scholarly journals Interpersonal Counselling Versus Perinatal-specific Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Women with Depression during Pregnancy Offered in Routine Psychological Treatment Services: A Phase II Trial.

Author(s):  
Jonathan Evans ◽  
Jenny Ingram ◽  
Roslyn Law ◽  
Hazel Taylor ◽  
Debbie Johnson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Up to one in eight women experience depression during pregnancy. In the UK, low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the main psychological treatment offered for those with mild or moderate antenatal depression, but has limited relevance to the perinatal context. Referral by midwives and take up of treatment by pregnant women is extremely low. Interpersonal Counselling (IPC) is a brief, low-intensity form of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) that focuses on areas of concern to service users during pregnancy.To improve psychological treatment for depression during pregnancy, the study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a trial of IPC for antenatal depression in routine NHS services compared to low intensity perinatal specific CBT.Methods. We conducted a small randomised controlled trial in two centres. A total of 52 pregnant women with mild or moderate depression were randomised to receive 6 sessions of IPC or perinatal specific CBT. Treatment was provided by 12 junior mental health workers (jMHW). The primary outcome was the number of women recruited to the point of randomisation. Secondary outcomes included maternal mood, couple functioning, attachment, functioning, treatment adherence, and participant and staff acceptability. Results. The study was feasible and acceptable. Recruitment was successful through scanning clinics, only 6 of the 52 women were recruited through midwives. Treatment competence by jMHWs was high. 71% of women in IPC completed treatment. Women reported IPC was acceptable, and supervisors reported high treatment fidelity in IPC therapists. Outcome measures indicated there was improvement in mood in both groups (Change in EPDS score IPC 4.4 (s.d. 5.1) and CBT 4.0 (s.d. 4.8).Conclusions. This was a feasibility study and was not large enough to detect important differences between IPC and perinatal specific CBT. A full-scale trial of IPC for antenatal depression in routine IAPT services is feasible.Trial registrationThis study has been registered with ISRCTN registry 11513120. – date of registration 05/04/2018. https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN11513120

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Evans ◽  
Jenny Ingram ◽  
Roslyn Law ◽  
Hazel Taylor ◽  
Debbie Johnson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Up to one in eight women experience depression during pregnancy. In the UK, low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the main psychological treatment offered for those with mild or moderate depression and is recommended during the perinatal period, however referral by midwives and take up of treatment by pregnant women is extremely low. Interpersonal Counselling (IPC) is a brief, low-intensity form of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) that focuses on areas of concern to service users during pregnancy. To improve psychological treatment for depression during pregnancy, the study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a trial of IPC for antenatal depression in routine NHS services compared to low intensity perinatal specific CBT. Methods We conducted a small randomised controlled trial in two centres. A total of 52 pregnant women with mild or moderate depression were randomised to receive 6 sessions of IPC or perinatal specific CBT. Treatment was provided by 12 junior mental health workers (jMHW). The primary outcome was the number of women recruited to the point of randomisation. Secondary outcomes included maternal mood, couple functioning, attachment, functioning, treatment adherence, and participant and staff acceptability. Results The study was feasible and acceptable. Recruitment was successful through scanning clinics, only 6 of the 52 women were recruited through midwives. 71% of women in IPC completed treatment. Women reported IPC was acceptable, and supervisors reported high treatment competence in IPC arm by jMHWs. Outcome measures indicated there was improvement in mood in both groups (Change in EPDS score IPC 4.4 (s.d. 5.1) and CBT 4.0 (s.d. 4.8). Conclusions This was a feasibility study and was not large enough to detect important differences between IPC and perinatal specific CBT. A full-scale trial of IPC for antenatal depression in routine IAPT services is feasible. Trial registration This study has been registered with ISRCTN registry 11513120. – date of registration 05/04/2018.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. e036482 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Nishi ◽  
Kotaro Imamura ◽  
Kazuhiro Watanabe ◽  
Erika Obikane ◽  
Natsu Sasaki ◽  
...  

IntroductionThe objective of this randomised controlled trial (RCT) is to examine the effects of smartphone-based cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) in preventing the onset of major depressive episodes (MDE) among pregnant women.Methods and analysisThe target study population will be pregnant women of 16–20 weeks gestation who are currently users of ‘Luna Luna Baby’, the most widely used app for pregnant women in Japan. Those who meet the eligibility criteria will be randomly allocated to the 6-module internet CBT programme that was newly developed for pregnant women (n=2500), or to a treatment-as-usual control group (n=2500). Participants in the intervention groups will be required to complete the programme by 32 weeks gestation. The primary outcomes are the number of new onsets of MDE, measured by using WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview 3.0 at 32 weeks gestation and 3 months post partum. Survival analysis will be conducted to test for the effectiveness of the intervention on the time to the onset of MDE.Ethics and disseminationThe study plan has been approved by the Research Ethics Review Board of the Graduate School of Medicine/Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo (2019150NI). If the intervention programmes are found to produce a significant positive effect in this RCT, these programmes can be made available for all users of the app in the future.Trial registration numberUMIN000038190; Pre-results.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e032649
Author(s):  
Jenny Ingram ◽  
Debbie Johnson ◽  
Sarah Johnson ◽  
Heather A O'Mahen ◽  
David Kessler ◽  
...  

IntroductionOne in eight women suffer from depression during pregnancy. Currently, low-intensity brief treatment based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the only talking treatment widely available in the National Health Service (NHS) for mild and moderate depression. CBT involves identifying and changing unhelpful negative thoughts and behaviours to improve mood. Mothers in our patient advisory groups requested greater treatment choice. Interpersonal counselling (IPC) is a low-intensity version of interpersonal therapy. It may have important advantages during pregnancy over CBT because it targets relationship problems, changes in role and previous losses (eg, miscarriage). We aim to compare CBT and IPC for pregnant women with depression in a feasibility study.Methods and analysisA two-arm non-blinded randomised feasibility study of 60 women will be conducted in two UK localities. Women with depression will be identified through midwife clinics and ultrasound scanning appointments and randomised to receive six sessions of IPC or CBT. In every other way, these women will receive usual care. Women thought to have severe depression will be referred for more intensive treatment. After 12 weeks, we will measure women’s mood, well-being, relationship satisfaction and use of healthcare. Women, their partners and staff providing treatments will be interviewed to understand whether IPC is an acceptable approach and whether changes should be introduced before applying to run a larger trial.Several groups of patients with depression during pregnancy have contributed to our study design. A patient advisory group will meet and advise us during the study.Ethics and disseminationStudy results will inform the design of a larger multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT). Our findings will be shared through public engagement events, papers and reports to organisations within the NHS. National Research Ethics Service Committee approved the study protocol.Trial registration numberISRCTN11513120.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 100
Author(s):  
Jose A. Puertas-Gonzalez ◽  
Carolina Mariño-Narvaez ◽  
Borja Romero-Gonzalez ◽  
Maria Isabel Peralta-Ramirez

Background: The global pandemic has affected the psychological health of the population, including pregnant women. Due to the difficulty of offering conventional therapies to reduce stress in this population, studies are needed to show the effect of online therapies. Therefore, the objective was to test the effect of online cognitive behavioural therapy in pregnant women during the pandemic on the main variables of stress and psychopathology. Methods: The sample consisted of 16 pregnant women who participated in a weekly cognitive behavioural intervention for 8 weeks. Prenatal concerns, general stress, stress vulnerability, resilience and psychopathology were assessed. Results: The results show a reduction in prenatal concerns, perceived stress, stress vulnerability and psychopathology, as well as an increase in resilience. Conclusions: Online cognitive behavioural intervention may be effective in pregnant women, so it is important to conduct a randomised controlled trial to certify these findings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (68) ◽  
pp. 1-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ailsa Russell ◽  
Daisy Gaunt ◽  
Kate Cooper ◽  
Jeremy Horwood ◽  
Stephen Barton ◽  
...  

Background Co-occurring depression frequently occurs in autism. Evidence-based psychological interventions have been successfully adapted to treat co-occurring anxiety, but there is little evidence about the usefulness of adapted cognitive–behavioural therapy for depression. To the authors’ knowledge, to date there have been no randomised trials investigating the usefulness of low-intensity cognitive–behavioural therapy for depression in autism. Objectives The objectives of the study were to (1) develop a low-intensity psychological intervention for depression adapted for autism, (2) assess the feasibility and patient and therapist acceptability of the intervention, (3) estimate the rates of recruitment and retention for a full-scale randomised controlled trial and (4) identify an appropriate measure of depression to be used in a full-scale randomised controlled trial. Design The study comprised a randomised controlled trial (n = 70) with a nested qualitative evaluation (n = 21). Seventy eligible and consenting participants were randomly allocated to guided self-help or to treatment as usual. Setting Adult autism services in two NHS regions. Participants Adults with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder with depression, that is, a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items score of ≥ 10. People who had attended more than six sessions of cognitive–behavioural therapy in the previous 6 months were excluded. Interventions The low-intensity intervention (guided self-help) comprised materials for nine individual sessions, based on behavioural activation adapted for autism, facilitated by therapist guides (coaches) who were graduate-level psychologists who attended training and regular supervision. Treatment as usual was standard NHS care for depression. Main outcome measures Outcomes were measured 10, 16 and 24 weeks post randomisation using self-report and interview measures of depression, anxiety, obsessive–compulsive symptoms, social function and quality of life, and a health-care and service use questionnaire. As this was a feasibility study also designed to identify the most appropriate measure of depression, it was not possible to specify the primary outcome measure or outcome point a priori. Results The aims of the study were met in full. The guided self-help intervention was feasible and well received by participants and coaches. The majority of allocated participants attended the intervention in full. The most practical outcome point was determined to be 16 weeks. There were differential rates of attrition across the treatment groups: 86% of the guided self-help group remained in the study at 24 weeks, compared with 54% of treatment as usual group. The qualitative study suggested that guided self-help had enhanced credibility with participants at the point of randomisation. Inter-rater reliability of the interview measure of depression was less than adequate, limiting the conclusions that can be drawn from the prespecified sensitivity to change analyses. Conclusions The intervention was feasible and well received. Although this feasibility study was not a fully powered trial, it provided some evidence that the guided self-help intervention was effective in reducing depressive symptoms. A full-scale clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness trial of the intervention is warranted. Future work Improvements to the intervention materials as a result of qualitative interviews. Stakeholder consultation to consider future trial design, consider strategies to improve retention in a treatment as usual arm and select a self-report measure of depression to serve as the primary outcome measure. Trial registration Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN54650760. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 23, No. 68. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information. This study was also supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol.


2014 ◽  
Vol 205 (4) ◽  
pp. 307-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Hedman ◽  
Erland Axelsson ◽  
Anders Görling ◽  
Carina Ritzman ◽  
Markus Ronnheden ◽  
...  

BackgroundExposure-based cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) delivered via the internet has been shown to be effective for severe health anxiety (hypochondriasis) but has not been compared with an active, effective and credible psychological treatment, such as behavioural stress management (BSM).AimsTo investigate two internet-delivered treatments – exposure-based CBTv.BSM – for severe health anxiety in a randomised controlled trial (trial registration: NCT01673035).MethodParticipants (n= 158) with a principal diagnosis of severe health anxiety were allocated to 12 weeks of exposure-based CBT (n= 79) or BSM (n= 79) delivered via the internet. The Health Anxiety Inventory (HAI) was the primary outcome.ResultsInternet-delivered exposure-based CBT led to a significantly greater improvement on the HAI compared with BSM. However, both treatment groups made large improvements on the HAI (pre-to-post-treatment Cohen'sd: exposure-based CBT, 1.78; BSM, 1.22).ConclusionsExposure-based CBT delivered via the internet is an efficacious treatment for severe health anxiety.Declarations of interestNone.


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