Public Health Nurse-Delivered 1-Day Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Workshops for Treating Postpartum Depression:...

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Public Health Nursing
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Postpartum depression (PPD) affects many birthing parents.
• Accessible interventions are needed to address PPD and anxiety.
• Nonspecialist healthcare providers can play a role in delivering mental health support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the feasibility and acceptability of 1-day cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based workshops for PPD.
• To explore the potential impact of these workshops on PPD and anxiety symptoms.
• To inform the design of a larger, full-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT).

Main Methods:

• A pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving birthing parents (≥18 years) with infants <12 months and an EPDS score ≥10.
• Participants were recruited in Ontario, Canada, and randomly assigned to a 1-day CBT workshop plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone.
• Feasibility metrics (recruitment, retention, attendance) were tracked, and outcomes (PPD, anxiety) were assessed at baseline, 3, and 9 months post-intervention.

Main Results:

• The study successfully recruited 119 participants within 3 months, with 85% attendance and 84% retention.
• While not powered for statistical significance, the CBT workshop group showed larger reductions in depression scores at 3 and 9 months.
• The experimental group also reported greater reductions in anxiety symptoms at 3 months post-intervention.

Conclusions:

• Delivering 1-day CBT-based workshops for PPD by public health nurses is a feasible intervention.
• Pilot data suggest potential benefits for PPD and anxiety symptoms up to 9 months post-intervention.
• A full-scale RCT is recommended to confirm these preliminary findings and clinical outcomes.