Online mindfulness-based intervention for women with pregnancy distress: A randomized controlled trial

Lianne P Hulsbosch; Eva S Potharst; Inga Schwabe; Myrthe G B M Boekhorst; Victor J M Pop; Ivan Nyklíček

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.009

Online mindfulness-based intervention for women with pregnancy distress: A randomized controlled trial

J Affect Disord. 2023 Jul 1:332:262-272. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.009. Epub 2023 Apr 12.

Authors

Lianne P Hulsbosch¹, Eva S Potharst², Inga Schwabe³, Myrthe G B M Boekhorst⁴, Victor J M Pop⁴, Ivan Nyklíček⁴

Affiliations

¹ Center of Research in Psychological and Somatic disorders (CoRPS), Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, Tilburg, the Netherlands. Electronic address: l.p.hulsbosch@tilburguniversity.edu.
² UvA minds, academic outpatient (child and adolescent) treatment center of the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Research Institute of Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 127, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
³ Department of Methodology and Statistics, Tilburg University, Tilburg, the Netherlands.
⁴ Center of Research in Psychological and Somatic disorders (CoRPS), Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Warandelaan 2, Tilburg, the Netherlands.

PMID: 37054897
DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.04.009

Abstract

Background: Pregnancy distress among childbearing women is common and can negatively affect both mother and infant. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may have a positive effect on pregnancy distress but randomized controlled trials with sufficient power are lacking. The current study examined the effectiveness of an online self-guided MBI in pregnant women with pregnancy distress.

Methods: Pregnant women with elevated pregnancy distress levels at 12 weeks of pregnancy, measured with the Edinburgh Depression Scale (EDS) and Tilburg Pregnancy Distress Scale negative affect (TPDS-NA), were randomized into an intervention group (online MBI, N = 109) or control group (care as usual, N = 110). The primary outcome was the change in pregnancy distress post-intervention and at eight-weeks-follow-up. Secondary outcomes were mindfulness skills (Three Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form), rumination (Rumination-Reflection Questionnaire), and self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form) at post-intervention and follow-up in the intervention group.

Results: Significant improvements were found in pregnancy distress scores, but no significant differences between intervention and control group appeared. The MBI group showed improvements in mindfulness skills, rumination, and self-compassion.

Limitations: Low adherence to the intervention and assessment of secondary outcome measures in the intervention group only.

Conclusions: An intervention trial with one of the largest samples (N = 219) provided no evidence of a significant effect of an online self-guided MBI in distressed pregnant women. An online MBI may be associated with an improvement in mindfulness skills, rumination, and self-compassion. Future research should address the effectiveness of MBI's with different formats (online and group-based combined) and examine a possible delayed effect.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03917745, registered on 4 March 2019.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Mindfulness; Online intervention; Pregnancy distress.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Depression / therapy
Emotions
Female
Humans
Mindfulness*
Mothers
Pregnancy
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Research Design

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT03917745