Evaluation of an interpersonal-psychotherapy-oriented childbirth education programme for Chinese first-time childbearing women: a randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated the effects of an interpersonal-psychotherapy-oriented childbirth psychoeducation programme on postnatal depression, psychological well-being and satisfaction with interpersonal relationships in Chinese first-time childbearing women.


METHODS
A randomised, controlled trial was conducted in the maternity clinic of a regional hospital in China. The intervention was based on the principles of interpersonal psychotherapy, and consisted of two 90-min antenatal classes and a telephone follow-up within 2 weeks after delivery. One hundred and ninety-four first-time pregnant women were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=96) or a control group (n=98). Outcomes of the study included symptoms of postnatal depression, psychological well-being and satisfaction with interpersonal relationships, which were measured by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Satisfaction with Interpersonal Relationships Scale (SWIRS), respectively.


RESULTS
Women receiving the childbirth psychoeducation programme had significantly better psychological well-being (t=-3.33, p=0.001), fewer depressive symptoms (t=-3.76, p=0.000) and better interpersonal relationships (t=3.25, p=0.001) at 6 weeks postpartum as compared with those who received only routine childbirth education.


CONCLUSIONS
An interpersonal-psychotherapy-oriented childbirth psychoeducation programme could be implemented as routine childbirth education with ongoing evaluation. Replication of this study with more diverse study groups, such as mothers with high risks to depression, those with multiple, complicated or multiparas pregnancies, would provide further information about the effects of the programme.
Gao
Ling-ling
LL
School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China. gaoll@mail.sysu.edu.cn
Chan
Sally Wai-chi
SW
Li
Xiaomao
X
Chen
Shaoxian
S
Hao
Yuantao
Y
D002681:China; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036801:Parturition; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011613:Psychotherapy