Women's Experiences of the Coping With Birth Trauma:A Psychoeducational Group Support Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 112-121
Author(s):  
Nicola-Jade Roberts ◽  
Julie Jomeen ◽  
Gill Thomson
Keyword(s):  
Help Seeking ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Support Program ◽  
Course Development ◽  
Group Support ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviors ◽  
North West ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
Traumatic Birth

OBJECTIVEBetween 20%-50% of women experience birth as traumatic, with negative impacts for women, infants and families. Currently, there is a lack of evidence into supportive interventions to ameliorate women's adverse responses following a traumatic birth. In North-West UK, a 6-week psychoeducation group support program (Coping with Birth Trauma [CwBT]) was developed and delivered by two trained therapists. The course aimed to facilitate women's understanding of trauma, and to provide coping strategies; additional speakers were also invited to discuss specialist issues. The aim of this evaluation was to explore women's experiences and perceptions of the CwBT, and to identify recommendations for course development.METHODSFollowing university ethics approval, all the women who had attended a CwBT course (n = 3) were invited to take part in a telephone interview. Eight women out of a possible sample of 16 agreed to participate. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data.RESULTSTwo themes and associated sub-themes describe the social, cognitive and instrumentalcomponents of the CwBT course (“Creating a difference”) and how the course facilitated growth and help-seeking behaviors (“Growth and renewal”). The final theme “complaints and recommendations” details critical reflections and suggestions for course development. Recommendations included speakers from different therapeutic backgrounds and more opportunities for contact with women at different stages of their trauma journey.CONCLUSIONSOverall, the course was well received with positive implications for health, wellbeing and family functioning. Further and large-scale studies to assess its effectiveness are needed.

scholarly journals Exploring women’s experiences of identifying, negotiating and managing perinatal anxiety: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e040731
Author(s):  
Soo Oh ◽  
Carolyn A Chew-Graham ◽  
Victoria Silverwood ◽  
Sirah Aksa Shaheen ◽  
Jacqualyn Walsh-House ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Support Groups ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
North West ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
Perinatal Anxiety

ObjectivesAnxiety affects around 15% of women during the perinatal period and can adversely impact both mother and child, with potential implications for long-term health; few studies have examined women’s experiences of perinatal anxiety (PNA). In the context of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence prioritising PNA, this study aimed to explore women’s experiences of the identification and management of PNA and their engagement with healthcare professionals.DesignQualitative study with semi-structured interviews and applying thematic analysis.SettingRecruitment materials were shared widely through maternal support groups, children’s centres, libraries, National Health Service (NHS) providers (primary and secondary care) operating in the West Midlands or North West of England and through social media.ParticipantsSeventeen women (aged 25–42 years) with self-reported anxiety during pregnancy and/or up to 12 months postpartum. Interviews digitally recorded and transcribed with consent.ResultsThree main themes and corresponding sub-themes are described around a central concept of PNA as an individualised experience: barriers to disclosing PNA; help-seeking for PNA and establishing and engaging support networks. Disclosing, help-seeking and accessing systems of support were interconnected and contextualised by individualised experiences of PNA and pervaded by stigma.ConclusionsThis research provides new insights into PNA and calls for awareness to be improved to achieve parity alongside depression and avoid missed opportunities in the provision of care for women and families. Future research should seek to develop novel PNA-specific interventions aimed at prevention, management and/or combatting stigma to support more women to disclose mental health concerns and seek help early.

Intersections and Multiple ‘Candidacies’: Exploring Connections between Two Theoretical Perspectives on Domestic Abuse and Their Implications for Practicing Policy

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mhairi Mackenzie ◽  
Ellie Conway ◽  
Annette Hastings ◽  
Moira Munro ◽  
Catherine A. O’Donnell
Keyword(s):  
Help Seeking ◽  
Domestic Abuse ◽  
The Political ◽  
Service Utilisation ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Literature Synthesis

Domestic abuse policy increasingly uses language which indicates that abuse is patterned according to structural factors. However, practicing according to these structural accounts of abuse is problematic because of the policy and organisational contexts that practitioners work within and, we argue, because the implications of the structured nature of victims’ experiences is not fully understood by all practitioners.We ask whether women's differential use and experiences of services with a remit to address abuse can be illuminated using two theoretical perspectives – ‘candidacy’ and intersectionality. We report the findings of a literature synthesis that investigates how these improve our understanding of women's help-seeking and service utilisation and of the responses that they receive. Both concepts were highly congruent with the literature and we conclude that, together, candidacy and intersectionality offer a means of enhancing knowledge of how the political becomes enacted in the personal. Embedding such knowledge within practice repertoires offers the potential to develop more nuanced structural understandings of women's experiences and constraints.

scholarly journals Searching for help online: An analysis of peer-to-peer posts on a male-only infertility forum

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 917-928 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esmée Hanna ◽  
Brendan Gough
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Online Communities ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Peer To Peer ◽  
Research Knowledge ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
Reproductive Research

Men’s experiences of infertility help seeking are under-researched and thus less widely understood than women’s experiences, with men’s needs for support often missing from reproductive research knowledge. This article presents a thematic analysis of peer-to-peer posts within the context of a UK men-only online infertility forum. The key themes demonstrate that men value male support from those with experience, and that masculinity influences help-seeking requests and men’s accounts more broadly. We highlight the value of such online communities in offering support to men in need while recognising the importance of further research across other online settings in order to inform practice around supporting men in the reproductive realm.

scholarly journals Women’s experiences, beliefs and knowledge of urinary symptoms in the postpartum period and the perceptions of health professionals: a grounded theory study

2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (05) ◽  
pp. 448-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann R. Wagg ◽  
Sally Kendall ◽  
Frances Bunn
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Pelvic Floor Muscle ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Antenatal Clinic ◽  
Urinary Symptoms ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences

AimThis study aimed to explore, describe and enhance understanding of women’s experiences, beliefs and knowledge of urinary symptoms in thepostpartumperiod and also sought to understand the perceptions of health professionals of these issues.BackgroundWomen often take no action with regard to urinary symptoms particularly in the postnatal period, which can lead to the adoption of coping mechanisms or normalisation of symptoms. The true prevalence is difficult to assess due to differing age groups and time spans in studies. There is only a small body of work available to try to understand the lack of action on the part of the women, and even less around the attitudes of health professionals.MethodsGrounded theory was selected for a qualitative inductive approach, to attempt to understand the social processes involved and generate new knowledge by examining the different interactions. Recruitment was by theoretical sampling. In total, 15 women were interviewed and two focus groups of health professionals were undertaken. In addition, an antenatal clinic and a postnatal mothers group were observed. All information was analysed manually using constant comparison.FindingsThe findings revealed that at times poor communication, lack of clear education and the power of relative’s stories of the past were barriers to help seeking, and were disempowering women, creating a climate for normalisation. Women were willing to talk but preferred the health professional to initiate discussion. In addition, health professionals were concerned about a lack of time and knowledge and were uncertain of the effect of pelvic floor muscle exercises due to some research indicating improvement may not be maintained over time. The core category was; ‘overcoming barriers to facilitate empowerment’, indicating that improving communication and education could reduce barriers and enable them to seek help.

scholarly journals Online resources and apps to aid self-diagnosis and help seeking in the perinatal period: A descriptive survey of women's experiences

Midwifery ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 90 ◽  
pp. 102803
Author(s):  
Nicola Mackintosh ◽  
Shona Agarwal ◽  
Kirsty Adcock ◽  
Natalie Armstrong ◽  
Annette Briley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Help Seeking ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Online Resources ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
Descriptive Survey

scholarly journals Seeking help for perinatal psychological distress: a meta-synthesis of women’s experiences

2017 ◽  
Vol 67 (663) ◽  
pp. e692-e699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Button ◽  
Alexandra Thornton ◽  
Suzanne Lee ◽  
Judy Shakespeare ◽  
Susan Ayers
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Continuity Of Care ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Perinatal Care ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
Seeking Help

BackgroundWomen may not seek help for perinatal psychological distress, despite regular contact with primary care services. Barriers include ignorance of symptoms, inability to disclose distress, others’ attitudes, and cultural expectations. Much of the evidence has been obtained from North American populations and may not, therefore, extrapolate to the UK.AimTo understand the factors affecting women’s decision to seek help for perinatal distress.Design and settingMeta-synthesis of the available published qualitative evidence on UK women’s experiences of seeking help for perinatal distress.MethodSystematic searches were conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. Databases searched were PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, CINAHL, and Academic Search Complete. Searches of grey literature and references were also conducted. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they reported qualitative data on UK women’s experiences of perinatal distress and contact with healthcare professionals. The synthesis was conducted using meta-ethnography.ResultsIn all, 24 studies were eligible for inclusion. Metasynthesis identified three main themes: identifying a problem, the influence of healthcare professionals, and stigma. These themes build on current understanding of help seeking by identifying the need for women to be able to frame their experience, for healthcare professionals to educate women about their roles, the need for continuity of care, and the way that being seen as a ‘bad mother’ causes women to self-silence.ConclusionPerinatal care provision needs to allow for continuity of care and for staff training that facilitates awareness of factors that influence women’s help seeking. Further research is required, particularly in relation to effective means of identifying perinatal psychological distress.

Women survivors’ accounts of seeing psychologists: harm or benefit?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sally Marsden ◽  
Cathy Humphreys ◽  
Kelsey Hegarty
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Women Survivors ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mental Healthcare ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Women’S Experiences ◽  
Women's Experiences ◽  
Positive Experiences ◽  
Mental Health Effects

Many women who experience intimate partner violence are left with significant and long-lasting mental health effects resulting in survivors seeking help from psychologists. However, the voices of women who have sought such help are mostly absent in research. To address this gap, we interviewed 20 women survivors of intimate partner violence about their experiences when seeing psychologists. We analysed this data thematically and developed two main themes relating to women’s experiences of psychologists after intimate partner violence. These themes were: mirroring abuse or being supportive and it did me quite a bit of damage. Our research suggests that these women experienced suboptimal mental healthcare after intimate partner violence and that the effects of this were not neutral but were damaging. Positive experiences suggested that these women appreciated practices aligned with feminist and trauma and violence-informed approaches. This study fills in some details about women’s experiences, which can be used to further inform trauma and violence-informed approaches.<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>Women reported psychologists mirroring the abusive behaviours of intimate partner violence.</li><br /><li>When psychologists mirrored abusive behaviours, women reported re-traumatisation and inhibited help-seeking.</li><br /><li>Women reported positive experiences leading to healing and new directions when the care aligned with trauma and violence-informed approaches.</li></ul>

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