Development and initial evaluation of an ultra-brief digital treatment for perinatal depression and anxiety symptoms

Abstract

Psychological treatments for perinatal depression and anxiety are effective when delivered in-person or remotely. However, new and expectant mothers face considerable barriers to receiving mental health care, especially on an ongoing basis or when delivered in-person. Very brief digital treatments may be able to support women during this time using less time than existing treatments. The current study reports the development and initial evaluation of a therapist-guided digital ultra-brief treatment for perinatal depression or anxiety. The treatment included one online lesson, supporting resources (e.g., practice exercises), and an optional consultation (telephone or secure messaging) with a clinical psychologist. We examined acceptability, satisfaction, and preliminary efficacy in a single-group trial of women with perinatal depression or anxiety symptoms (N = 47). This was accompanied by focus groups of women with lived experience (N = 9) and semi-structured feedback interviews with treatment participants (N = 7). The treatment was feasible to deliver and associated with high completion (90 %) and satisfaction (85 %) rates. Most participants (61 %) completed the treatment without therapist guidance. At 5-weeks post-baseline, participants reported significant reductions in depression (d = 0.79) and anxiety (d = 0.44), noting that the sample reported mild baseline symptom severity. Several areas of improvement to treatment content, delivery, and look and feel were identified. The study supports ultra-brief digital treatments as an acceptable and potentially efficacious way to support women with perinatal depression or anxiety symptoms.