Randomised controlled trial of a brief online self-compassion intervention for mothers of infants

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Postnatal mental health; Mental Health - Studies of normal psychology, cognitive function and behaviour; Reproductive Health and Childbirth - Childbirth and postnatal care

• Registration Number: ACTRN12620000509965
• Lead Sponsor: The University of Queensland, Parenting and Family Support Centre

Brief Summary

Purpose: To test the effectiveness of a package of online self-compassion resources, for mothers of infants, on maternal mental health and wellbeing. Background Information: The transition to motherhood can encompass significant physical and psychological difficulties. Previous research suggests that compassion-focused interventions may be helpful for new mothers, but have been limited by exploratory designs and have not tested potential moderators of intervention effect. Participant Characteristics: A community sample of mothers of infants aged up to 24 months completed baseline assessment (including measures of self-compassion, fears of compassion, psychological flexibility and adjustment, symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and infant feeding experiences and satisfaction), and were randomly allocated to intervention or waitlist-control. Mothers randomised to the intervention accessed online self-compassion resources (psychoeducational video, guided self-compassion exercise, and tip-sheet) and received weekly SMS. Overall, 248 mothers completed post-intervention assessment eight weeks later. Results: 62.8% of intervention participants accessed the resources as intended. Lower baseline scores for fear of compassion from others predicted resource use. Post-intervention, mothers who used the resources had improved scores for post-traumatic stress symptoms, depression, self-compassionate action, and engagement with compassion from others compared to waitlist-control. Lower fears of compassion was associated with greater improvement in these variables. Limitations: Further research should consider infant age or intervention delivery modality, and would benefit from larger samples.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Completion: 2019-09-10
• Study Start: 2020-04-24
• Last Update Posted: 4 May 2020

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 248

Inclusion Criteria

Women aged 18+ years who had given birth to a child in the past 2 years and resided in Australia or New Zealand.

Exclusion Criteria

Women who were younger than 18 years, who had given birth to a child more than 2 years ago, or who resided outside of Australia and new Zealand.

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in scores on The Compassionate Engagement and Action Scales - the Self-Compassion and Compassion from Others Scales [T2 (8 weeks post-T1 survey)];Change in scores on The Fears of Compassion Scales - the Self-Compassion and Compassion from Others Scales[T2 (8 weeks post-T1 survey)];Change in scores on The Maternal Breastfeeding Evaluation Scale <br>[T2 (8 weeks post-T1 survey)]

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in scores on The Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (21 item version)[T2 (8 weeks post-T1 survey)];Change in scores on The Impact of Event Scale-Revised[T2 (8 weeks post-T1 survey)];Change in scores on The Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (AAQ-II)[T2 (8 weeks post-T1 survey)]