Intervention
While the TBPS intervention was intended to provide 12 weekly peer support calls, mothers received an average of 884 supportive calls that lasted on average 381 minutes with a range from one to 14 calls (N = 49). Based on the finding from another nurse telephone support study that depression improved for some mothers after only one supportive counselling call while others required more extensive attention (Glavin et al. 2010), mothers with one or more TBPS call were included in outcome analysis. After the mid-point, mothers received an average of 294 peer calls (range 0–8, SD 203). Average total telephone minutes over the study was 364 (SD 162). Mothers who left the study gave reasons that included: (1) no longer need the programme/feel better/sufficient support; (2) sought support through mental health professionals; and (3) insufficient time.
Data collection
The research nurse collected all intake study data and matched peers and mothers on language and, when possible, on age and other characteristics (e.g. military spouse, ≥1 child) and any specific mother requests (e.g. peer from a different city/area or available at …show more content…
1987) which is commonly used to assess PPD (Beck 2001). Of 19 PPD treatment studies reported in the extant literature, all but four used the EPDS to measure PPD (Dennis 2005). The EPDS is 10-item, self-report instrument with 4-point Likert responses ranging from 0–3. Total EPDS scores range from 0–30 and higher scores indicate greater depressive symptomatology. The EPDS score for study eligibility was ≥12 which is one point lower than Cox’s criteria of 13 for moderate depression and has been commonly used in research (Gibson et al. 2009). However, study depression outcomes used the cut-off criterion for moderate depression, or EPDS ≥13 (Cox et al. 1987). Mothers with EPDS ≥20, reflective of major depression, were referred to professional services and did not meet study
While the TBPS intervention was intended to provide 12 weekly peer support calls, mothers received an average of 884 supportive calls that lasted on average 381 minutes with a range from one to 14 calls (N = 49). Based on the finding from another nurse telephone support study that depression improved for some mothers after only one supportive counselling call while others required more extensive attention (Glavin et al. 2010), mothers with one or more TBPS call were included in outcome analysis. After the mid-point, mothers received an average of 294 peer calls (range 0–8, SD 203). Average total telephone minutes over the study was 364 (SD 162). Mothers who left the study gave reasons that included: (1) no longer need the programme/feel better/sufficient support; (2) sought support through mental health professionals; and (3) insufficient time.
Data collection
The research nurse collected all intake study data and matched peers and mothers on language and, when possible, on age and other characteristics (e.g. military spouse, ≥1 child) and any specific mother requests (e.g. peer from a different city/area or available at …show more content…
1987) which is commonly used to assess PPD (Beck 2001). Of 19 PPD treatment studies reported in the extant literature, all but four used the EPDS to measure PPD (Dennis 2005). The EPDS is 10-item, self-report instrument with 4-point Likert responses ranging from 0–3. Total EPDS scores range from 0–30 and higher scores indicate greater depressive symptomatology. The EPDS score for study eligibility was ≥12 which is one point lower than Cox’s criteria of 13 for moderate depression and has been commonly used in research (Gibson et al. 2009). However, study depression outcomes used the cut-off criterion for moderate depression, or EPDS ≥13 (Cox et al. 1987). Mothers with EPDS ≥20, reflective of major depression, were referred to professional services and did not meet study