NCT00051246

Group Therapy for Postpartum Depression

Relational Group Intervention for Postpartum Depression

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 147 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Wisconsin, Madison · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study will compare standard individual treatment to group therapy for the treatment of postpartum depression.

Detailed description

Ten to twenty percent of new mothers experience major depression in the postpartum period or postpartum depression (PPD). This condition poses a risk for disturbances in the mother-infant relationship as well as for developmental delays and subsequent psychopathology in their children. Thus, and investigation of the efficacy of a relational approach that focuses on improving the mother's sense of competence in the parenting role, and reducing depressive symptoms and social isolation through group therapy is warranted. Patients are randomly assigned to either relational group treatment or to standard individual treatment. Assessments of maternal and infant functioning, mother-infant and father-infant relations, parenting stress, and marital conflict and conducted pre- and post-treatment, at 12 months post-treatment, and when infants are 12 and 24 months of age.

Conditions

• Depression, Postpartum

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Mother-Infant Group Psychotherapy	Mother-infant group psychotherapy consists of weekly 2.5-hour psychotherapy sessions comprised of mother's group therapy, infant developmental therapy, and mother-infant dyadic psychotherapy. Group treatment will last 15 weeks.
BEHAVIORAL	Interpersonal Psychotherapy	Individual psychotherapy treatment focuses on role transition, interpersonal relationships, and loss. Individual treatment period will last 15 weeks.

Timeline

• Start date: 2002-01-01
• Primary completion: 2008-07-01
• Completion: 2008-07-01
• First posted: 2003-01-08
• Last updated: 2014-01-24

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States