A mixed methods evaluation of an intervention to prevent perinatal depression among Latina immigrants

ABSTRACT

Objective: The effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural intervention to prevent perinatal depression in low-income Latina immigrant pregnant women and mothers receiving WIC services was evaluated in a mixed methods study using a community based observational design.

Background: The Mothers and Babies Course is a preventive intervention for perinatal depression that is based on cognitive behavioural theory (CBT). CBT is an evidence-based treatment and preventive intervention for perinatal depression.

Method: Phase 1 includes 86 Latinas, predominantly Central American immigrant women at high risk for depression, who self-selected into the Mothers and Babies Course, a six-week Spanish CBT group intervention aimed at teaching women mood regulation skills to prevent the onset of depression. Participants, who were recruited from the Women, Infants, and Children services, completed measures of depression and psychopathology at pre-, 6 weeks, and 3 months post-intervention. Phase 2 includes qualitative interviews with a randomly selected subsample (n = 26) from Phase 1 to understand the mechanisms and impact of participants’ experiences with the intervention and study.

Results: Results indicated no significant differences in depressive symptoms among participants with varied attendance levels (0 class; 1–3 classes = non-completers; 4–6 classes = completers). None of the participants met diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder at the final data collection period. Despite the varied attendance, both quantitative and qualitative results indicated that completers and non-completers reported similar experiences in the intervention and benefiting from study participation.

Conclusion: Conducting mixed methods research highlights the complexity of understanding who can benefit from preventive interventions.

KEYWORDS:

• Perinatal depression
• prevention
• Latinas
• immigrants
• mixed methods

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grant R40 MC 17179 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services (PI: Le). Special thanks to the staff and participants in WIC and Mary’s Center.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau (Title V, Social Security Act), Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services [R40 MC 17179].