Exploratory randomized controlled trial of a group psychological intervention for postnatal depression in British mothers of South Asian origin

Introduction The rates of postnatal depression (PND) in British South Asian (BSA) women are higher than the general population. PND is known to cause disability and suffering in women and negative consequences for their infants and their family with huge costs to society. Due to linguistic and cultural barriers, BSA women do not access health care services. Objectives To conduct an exploratory trial to test the feasibility and acceptability of a culturally adapted group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) intervention (Positive Health Programme (PHP). Aim We aimed to determine if depressed BSA women receiving the PHP intervention will show significant improvements in terms of severity of depression, marital support, and social support as compared to the control group. Methods We used a two-arm pragmatic single-blind randomised controlled design. Women meeting the inclusion criteria were randomised either to the experimental group receiving PHP or treatment as usual (TAU) that is standard care usually provided by the GP. Results A total of 615 mothers were screened for participation in the trial, of these 137 were assessed further to determine eligibility. Eighty-three mothers were randomized to receive either PHP ( n  = 42) or treatment as usual (TAU) ( n  = 41). Mothers found the intervention to be acceptable and felt an overall positive change in their attitudes, behaviour and confidence level. Conclusion The recruitment and retention figures (70%) highlight the ability of the research team to engage with the population. The findings suggest the acceptability of the culturally adapted PHP intervention for British South Asian women with postnatal depression.