Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial
Abstract Background The first months postpartum can be challenging for parents, leading to elevated symptoms of parenting stress, depression and anxiety. In turn, distressed parents are at higher risk for providing suboptimal quality of caregiving. As psychoeducational interventions can be effective...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-10-01
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| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-020-03341-9 |
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| author | Marjolein Missler Annemieke van Straten Jaap Denissen Tara Donker Roseriet Beijers |
| author_facet | Marjolein Missler Annemieke van Straten Jaap Denissen Tara Donker Roseriet Beijers |
| author_sort | Marjolein Missler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The first months postpartum can be challenging for parents, leading to elevated symptoms of parenting stress, depression and anxiety. In turn, distressed parents are at higher risk for providing suboptimal quality of caregiving. As psychoeducational interventions can be effective in reducing psychological distress, the goal of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effectiveness of low-intensity universal psychoeducational program to prevent postpartum parenting stress, and to enhance parental well-being and caregiving quality. Method Between 26 and 34 weeks of pregnancy, 138 pregnant women and 96 partners were randomized to the intervention or a waitlist control group. The intervention consisted of a booklet, a video, a home visit, and a telephone call. Information was provided on (1) sensitive responsiveness, adapting to the parental role, and attending to own needs; (2) crying patterns; (3) feeding (arrangements); and (4) sleeping (arrangements). The primary outcome was parenting stress postpartum. Secondary outcomes were additional measures of distress (depression and anxiety), parental well-being, and caregiving quality. Results Both groups showed a rise in distress after birth. No between-group differences were observed on parenting stress, nor on the secondary outcomes. The intervention was rated as useful and of added value by the parents. Conclusion This study offered no evidence that our universal prevention program was effective in decreasing parental distress or in increasing caregiving quality. However, parents found aspects of the intervention useful. More research is needed, including a longer period of follow-up as well as observational measures of parents’ responsiveness. Trial registration This trial has been registered on 15 September 2016 in the Netherlands National Trial Register, ID: NTR6065, https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/5782 . |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:27:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e309cc1ff5a4228aa8c522e5038de1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T17:27:53Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e309cc1ff5a4228aa8c522e5038de1e2022-12-22T00:17:27ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932020-10-0120111810.1186/s12884-020-03341-9Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trialMarjolein Missler0Annemieke van Straten1Jaap Denissen2Tara Donker3Roseriet Beijers4Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Section of Clinical Psychology & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamDepartment of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Section of Clinical Psychology & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamDepartment of Developmental Psychology, Utrecht UniversityDepartment of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Section of Clinical Psychology & Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit AmsterdamRadboud University, Behavioural Science InstituteAbstract Background The first months postpartum can be challenging for parents, leading to elevated symptoms of parenting stress, depression and anxiety. In turn, distressed parents are at higher risk for providing suboptimal quality of caregiving. As psychoeducational interventions can be effective in reducing psychological distress, the goal of this randomized controlled trial was to examine the effectiveness of low-intensity universal psychoeducational program to prevent postpartum parenting stress, and to enhance parental well-being and caregiving quality. Method Between 26 and 34 weeks of pregnancy, 138 pregnant women and 96 partners were randomized to the intervention or a waitlist control group. The intervention consisted of a booklet, a video, a home visit, and a telephone call. Information was provided on (1) sensitive responsiveness, adapting to the parental role, and attending to own needs; (2) crying patterns; (3) feeding (arrangements); and (4) sleeping (arrangements). The primary outcome was parenting stress postpartum. Secondary outcomes were additional measures of distress (depression and anxiety), parental well-being, and caregiving quality. Results Both groups showed a rise in distress after birth. No between-group differences were observed on parenting stress, nor on the secondary outcomes. The intervention was rated as useful and of added value by the parents. Conclusion This study offered no evidence that our universal prevention program was effective in decreasing parental distress or in increasing caregiving quality. However, parents found aspects of the intervention useful. More research is needed, including a longer period of follow-up as well as observational measures of parents’ responsiveness. Trial registration This trial has been registered on 15 September 2016 in the Netherlands National Trial Register, ID: NTR6065, https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/5782 .http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-020-03341-9Psycho-educationUniversal prevention programRandomized controlled trialParenting stressPregnancy |
| spellingShingle | Marjolein Missler Annemieke van Straten Jaap Denissen Tara Donker Roseriet Beijers Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Psycho-education Universal prevention program Randomized controlled trial Parenting stress Pregnancy |
| title | Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full | Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_fullStr | Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_short | Effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress, depression and anxiety: a randomized controlled trial |
| title_sort | effectiveness of a psycho educational intervention for expecting parents to prevent postpartum parenting stress depression and anxiety a randomized controlled trial |
| topic | Psycho-education Universal prevention program Randomized controlled trial Parenting stress Pregnancy |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-020-03341-9 |
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