Guided web app intervention for reducing symptoms of depression in postpartum women: Results of a feasibility randomized controlled trial.

Journal: Internet interventions

Volume: 36

Issue: 

Year of Publication: 

Affiliated Institutions:  Doctoral Program in Psychotherapy, School of Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna , Santiago, Chile. Millennium Institute for Research in Depression and Personality (MIDAP), Santiago, Chile. Centre for eHealth & Wellbeing Research, Psychology, Health & Technology, Faculty of Behavioral, Management and Social Sciences, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan , NB Enschede, the Netherlands. Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan , HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Abstract summary 

Chile faces a significant postpartum depression prevalence and treatment gap, necessitating accessible interventions. While cognitive-behavioral internet-based interventions have proven effective in high-income countries, this field is underdeveloped in Chile. Based on the country's widespread use of digital technology, a guided 8-week cognitive-behavioral web app intervention named "" was developed.This study aimed to assess the acceptability and feasibility of "", for reducing depressive symptomatology in postpartum women.Sixty-five postpartum women with minor or major depression were randomly assigned to either intervention or waitlist. Primary outcomes centered on study feasibility, intervention feasibility, and acceptability. Semi-structured interviews with a sub-sample enriched the understanding of participants' experiences. Secondary outcomes included mental health variables assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up.Chilean women displayed great interest in the intervention. 44.8 % of participants completed the intervention. Participants reported high satisfaction and engagement levels, with interviewees highlighting the value of the intervention's content, exercises, and therapist's feedback. However, preliminary efficacy analysis didn't reveal a significant interaction between group and time for outcome measures.This research represents a pioneering effort in Chile to evaluate an internet-based intervention for postpartum depression symptoms. The demonstrated feasibility and acceptability highlight the potential of integrating technology-driven approaches into mental health interventions. However, the intervention did not demonstrate superiority, as both groups exhibited similar positive progress in several outcomes. Therefore, the following research phase should involve a larger and more diverse sample to assess the intervention's effectiveness, identify influencing factors, and determine the individuals who benefit the most.

Authors & Co-authors:  Franco Pamela P Olhaberry Marcia M Kelders Saskia S Muzard Antonia A Cuijpers Pim P

Study Outcome 

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Statistics
Citations :  Baumann, M., Stargardt, T. & Frey, S. Cost–Utility of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Unipolar Depression: A Markov Model Simulation. Appl. Health Econ. Health Policy 18, 567–578 (2020). doi:10.1007/s40258-019-00551-x.
Authors :  5
Identifiers
Doi : 100744
SSN : 2214-7829
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Other Terms
Acceptability;Cognitive-behavioral therapy;Depression;Feasibility;Guided self-help;Internet-based intervention;Postpartum;Randomized controlled trial
Study Design
Study Approach
Country of Study
Publication Country
Netherlands