Developing a text message intervention for fathers with partners experiencing perinatal depression or anxiety

Area of Science:

• Perinatal mental health
• Digital health interventions
• Paternal support

Background:

• Perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) are common and can cause maternal distress.
• Father's support is crucial for reducing maternal distress during the perinatal period.
• Existing digital platforms like SMS4dads have not specifically targeted fathers of partners with PNDA.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop targeted text messages for fathers whose partners are experiencing PNDA.
• To enhance the quality of partner support for mothers with PNDA through digital messaging.
• To collaborate with experienced parents and clinicians in message development.

Main Methods:

• Drafting messages based on input from mothers with lived experience of PNDA.
• Rating draft messages for importance, understanding, and clinical relevance by parents and clinicians.
• Collating and reviewing open-response comments for iterative message refinement.
• Screening and editing messages for literacy and clarity.

Main Results:

• 41 draft messages were evaluated by 24 parents and 32 clinicians.
• Over 75% of parents and clinicians found the messages understandable and important.
• Clinicians rated the messages as clinically relevant (85.5%).
• Iterative refinement led to 30 re-drafted and 16 edited messages.

Conclusions:

• Text messages for fathers of partners with PNDA can be successfully developed and evaluated.
• Collaboration with parents and clinicians is key to creating effective digital health tools.
• This approach can improve paternal support for mothers experiencing PNDA.