title: Evaluation of a brief cognitive intervention in patients with signs of postnatal depression: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: The effectiveness of a brief intervention based on individual cognitive behavioral counseling in mothers with signs of postnatal depression was evaluated. Patients undergoing a complicated delivery were invited to participate. Women who scored above a cut-off level (>12) on Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were randomized to either a brief individual cognitive behavioral counseling comprising three weekly 1 hour sessions (n = 33) or standard care (n = 34). Measures of postnatal depression were collected from EPDS, 1 month after birth and 1 month after treatment. Both groups showed a significant decline from baseline to follow-up, mean scores declined from 16.9 to 7.6 (intervention group) vs. 13.6 to 9.9 (control group; p < 0.001). There was a significant interaction effect (Group*Time) between the intervention and the control group showing a more rapid decline of EPDS scores for the intervention group (p < 0.001). The results suggest that brief cognitive behavioral counseling is an effective treatment in women at risk for developing postnatal depression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. ingela.wiklund@bb.ptj.se
authors.forename: Ingela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wiklund
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mohlkert
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Edman
mesh_terms: D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003376:Counseling; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D016896:Treatment Outcome