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Effect of Home-Based Peer Support on Maternal-Infant Interaction and Postpartum Depression

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Postpartum Depression
Interventions
Behavioral: mci guidance peer support
Registration Number
NCT00298311
Lead Sponsor
Canadian Research Institute for Social Policy
Brief Summary

The objective of this study is to examine the impact of a home-based peer support intervention for mothers affected by postpartum depression (PPD) and for their infants.

Detailed Description

This controlled study will help establish the link between support for maternal caregiving, maternal-infant interaction, infant neuroendocrinology and infant cognitive and social development. The primary hypothesis predicts that home-based peer support will improve maternal-infant interactions. Secondary hypotheses predict that home-based peer support will: improve infants' cognitive development; improve infants' social development; decrease average daily salivary cortisol levels in infants; reduce maternal depressive symptomatology; and improve maternal perceptions of social support.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
Female
Target Recruitment
60
Inclusion Criteria
  • Eligible mothers will be identified as experiencing symptoms of PPD and scores >12 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.
  • Mothers must speak English or French.
  • Mothers will not be excluded for taking anti-depressant or anti-psychotic medication, using other interventions for PPD, or reporting a history of mental illness;
  • The infant must be full-term, in the care of the mother and between 3 to 6 months of age at initial enrollment.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Infants who have been admitted to the NICU
  • Infants will be excluded if medicated with corticosteroids

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
mci guidance & peer social supportmci guidance peer supporthome visits to promote maternal-child interaction \& social support
peer social supportmci guidance peer supportsocial support
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
maternal-infant interaction12 months
Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
cognitive development12 months
social development12 months
salivary cortisol12 months
depressive symptomatology12 months
social support12 months
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