Parent Specific Depression Education and Motivation

University of California, Davis104 enrolled

Overview

This project is an investigator-initiated, randomized-controlled trial of the effectiveness of written and verbal parent-specific depression education and motivational advice in increasing participants self-disclosed intention to seek follow-up care for possible depression symptoms. The control condition is written and verbal general depression education and advice. Hypothesis: the office-based experimental intervention of written and verbal parent-specific depression and emotional health education and motivational advice increases intention to seek follow-up services for emotional health or depression, when compared to written and verbal general depression education and advice.

Maternal depression is a common problem, debilitating for mothers and affecting parenting practices with negative effects on the behavior, development, and physical health of children. The value of identifying and treating maternal depression for child development and well-being is well documented. Unfortunately, there are multiple barriers to the recognition and treatment of maternal depression. This is particularly problematic in younger women, as they are less often seen for health care. The overall objective of this project is to test whether the uptake of follow-up recommendations for potential depression by mothers identified by screening in clinical settings is improved by parent-specific targetting of depression education and motivational advice.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

TRIPLE

Enrollment

104

Conditions

Depressive Symptoms

Interventions

Parent-Specific Depression Education and MotivationBEHAVIORAL

Parent-specific written and verbal depression messages garnered from previous research were consolidated into a pamphlet and script, respectively. These are dispensed after randomization in the pediatric office. At two days, mothers in the experimental group receive a motivational telephone call.

General Depression Education-MotivationBEHAVIORAL

General depression education messages were compiled and are delivered verbally (scripted) and written (JAMA Depression Patient Page) after randomization in the pediatric office. At 2 days, mothers in the comparison group receive an attention control telephone call.

Eligibility

Sex: FEMALEMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Parent of a child between the ages of 2 days and 12 years who is a patient of the UC Davis Pediatric Clinic. * Primary, female caregiver * Feeling down, depressed, or hopeless or little interest or pleasure in doing things. * Not currently receiving care from a mental health practitioner. * Comfortable speaking English without an interpreter. Exclusion Criteria: * Parent of a child younger than 2 days or older than 12 years. * Dad, Foster parent, or other short term guardian. * Currently in treatment with a mental health practitioner. * Limited English Proficiency

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Depression Follow-Up Care Seeking

Mothers' self-reported attempts at obtaining follow-up services for emotional health or depression.

Time frame: at 2 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Intention to Seek Depression Follow-Up Care

Three item scale measure of intention to seek care (any) for follow-up of positive depression screen.