Online mindfulness-based intervention for women with pregnancy distress: A randomized controlled trial
Lianne P Hulsbosch1, Eva S Potharst2, Inga Schwabe3
1Center of Research in Psychological and Somatic disorders (CoRPS), Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, Tilburg, the Netherlands.
Background:
Pregnancy distress among childbearing women is common and can negatively affect both mother and infant. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may have a positive effect on pregnancy distress but randomized controlled trials with sufficient power are lacking. The current study examined the effectiveness of an online self-guided MBI in pregnant women with pregnancy distress.
Methods:
Pregnant women with elevated pregnancy distress levels at 12 weeks of pregnancy, measured with the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS) and Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale negative affect (TPDS-NA), were randomized into an intervention group (online MBI, N = 109) or control group (care as usual, N = 110). The primary outcome was the change in pregnancy distress post-intervention and at eight-weeks-follow-up. Secondary outcomes were mindfulness skills (Three Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form), rumination (Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire), and self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form) at post-intervention and follow-up in the intervention group.
Results:
Significant improvements were found in pregnancy distress scores, but no significant differences between intervention and control group appeared. The MBI group showed improvements in mindfulness skills, rumination, and self-compassion.
Limitations:
Low adherence to the intervention and assessment of secondary outcome measures in the intervention group only.
Conclusions:
An intervention trial with one of the largest samples (N = 219) provided no evidence of a significant effect of an online self-guided MBI in distressed pregnant women. An online MBI may be associated with an improvement in mindfulness skills, rumination, and self-compassion. Future research should address the effectiveness of MBI's with different formats (online and group-based combined) and examine a possible delayed effect.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03917745, registered on 4 March 2019.
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