Preventing Perinatal Depression with an App-Based CBT Program

NCT ID: NCT06672432

Last Updated: 2024-11-04

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

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

290 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2024-11-30

Study Completion Date

2025-11-30

Brief Summary

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The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if CareMom, a mobile app-based cognitive behavioral therapy program works to prevent perinatal depression among Chinese mothers. The main questions the trial aims to answer are:

1. Does CareMom lower depression scores after an 8-week intervention?
2. Does CareMom lower depression scores at 6 weeks after childbirth?
3. How satisfied are participants with CareMom?
4. What unfavorable events, if any, are associated with the use of CareMom?

Researchers will compare CareMom to a matched attention control (a mobile app-based program that offers participants a similar level of interaction and daily activities) to see if CareMom works to prevent perinatal depression.

Participants will:

1. Engage in the CareMom program or a relaxation training program every day for 8 weeks
2. Complete a series of online questionnaire tests before and after the 8-week intervention.
3. Report any discomfort experienced throughout the study period.

Detailed Description

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A two-arm parallel randomised controlled trial of 290 pregnant women will be conducted at Jintang County Maternity and Child Health Hospital of Chengdu, China. Eligible women who consent to participate in the trial will be recruited at 20-24 weeks of gestation, and randomly allocated to either the intervention group (participate in a mobile app-based 8-week cognitive behavioral therapy program, named CareMom) or the control group (participate in a mobile app-based, attention-matched, 8-week relaxation training program) using a computer-generated random number. The primary outcomes are the changes in Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) scores from From enrollment to the end of intervention at 8 weeks.

Conditions

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Perinatal Depression Disease Prevention

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

QUADRUPLE

Participants Caregivers Investigators Outcome Assessors
Biostatisticians will be blinded to the study groups, ensuring that all results are analyzed and interpreted without bias.

Study Groups

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CareMom group

The intervention program, CareMom, is a structured, 8-week digital intervention delivered through a WeChat mini-program in Chinese, developed by Shanghai Thoven Technology Co. Ltd., China, under the guidance of psychologists and psychiatrists. CareMom is designed to support perinatal mental health by providing daily challenges, educational content, and interactive exercises that target cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation, and worry management, key therapeutic components for alleviating symptoms of depression and anxiety. Participants in the intervention group will also receive standard perinatal care throughout the study. This includes routine prenatal check-ups, postpartum nursing care, and scheduled postnatal visits, ensuring that all participants receive the essential healthcare services typically provided during the perinatal period.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

CareMom (a mobile app-based 8-wekk cognitive behavioral therapy program)

Intervention Type OTHER

The intervention is divided into daily tasks spread across eight weeks, with each day involving a variety of interactive elements such as videos, text-based content, guided reflections, and mental health check-ins. If the user misses a daily challenge, she can complete that challenge in the later days. Each week has a distinct focus that progressively builds the user's skills and understanding in managing emotional health. Tasks are designed to be short yet impactful, aiming to enhance engagement and adherence.

Control group

The control group in this study will participate in an attention-matched, 8-week online relaxation training program delivered through a mobile application. Participants in the control group will also continue to receive standard perinatal care. This standard care is not altered or influenced by participation in the study, ensuring that all participants receive the usual care necessary for perinatal health.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Matched Attention Control (a mobile app-based 8-week online relaxation training program)

Intervention Type OTHER

This program is designed to mirror the structure and engagement level of the intervention group, providing participants with a similar amount of interaction and daily activities. Each day, participants in the control group will complete 1-2 daily tasks focused on relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and guided imagery. Each task is brief, approximately 3 minutes in duration, making it easy for participants to incorporate into their daily routine.

Interventions

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CareMom (a mobile app-based 8-wekk cognitive behavioral therapy program)

The intervention is divided into daily tasks spread across eight weeks, with each day involving a variety of interactive elements such as videos, text-based content, guided reflections, and mental health check-ins. If the user misses a daily challenge, she can complete that challenge in the later days. Each week has a distinct focus that progressively builds the user's skills and understanding in managing emotional health. Tasks are designed to be short yet impactful, aiming to enhance engagement and adherence.

Intervention Type OTHER

Matched Attention Control (a mobile app-based 8-week online relaxation training program)

This program is designed to mirror the structure and engagement level of the intervention group, providing participants with a similar amount of interaction and daily activities. Each day, participants in the control group will complete 1-2 daily tasks focused on relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and guided imagery. Each task is brief, approximately 3 minutes in duration, making it easy for participants to incorporate into their daily routine.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* aged 18-45 years
* at 20-24 weeks of gestation
* at risk of depression but not experiencing severe depressive symptoms at recruitment, as indicated by an Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score of between 5 and 12
* own a smartphone
* are able to independently engage with the program

Exclusion Criteria

* have serious medical conditions or pregnancy complications that may affect their psychological condition, as determined by their medical doctor
* have a prior diagnosis of any mental disorders
* are currently or were recently (within the past six months) receiving any kinds of psychological services or treatments
* have a history of self-harm or suicide
* have any suicidal thoughts in the past 12 months
* experienced fetal deaths in the past 18 months
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

45 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Jintang County Maternal and Child Health Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Locations

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Jintang County Maternity and Child Health Hospital

Chengdu, Sichuan, China

Site Status

Countries

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China

Central Contacts

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Chunrong Li, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+8618084859927

Facility Contacts

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Hua Qing

Role: primary

+86-28-84982031

References

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Tang L, Qing H, Li H, Liu C, Wang H, Sun Y, Tan Q, Wu Y, Xiao Y, Lai J, Wang L, Zhong L, Huang F, Li C. Reducing the risk of perinatal depression using an app-based cognitive behavioral therapy program: protocol of a randomized controlled trial. Front Psychiatry. 2025 Apr 14;16:1544753. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1544753. eCollection 2025.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 40297330 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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2024673

Identifier Type: OTHER_GRANT

Identifier Source: secondary_id

20240511-1

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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