Nursing Faculty Publications
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-2024
Journal Title
Contemporary Clinical Trials
ISSN
1551-7144
Volume
147
First Page
1
Last Page
7
Article Number
107738
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cct.2024.107738.
Abstract
Background: Perinatal depression and anxiety (PDA) affect approximately 20 % of individuals and are associated with adverse outcomes, including preterm birth, low birth weight, and impaired cognitive development of the child. Telehealth may reduce access barriers to needed mental health services. However, lack of disseminated, standardized study protocols aimed at investigating the role of telehealth in reducing PDA symptoms limits the ability to compare findings across studies. The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual framework and a randomized controlled trial protocol (RCT) for use in future studies. Methods and analysis: An RCT was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a group videoconference intervention (VCI) to reduce PDA symptoms across pregnancy and postpartum period. Participants are randomly assigned to study groups: VCI + standard of care, or attention control (AC) + standard of care. Both groups have weekly onehour group videoconference sessions for 9 weeks. The VCI groups are facilitated by a mental health professional using a manualized program based on mindfulness-based practices and cognitive behavioral therapy (MBCT). The AC groups are facilitated by a registered nurse using a manualized program for childbirth and parenting education. The primary outcomes are depressive symptoms as measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and anxiety symptoms as measured by the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7). Conclusion: This RCT study protocol can be used as a standard approach to improve the ability to compare findings across studies, applied in any setting (e.g., rural or urban), and adapted to diverse communities.
Keywords
intervention, protocol, randomized controlled study, perinatal depression
Recommended Citation
Iacob, Eli; Kausler, Ryoko; Williams, Marcia R.; Simonsen, Sara; Smid, Marcela; Weissinger, Kristen; and Latendresse, Gwen, "Protocol for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a telehealth group intervention to reduce perinatal depressive symptoms" (2024). Nursing Faculty Publications. 107.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/nursing_publications/107
