist between completion of each module to provide support.

Interventions

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Be a Mom Coping with Depression

Be a Mom Coping with Depression is a blended cognitive-behavioral intervention for the treatment of postpartum depression. It consists of 13 weeks of face-to-face and online sessions, each session targeting a specific thematic content, and providing participants with both information and specific therapeutic strategies (with a strong focus on cognitive-behavioral techniques) to address each thematic content.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Be a Mom

Be a Mom is an online intervention consisting of 6 modules, each one targeting a specific thematic content, and providing women with both information and specific therapeutic strategies (with a strong focus on cognitive-behavioral techniques) to address each thematic content. Women will receive biweekly phone calls from a psychologist between completion of each module to provide support.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Having 18 years or more;
* Being female;
* Being Portuguese;
* Baby's age up to 12 months;
* Presence of at least 4 symptoms of a major depressive episode according to DSM-5, being one depressed mood or lost of pleasure or interest;
* Having had a live healthy birth, with both woman and the child discharged from hospital;
* Internet and computer access;
* Being able to write and read Portuguese.

Exclusion Criteria

* Presence of psychiatric comorbidity requiring alternative treatment primary to depression treatment (e.g., substance abuse, bipolar disorder);
* Presence of serious suicidal ideation;
* Presence of serious medical condition (either the participant or the baby);
* Currently receiving psychological or psychiatric treatment for depressive symptoms (antidepressant medication is allowed if stabilized for the last 3 months);
* Language difficulties that impede comprehension/reading-writing.

All participants will be informed that they will be randomized to one of the study groups and that will only be included if they give informed consent to participate in the study.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

50 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Coimbra

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Ana Fonseca

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Coimbra

Coimbra, , Portugal

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Portugal

Central Contacts

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Mariana Branquinho

Role: CONTACT

912979399 ext. +351

Facility Contacts

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Mariana Branquinho

Role: primary

912979399 ext. +351

References

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Branquinho M, Canavarro MC, Fonseca A. Blended CBT Intervention vs. a Guided Web-Based Intervention for Postpartum Depression: Results From a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Clin Psychol Psychother. 2024 Nov-Dec;31(6):e70007. doi: 10.1002/cpp.70007.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 39500299 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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SFRH/BD/145563/2019

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

bBeAMom/145563/2019

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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