Online Peer-Delivered 1-Day Cognitive Behavioral Therapy–Based Workshops for Postpartum Depression: A Pilot Study

Newswise — Postpartum depression (PPD) affects up to 20% of mothers and birthing parents, yet only 1 in 10 receive evidence-based treatment.¹ Barriers include time limitations, long waitlists, and concerns about stigma and judgment by health care providers.

Peer-administered interventions, those delivered by recovered former sufferers, can reduce stigma and convey valuable experiential knowledge, promote normalization, and provide role models for recovery for those with PPD.² Group delivery of peer-administered interventions may also be capable of cost-effectively treating PPD.³

This study examined the feasibility of training individuals who have recovered from PPD to deliver an online 1-day cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based workshop for PPD, assessed the acceptability of these workshops to those with current PPD, and estimated the intervention’s clinical effects.