GST-moms: Effects of Group-schematherapy on Mother-child Attachment Relations

Mother-Child Relations Clinical Trial

Official title:

GST-moms: Effects of Group-schematherapy on Mother-child Attachment

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Not yet recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT06102564
• Other study ID #: ERCPN 264_29_02_2023
• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Start date: November 2023
• Est. completion date: July 2025

Study information

• Verified date: October 2023
• Source: Maastricht University
• Contact: Jeffrey Roelofs, PhD
• Phone: +31433881607
• Email: j.roelofs[@]maastrichtuniversity.nl
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational [Patient Registry]

Clinical Trial Summary

The birth of a baby can be a stressful period. Dysfunctional schemas of the 'new' parent can be triggered making it more difficult to discern what the baby needs are. In schema therapy terms, mentalizing capacity is best described as the "healthy adult mode". A parent who responds to her baby from a healthy adult mode provides the baby a safe environment for self-development. However, interpreting the baby's signals can be a constant challenge for some parents. This can trigger early attachment relationships and schemas. At such times, the parent may become overwhelmed by their own emotions and respond less adequate to the child's needs. Distorted parental reflective functioning is associated both with insecure attachment and poor affect regulation in the parent and with various psychological disorders in the child. Treatments aimed at improving parental reflectiveness seem to have a positive impact on the quality of the attachment between parents and their baby.

The objective of this study is to measure the effects of the group-schematherapy for mothers with young children (GST moms) on mother-child attachment relations. The aim is to help moms regulate their own emotions, by understanding their own modes and schema's. In doing so will help them feel more confident to mentalize about their child and to adequately respond to their needs and emotionally bond with their baby. The researchers anticipate it will improve the quality of attachment between mother and child. Many studies have been done on the effectiveness of group schematherapy however there are no studies specifically for schematherapy for parents, in this case mothers. GST moms can be an early intervention aimed at prevention of psychological problems with the child.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Enrollment: 12
• Est. completion date: July 2025
• Est. primary completion date: December 2024
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 16 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Eligible patients for the group schematherapy are mothers with young children (0-5 years), with a cluster C personality disorder.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Acute Suicidal or chronic suicidality

• Psychotic disorder

• Autistic spectrum disorder

• Bipolar disorder

• Developmental disorders

• Any other AS-I disorder that requires treatment first (severe depression, alcohol and/or drugs abuse)

• Cluster A or B personality disorders (traits of cluster B in combination with Cluster C personality disorder is included)

• Neuropsychological damage

• General problems for group therapy (auditory impairment, severe physical disability, insufficant Dutch comprehension, IQ < 80)

• Self-mutilation

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Mother-Child Relations
• Personality Disorders

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Group schematherapy
Brief group schematherapy for mothers with young children (age 0-5) focused on attachment relations between mother and child

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
n/a

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Maastricht University	Psychologiepraktijk Esra

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Other	The Working Model of the child interview (WMCI; Zeanah, Benoit & Barton, 1996)	The WMCI is a semistructured interview to asses the internal representations of their child and relationship with the child.	Inclusion Week 1
Other	The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ; Bernstein, 1994)	A self report measure to identify diffent types of childhood trauma and abuse.	Inclusion Week 1
Primary	The Maternal Postnatal attachment Scale (MPAS, 2015)	A 19 item self-report questionnaire that is used to assess mother-to-infant attachment (theemotional bond or affection experienced by the parent towards the infant)	Inclusion (week 1), start therapy (variable; at least 20 weeks after inclusion), evaluation (week 10), end of group therapy (week 20), follow-up (3 months completion = week 20)
Primary	The Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ, 2009)	A self-report instrument of reflective functioning.	Inclusion (week 1), start therapy (variable; at least 20 weeks after inclusion), evaluation (week 10), end of group therapy (week 20), follow-up (3 months completion = week 20)
Secondary	The Young Schema Questionnaire YSQ-S3 (YSQ-S3; Young, 1994).	De Young Schema Questionnaire is a self-report instrument to assess 18 dysfunctional schemas and consists of 90 items	Inclusion (week 1), start therapy (variable; at least 20 weeks after inclusion), evaluation (week 10), end of group therapy (week 20), follow-up (3 months completion = week 20)
Secondary	The Schema Mode Inventory (SMI, Lobbestael, 2017)	To asses schema modes (118 items)	Inclusion (week 1), start therapy (variable; at least 20 weeks after inclusion), evaluation (week 10), end of group therapy (week 20), follow-up (3 months completion = week 20)
Secondary	Brief Sympthom Inventory (BSI, Derogatis, 1975, de Beurs, 2006)	A self-report questionnaire to evaluate a broad range of psychological problems and symptoms of psychopathology.	Inclusion (week 1), start therapy (variable; at least 20 weeks after inclusion), evaluation (week 10), end of group therapy (week 20), follow-up (3 months completion = week 20)
Secondary	The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI; Beck et al., 1996)	A self-report questionnaire of depressive symptoms.	Inclusion (week 1), start therapy (variable; at least 20 weeks after inclusion), evaluation (week 10), end of group therapy (week 20), follow-up (3 months completion = week 20)