Development and Validation of Safe Motherhood-Accessible Resilience Training (SM-ART) Intervention to Improve Perinatal Mental Health

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Apr 14;20(8):5517. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20085517.

Abstract

Perinatal mental health issues in women can lead to a variety of health complications for both mother and child. Building resilience can strengthen coping mechanisms for pregnant women to improve their mental health and protect themselves and their children. The study aims to develop and validate the contextual and cultural appropriateness of the Safe Motherhood-Accessible Resilience Training (SM-ART) intervention for pregnant women in Pakistan. A three-phase approach was used to develop and validate an intervention that promotes resilience in pregnant women. Phase I comprised a needs assessment with stakeholders (pregnant women and key informants) to elicit opinions regarding module content. In Phase II, an intervention to build resilience was developed with the help of a literature review and formative assessment findings, and Phase III involved the validation of the intervention by eight mental health experts. The experts assessed the Content Validity Index (CVI) of the SM-ART intervention on a self-developed checklist. The resultant SM-ART intervention consists of six modules with strong to perfect CVI scores for each of the modules. Qualitative responses endorsed the strengths of the intervention as having innovative and engaging activities, contextual and cultural relevance, and a detailed, comprehensive facilitator guide. SM-ART was successfully developed and validated and is now ready for testing to promote the resilience of pregnant women at risk of perinatal mental illness.

Keywords: Pakistan; mental health intervention; perinatal maternal health; pregnancy; resilience.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Child
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mental Disorders* / prevention & control
  • Mental Health*
  • Mothers / psychology
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnant Women / psychology

Grants and funding

This project work was supported by the Aga Khan University Research Council (grant # 182015 SONAM 70345), and partial funding was also received from the Canadian Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Scholarship (QES) program through the University of Calgary. Article processing charges (APC) was supported by Foundation for Heath and Empowerment Pakistan project ID # 51921.