CBT for Postpartum Depression and Infant Emotion Regulation

Postpartum Depression Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Impact of Treating Postpartum Depression on Infant Emotion Regulation

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05269732
• Other study ID #: PIER CBT
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: June 17, 2022
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2025

Study information

• Verified date: August 2023
• Source: McMaster University
• Contact: Ryan Van Lieshout, MD, PHD
• Phone: 905-525-9140
• Email: vanlierj[@]mcmaster.ca
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The primary objective of this study is to determine if online group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for maternal postpartum depression (PPD) added to treatment as usual (TAU) leads to greater improvements in infant emotion regulation (ER) than maternal receipt of TAU alone immediately post-treatment and 6 months later. This study will also aim to determine what mechanisms PPD treatment leads to changes in infant ER.

Description:

A prospective, single-blind, parallel randomized controlled trial (1:1 ratio) that includes an experimental (receipt of a 9-week group CBT intervention delivered online plus TAU) and control group (TAU alone) to address our objectives. Participants will have an EPDS score of 10 or more and an infant 3-12 months of age and be recruited from the community. The experimental group will receive a validated 9-week online group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention on Zoom plus TAU. The control group will receive TAU alone. In both groups, TAU will consist of regular care from their family doctor, midwife, OB/GYN an/or any other types of care they may be accessing. The trial intervention consists of nine, 2-hour sessions occurring once per week. The first half of each session is devoted to core CBT content, including cognitive restructuring. The second half is devoted to group discussions co-led by participants on topics relevant to mothers with PPD (e.g., sleep, supports, role transitions). Groups will be delivered by two trained psychologists, social workers, nurses, and/or psychiatrists. Primary objective: Determine if online group cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for maternal PPD added to treatment as usual (TAU) lead to greater improvements in infant ER than maternal receipt of TAU alone immediately post-treatment and 6 months later. Secondary objective: Determine the putative mechanisms through which PPD treatment leads to changes in infant ER.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 172
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2025
• Est. primary completion date: December 31, 2025
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years to 99 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• women 18 years of age or older

• understand and speak English (so that they can participate in the CBT group and complete study measures)

• live in Ontario (the primary WHCC catchment area)

• have an EPDS score of 10 or more

• meets diagnostic criteria for comorbid psychiatric conditions.

• Infants must be between 4-12 months old at enrollment.

Exclusion Criteria:

• bipolar disorder

• a current psychotic disorder

• substance or alcohol use disorder

• antisocial or borderline personality disorder.

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Depression
• Depression, Postpartum
• Depressive Disorder
• Postpartum Depression

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
The 9-week group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) intervention for Postpartum Depression (PPD) delivered via Zoom by two trained psychologists. This intervention was developed by Dr. Van Lieshout (Principal Investigator) at the Women's Health Concerns Clinic (WHCC) at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton. It was designed to be brief, simple, and applicable to women in community settings. It consists of 9 weekly 2-hour sessions where core CBT skills are learned and practiced each week. The first half of each session is devoted to core CBT content, including cognitive restructuring. The second half is devoted to group discussions co-led by participants on topics relevant to mothers with PPD (e.g., sleep, supports, role transitions). Homework is assigned at each session.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	McMaster University	Hamilton	Ontario

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
McMaster University

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Infant Temperament	Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R): The IBQ-R is a 91-item scale with 14 subscales that measure infant temperament. Temperament refers to the ways individuals think, behave, and react and is heavily influenced by the degree to which infants and toddlers can regulate their emotions. The items on the IBQ ask parents to rate the frequency of specific temperament-related behaviors observed over the past week. Items are scored on a scale of 0-7. Mothers will complete the IBQ-R on their infants immediately before treatment, right after treatment, and at 6 months afterward.	6 months
Primary	Infant emotion regulation	Emotional Regulation (ER) is comprised of biological and behavioural domains best measured with validated physiological, observational and informant reports that assess this phenomenon across the full range of infant functioning. Physiological measures: Medial Pre-frontal complex (mPFC) activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy will be used to observe infant emotion regulatory patterns.	6 months
Primary	Maternal Depression	Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS): The EPDS is the 10-item gold standard measure of maternal depressive symptoms. Scores range from 0-30, with higher scores indicating worse depressive symptoms. Mothers will complete the EPDS immediately before treatment, right after treatment, and at 6 months afterward.	6 months
Primary	Maternal Anxiety	The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale (GAD-7) is a self-report scale that taps generalized anxiety disorder, the most common comorbidity of Postpartum Depression (PPD). Scores range from 0-21 with higher scores indicating worse anxiety symptoms. Mothers will complete the GAD-7 immediately before treatment, right after treatment, and at 6 months afterward.	6 months
Secondary	Brain-to-brain Synchrony (fNIRS)	Changes in Mother-Infant Synchrony: Physiological and behavioural synchrony patterns are thought to shape infant ER development and explain how treating PPD may exert its effects on infants. Brain-to-brain Synchrony (fNIRS): The fNIRS pre-scanning technique will be used.	6 months
Secondary	The Face-to-Face Stillage Paradigm (FFSP)	The Face-to-Face Stillage Paradigm (FFSP) will be used to observe infant emotion regulatory patterns.	6 months
Secondary	Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment (PCERA)	Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment (PCERA) will be used to observe infant emotion regulatory patterns.	6 months
Secondary	Epigenetic Analyses	One saliva sample will be taken from infants and from mothers at each study visit will be used for epigenetic analyses. Epigenetic modifications will be used to mediate and assess the effect of early life interactions on development.	6 months