Changes in mood after screening for antenatal anxiety and depression

Abstract

Background: Screening programmes with referral are a valuable strategy for mitigating consequences of perinatal depression on mothers and their families. The effectiveness of these screening programmes needs to be measured. One potential problem in assessing outcomes is measurement reactivity where the actual measure results in changes in the people being measured.

Aim: The aim of this article is to explain the mechanisms and circumstances by which measurement reactivity occurred in a sample of antenatal women who participated in a screening interview.

Methods: Fifty-five women who participated in an antenatal screening interview in their second trimester were re-interviewed in their third trimester. These qualitative interviews were conducted between September 2015 and April 2016.

Results: The qualitative data suggested that measurement reactivity occurred through mechanisms such as the disclosure, gaining self-knowledge, validation of experiences, and personal agency which resulted in them seeking out support from others.

Conclusion: Although the screening interview appeared to improve women’s outcomes, this may have occurred through measurement reactivity. This needs to be considered when designing studies that aim to assess the effectiveness of screening with intervention for antenatal depression.

Keywords:

• Antenatal depression and anxiety
• measurement reactivity
• screening