Depression Prevention in Pregnant American Indian Teens Using CBT

Pregnancy among reservation-based American Indian adolescents has become increasingly common. Numerous psychosocial and environmental factors have put this population at high risk for pregnancy-related depression. Depression during pregnancy and after giving birth is associated with reduced quality of life for both young mothers and their children. Many reservations lack mental health services; therefore, an inexpensive intervention is needed to prevent depressive symptoms among pregnant adolescents who live on reservations.

The duration of this study will vary for each participant, depending on the time of study entry. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive weekly sessions of either the "Living in Harmony" program, consisting of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), culturally-relevant education, and support; or general depression-prevention education and support. Participants' depressive symptoms will be assessed at study entry, at 4, 12, and 24 weeks after giving birth, and study completion. Interviews and self-report scales will be used to assess participants.