bBeAMom: Effectiveness of a Cognitive-Behavioral Blended Intervention for Postpartum Depression

Be a mom program (a web-based cognitive-behavioral intervention) is being tested in another clinical trial as a preventive intervention for postpartum depression (NCT03024645). However, given its effectiveness in reducing depressive symptoms among women presenting early-onset postpartum depressive symptoms, Be a Mom can also have potential as a postpartum depression complement treatment tool. The main goal of this research is to apply and evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of a blended cognitive-behavioral intervention for the treatment of postpartum depression (Be a Mom Coping with Depression) by integrating face-to-face sessions with the web-based program Be a Mom. The RCT will be a two-arm trial. Women who have had a child during the prior 12 months will be enrolled in the study. A minimum number of 110 women will be enrolled in the study. After agreeing to participate in the study, women will be screened and evaluated for the presence of clinically significant depressive symptoms (according to DSM-5) by a researcher (licensed psychologist). Participants who meet the eligibility criteria will be randomly assigned to one of the conditions: the blended intervention (Be a Mom Coping with Depression) or the control condition (online intervention - Be a Mom). The sample will be recruited online. Participation in this study will last 6 months. The blended intervention will last about 3 months. Participants in both conditions will be invited by the researchers via email to complete baseline, post-intervention and follow-up (3-months post-intervention) assessments. Assessments will include self-report questionnaires to assess several indicators (e.g., depressive and anxiety symptoms, quality of life, marital satisfaction, mother-child bonding, and maternal self-efficacy), mechanisms that may be involved in the treatment response (e.g., psychological flexibility, emotional regulation, and self-compassion) and user's acceptability and satisfaction.