Mother Matters Online Postpartum Support
- Conditions
- Depression
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Mother Matters Online Postpartum Support Group
- Registration Number
- NCT02953626
- Lead Sponsor
- Women's College Hospital
- Brief Summary
Postpartum depression is common, yet only 20% of women seek treatment. Online support groups are a potential means of providing accessible mental health care during this time. Mother Matters is a 10-week online psychotherapy group for women with postpartum depression \& anxiety. The investigators aim to conduct a pilot RCT to demonstrate the feasibility of proceeding to a large-scale RCT evaluation of the Mother Matters intervention.
- Detailed Description
The postpartum period is a particularly vulnerable time for the development of mental health concerns; postpartum depression (i.e. depression with onset between 0-12 months postpartum) affects approximately 13% of mothers in Canada. There are serious negative consequences to both mother and child during this period, yet only 20% of women seek treatment, citing significant systematic and personal barriers. Online support groups have been identified as a potential means of providing accessible mental health care during this time. Mother Matters is a 10-week online support group for women with postpartum depression and anxiety, run trained psychotherapists in the Reproductive Life Stages (RLS) program at Women's College Hospital in Toronto, Ontario. Mother Matters was designed to address barriers related to accessing postpartum mental health services: it can be accessed anywhere (online group), at any time (available 24/7), and with anonymity (to address the barrier of shame/stigma). The overall objective of the current pilot RCT is to determine the feasibility of conducting a large randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the group, comparing outcomes among those with and without access to the program.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- Female
- Target Recruitment
- 96
Not provided
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Immediate Treatment Condition (ITC) Mother Matters Online Postpartum Support Group Mother Matters Online Postpartum Support Group. Participants will be assigned to begin immediately after randomization.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Recruitment Feasibility (Eligibility) One year from when the study starts enrolling participants The proportion of participants eligible to participate in Mother Matters
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Edinburgh Postnatal Depressive Scale (EPDS) Follow-up (10 weeks post-randomization at the completion of the Mother Matters online support group for the immediate treatment condition arm) The investigators will measure depressive symptoms using the EPDS, a self-report depression screening measure that has been validated for use in pregnancy. EPDS scores \>12 are predictive of a diagnosis of major depressive disorder.
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Follow-up (10 weeks post-randomization at the completion of the Mother Matters online support group for the immediate treatment condition arm) The investigators will measure anxious symptoms using the STAI, a self-report anxiety screening measure that has shown good discriminate validity in perinatal populations. STAI scores \>48 are predictive of having an anxiety disorder diagnosis.
The Change in Eating Disorder Symptoms Scale (CHEDS) Follow-up (10 weeks post-randomization at the completion of the Mother Matters online support group for the immediate treatment condition arm) The investigators will measure eating disorder symptoms use the CHEDS, which is designed to assess change in eating disorder symptoms and their severity.
Parenting Stress Index, Short Form (PSI) Follow-up (10 weeks post-randomization at the completion of the Mother Matters online support group for the immediate treatment condition arm) The investigators will measure stress in the parent-child relationship using the PSI short form, a 36-item measure which consists of three sub-scales.
Intervention Acceptability (Qualitative) Follow-up (Immediate treatment condiction: 10 weeks post-randomization, i.e. at completion of the Mother Matters online support group; Waitlist control condition: 10 weeks after the waitlist Mother Matters group starts) Mother Matters Program Evaluation Questionnaire. This is comprised of open- and closed-ended questions to elicit feedback on a) content, clarity and helpfulness of the group, b) acceptability of the group format, c) satisfaction with the group, including reasons for discontinuation, d) the facilitators availability and helpfulness, and e) whether or not participants would recommend it to other women experiencing depressive symptoms in the first postpartum year.
Intervention Acceptability (Website Usage) Follow-up (Immediate treatment condiction: 10 weeks post-randomization, i.e. at completion of the Mother Matters online support group; Waitlist control condition: 10 weeks after the waitlist Mother Matters group starts) Proportion of intervention weeks that participant logs in to the forum
Trial Protocol Adherence (Study Measure Completion) Follow-up (about 10 weeks post-randomization) Proportion of participants who complete follow-up measures
Recruitment Feasibility (Recruitment) One year from when the study starts enrolling participants The number of women recruited to the study
Trial Protocol Adherence (Weekly Posting) Follow-up (Immediate treatment condiction: 10 weeks post-randomization, i.e. at completion of the Mother Matters online support group; Waitlist control condition: 10 weeks after the waitlist Mother Matters group starts) The number of participants who post in the forum at least on a weekly basis
Trial Protocol Adherence (Posting Drop-Off) Follow-up (Immediate treatment condiction: 10 weeks post-randomization, i.e. at completion of the Mother Matters online support group; Waitlist control condition: 10 weeks after the waitlist Mother Matters group starts) The drop-off rate for postings (i.e. the number of participants who post in the initial weeks but not in the latter half of the group)
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Women's College Research Institute
🇨🇦Toronto, Ontario, Canada