Mindfulness for pregnancy: a randomised controlled study of online mindfulness during pregnancy
Mindfulness for pregnancy: a randomised controlled study of online mindfulness during pregnancy
Objective
Prenatal depression, stress and anxiety are significant predictors of postnatal depression and also have a direct negative impact on the family. Helpful psychological interventions during pregnancy are scarce and expensive, and usually only available for a small percentage of those suffering or deemed to be at risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of an online mindfulness course for expectant mothers.
Design
A randomised study was conducted to explore differences between control and active participants allocated to take an online mindfulness course, offered free to research participants, or wait.
Setting
The course provided was online and already available but given to study participants for free. Measures were also taken online using a secure site to collect the data.
Participants
185 mothers were recruited and randomised to the online course (n = 107) or a waitlist control (n = 78), with 72 completers at post-course (n = 22 active, n = 50 control) and 48 completers at postnatal follow-up (n = 16 active and n = 32 control).
Intervention
The online mindfulness course is available at www.bemindfulonline.com and comprises a four-week, condensed version of an eight-week mindfulness course, with videos and written instructions for guided meditation and other mindfulness-based exercises.
Measurements and findings
A number of psychological well-being measurements were taken including stress, anxiety, depression and pregnancy-specific measure such as labour worry. Intention to treat analysis (baseline carried forwards) showed no group difference in stress from pre to post intervention or control.
Key conclusions
Results indicated that the course was potentially beneficial for those who completed it, but levels of drop out from the course were very high.
Implications for practice
Although outcomes for mothers completing the intervention were improved relative to a waitlist control, high rates of drop out indicate that the online course has low completion rates for pregnant women in its current format.
e-health, Mindfulness, Pregnancy, Prenatal mood’ online interventions
51-57
Krusche, Adele
336ef9cd-ec58-4826-8eaa-9c9f6edbb0ee
Dymond, Maret
b21421d1-9a20-4b0b-82aa-46119187d492
Murphy, Susannah E.
407b0f9d-db42-49a3-9d69-5f0b26517ae3
Crane, Catherine
3dd3e4f2-aabb-4016-b0bf-c6de2214950c
1 October 2018
Krusche, Adele
336ef9cd-ec58-4826-8eaa-9c9f6edbb0ee
Dymond, Maret
b21421d1-9a20-4b0b-82aa-46119187d492
Murphy, Susannah E.
407b0f9d-db42-49a3-9d69-5f0b26517ae3
Crane, Catherine
3dd3e4f2-aabb-4016-b0bf-c6de2214950c
Krusche, Adele, Dymond, Maret, Murphy, Susannah E. and Crane, Catherine
(2018)
Mindfulness for pregnancy: a randomised controlled study of online mindfulness during pregnancy.
Midwifery, 65, .
(doi:10.1016/j.midw.2018.07.005).
Abstract
Objective
Prenatal depression, stress and anxiety are significant predictors of postnatal depression and also have a direct negative impact on the family. Helpful psychological interventions during pregnancy are scarce and expensive, and usually only available for a small percentage of those suffering or deemed to be at risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of an online mindfulness course for expectant mothers.
Design
A randomised study was conducted to explore differences between control and active participants allocated to take an online mindfulness course, offered free to research participants, or wait.
Setting
The course provided was online and already available but given to study participants for free. Measures were also taken online using a secure site to collect the data.
Participants
185 mothers were recruited and randomised to the online course (n = 107) or a waitlist control (n = 78), with 72 completers at post-course (n = 22 active, n = 50 control) and 48 completers at postnatal follow-up (n = 16 active and n = 32 control).
Intervention
The online mindfulness course is available at www.bemindfulonline.com and comprises a four-week, condensed version of an eight-week mindfulness course, with videos and written instructions for guided meditation and other mindfulness-based exercises.
Measurements and findings
A number of psychological well-being measurements were taken including stress, anxiety, depression and pregnancy-specific measure such as labour worry. Intention to treat analysis (baseline carried forwards) showed no group difference in stress from pre to post intervention or control.
Key conclusions
Results indicated that the course was potentially beneficial for those who completed it, but levels of drop out from the course were very high.
Implications for practice
Although outcomes for mothers completing the intervention were improved relative to a waitlist control, high rates of drop out indicate that the online course has low completion rates for pregnant women in its current format.
Text
Mindfulness for Pregnancy_Revision_no typset
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 23 July 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 29 July 2018
Published date: 1 October 2018
Keywords:
e-health, Mindfulness, Pregnancy, Prenatal mood’ online interventions
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 423787
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/423787
ISSN: 0266-6138
PURE UUID: 829202de-cdd6-4d04-aa1a-9818227a10ba
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 01 Oct 2018 16:30
Last modified: 18 Mar 2024 05:19
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Contributors
Author:
Adele Krusche
Author:
Maret Dymond
Author:
Susannah E. Murphy
Author:
Catherine Crane
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