Brief Internet-Based Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Intervention for Parents in the Postpartum

Hannah Palma Carlos

Status: Completed

Conditions: Postpartum Depression

Treatments: Diagnostic Test: Baseline Assessment; Diagnostic Test: Follow-up Assessment (i.e. between 8-12 weeks after baseline assessment); Behavioral: Brief Online ACT Intervention; Diagnostic Test: Post-Intervention Assessment (i.e. between 4-6 weeks after baseline assessment)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05173285

27112020

Details and patient eligibility

About

It is common for parents in the postpartum period (the first twelve months following childbirth) to experience psychological difficulties, particularly low mood. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is an evidence-based intervention that aims to cultivate psychological flexibility; the ability to stay in contact with the present moment regardless of unpleasant thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations, while choosing one's behaviours based on values. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is effective in reducing depression in the general population, including brief ACT interventions. However, the effectiveness of ACT interventions in the postpartum period is not yet fully established.

This study aims to investigate the feasibility (recruitment source, rate and attrition rate), acceptability (usability, usefulness and satisfaction) and the potential effectiveness (to inform the required sample size for a fully powered randomised control trial) of a four week internet-based ACT intervention for postpartum parents on depression.

Enrollment: 138 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Aged over 18 years
• Have a child under 12 months
• Scoring 10 or above on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale
• Access to the internet through a computer, tablet or phone
• Fluency in English

Exclusion criteria

• None

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

138 participants in 2 patient groups

Brief Online ACT Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Intervention Condition: Participants in this arm will take part in a brief ACT intervention delivered online via Qualtrics across 4-weeks; one session per week. The first two weeks will focus on mindfulness, with participants being invited to practice formal (i.e. 3-minute breathing exercise) and informal mindfulness practices (e.g. mindful walking, mindful drink etc.) during the week. The final two weeks will focus on values, specifically supporting participants to identify their personal values and set goals relating to these values. Participants have up to 6 weeks to complete the 4-week intervention.

Treatment:

Diagnostic Test: Baseline Assessment

Behavioral: Brief Online ACT Intervention

Diagnostic Test: Post-Intervention Assessment (i.e. between 4-6 weeks after baseline assessment)

Diagnostic Test: Follow-up Assessment (i.e. between 8-12 weeks after baseline assessment)

Waitlist Control

Other group

Description:

Control Condition: Participants in this arm will not receive an intervention. They will however, been given access to the brief online ACT intervention at the end of study.

Treatment:

Diagnostic Test: Baseline Assessment

Diagnostic Test: Post-Intervention Assessment (i.e. between 4-6 weeks after baseline assessment)

Diagnostic Test: Follow-up Assessment (i.e. between 8-12 weeks after baseline assessment)