Art Therapy in Obstetric Patients

MedStar Health

Status: Completed

Conditions: Pregnancy Related; Depression

Treatments: Other: art therapy; Other: nothing

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05503056

20223247

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a prospective study examining the potential impact art therapy has on postpartum depression and mother-baby bonding in women. Women who receive care at Washington Hospital Center's will be recruited for this study.

Full description

The purpose of this research study is to assess whether alternative mental health interventions positively impacts maternal-infant bonding and postpartum depression rates in women. Postpartum depression continues to be a prevalent concern for mothers and families in the United States, with current estimates demonstrating 10-20% of women being diagnosed within one year of birth. The risks of developing postpartum depression are not well known, with maternal anxiety and stress during pregnancy being one of the proposed predisposing factors. Women with high-risk pregnancies are particularly susceptible to higher levels of stress and depression, during their pregnancy thus leaving them at great risk for postnatal depression. Given this association, finding ways to alleviate stressors is important.

Music therapy is a known intervention linked with improved outcomes in women undergoing procedural interventions, including labor and delivery. Art therapy is also associated with improved outcomes, though outside of obstetrics. In elderly women with depression and those with breast cancer diagnoses, visual art therapy has been shown to be superior to other non-medicinal interventions in improving mood. Current data is both qualitative as well as quantitative, demonstrating positive impacts on patients.

While evidence exists to support the utilization of these alternative forms of therapy, they have not been adequately applied to pregnant and postpartum women outside of music therapy. With the understanding that other art forms are tied with improvement in anxiety, depression, and quality of life, the implementation in this special patient population is paramount. Investigating how a relatively benign intervention can possibly promote improvement in maternal mental health, thus allowing for better mother-baby bonding in the first year of life, is key in finding ways to support the growth and development of healthy families.

Enrollment: 100 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participants will have to be eighteen years of age or older
• in the second trimester of pregnancy at time of recruitment
• speak and read English as their primary language
• have access to a reliable internet/wifi connection to participate in therapy sessions
• plan to deliver at Washington Hospital Center

Exclusion criteria

• Women who do not meet those criteria

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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100 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Engage in six art therapy sessions

Treatment:

Other: art therapy

Control

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Engage in usual activities

Treatment:

Other: nothing