Mindful Moms: Mechanisms of Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy During Pregnancy and Postpartum
Purpose
The proposed study seeks to elucidate the mechanisms underlying Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy in pregnancy to improve understanding of how and why this treatment modality enhances well-being, which can then be leveraged to optimize treatment for psychological distress emerging during this vulnerable period.
Conditions
- Psychological Distress
- Pregnancy Related
- Postpartum Blues
- Postpartum Depression
- Postpartum Anxiety
- Postpartum Sadness
Eligibility
- Eligible Ages
- Over 18 Years
- Eligible Genders
- Female
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- pregnancy between 12 and 30 weeks gestation - reporting at least mild psychological distress (based on self-report) - access to high-speed internet or cellular network access - located in the U.S.
Exclusion Criteria
- current suicidal or homicidal ideation as assessed verbally during screening - symptom severity necessitating a higher level of clinical care - current psychosis - untreated mania - active substance abuse - lack of high-speed internet connection or cellular network access - planning to be traveling without access to internet for more than two weeks in the next 12 months
Study Design
- Phase
- N/A
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel Assignment
- Intervention Model Description
- The proposed study will randomize participants to an eight-week virtual group-based Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy intervention or to a treatment as usual control condition.
- Primary Purpose
- Treatment
- Masking
- None (Open Label)
Arm Groups
| Arm | Description | Assigned Intervention |
|---|---|---|
|
Experimental Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) |
MBCT will be delivered in a group based, videoconference format with 90 minute sessions 1x/week. |
|
|
Active Comparator Treatment as Usual (TAU) |
TAU, or the control group, provides information about the benefits of mindfulness in pregnancy, offers referrals for psychotherapy in the community, and involves monthly phone or videoconference calls to maintain engagement. |
|
Recruiting Locations
More Details
- Status
- Recruiting
- Sponsor
- University of Pittsburgh
Detailed Description
Pregnancy and postpartum is a period of vulnerability for new or worsening psychiatric symptoms. Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is an effective approach to mitigate pregnancy-related worsening of psychological distress. However, prior research has focused predominantly on symptoms of depression and anxiety, and is it not clear how or why MBCT improves psychological health during the perinatal period. Thus, the goals of this project are to (1) examine whether MBCT improves psychological functioning among pregnant women and whether these improvements persist at three-months postpartum, (2) examine whether improved ability to regulate emotions and behavior accounts for the beneficial effects of MBCT, and (3) determine what demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors impact treatment engagement and effectiveness.
