This study aims to explore whether playing the computer game Tetris can reduce PTSD symptoms in women who have undergone emergency caesarean births. Additionally, as a feasibility study, it seeks to provide essential data and insights that will guide the design and implementation of future larger-scale RCTs examining the effects of Tetris in this context. The specific objectives are to explore: 1. Whether playing Tetris within 24 hours of an emergency C-section help to reduce symptoms of PTSD. 2. Clinical feasibility and acceptability for an intervention (ie. game Tetris) immediately after a cesarean section. 3. Issues arising from the research design, including requitement and sample size. Participants in the intervention group will play Tetris for at least 10 minutes, but no more than 15 minutes within 24 hours of a C-section. For outcomes, all participants will complete the questionnaires on the fifth day after the C-section and one month postpartum.
Recent research suggests that adverse events related to childbirth and pregnancy, such as emergency caesarean births, can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although therapeutic and preventive interventions like trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are available, the effectiveness of interventions that do not require specialist expertise remains unclear. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aims to determine whether playing the computer game Tetris can reduce the PTSD symptom severity in postpartum women who have undergone emergency caesarean births, a group at higher risk of developing PTSD compared to those who have had spontaneous deliveries. Additionally, this study serves as a feasibility test, establishing a foundation for future larger RCTs examining the effects of Tetris.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
120
Within 24 hours of emergency caesarean birth, the participants played Tetris (TetrisⓇ99), a cognitive task, for at least 10 and up to 15 minutes on a Nintendo Switch Lite game console.
Perinatal epidemiology Department of Human Health Sciences Graduate School of Medicine Kyoto University
Kyoto, Sakyo-ku, Japan
Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) scores (intrusive, avoidance and total scores) at one month postpartum
The participants are asked to report the degree of distress experienced for each item in the past 7 days. The 5 points on the scale are: 0 (not at all), 1 (a little bit), 2 (moderately), 3 (quite a bit), 4 = (extremely).
Time frame: At one month postpartum
IES-R at 5 days postpartum
The participants are asked to report the degree of distress experienced for each item in the past 7 days. The 5 points on the scale are: 0 (not at all), 1 (a little bit), 2 (moderately), 3 (quite a bit), 4 = (extremely).
Time frame: At 5 days postpartum
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at 5 days and one month postpartum
Each of the 10 questions has four possible responses, with scores ranging from 0 to 3. The scores for all 10 items are then added together to get a total score.
Time frame: At 5 days and one month postpartum
Labour Agentry Scale (LAS) at 5 days and one month postpartum
The LAS is a 29-item scale with a single underlying factor relating to mastery and sense of control. It has high internal reliability. The scale includes a 10-item inventory with six positive and four negative descriptions of the perceived degree of control experienced during childbirth. Participants ranked the items on a seven-point scale ranging from (1) "almost all of the time" to (7) "never, or almost never."
Time frame: At 5 days and one month postpartum
Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ) at 5 days and one month postpartum
The SSQ is a 6-item questionnaire designed to measure perceptions of and satisfaction with social support. Each item is a question that solicits a two-part answer. The first part asks participants to list all the people that fit the description of the question. The SSQ number score is calculated by adding the total number of responses to all six questions (with a minimum of 0 and no maximum) and dividing by 6 to find the average item score. The second part asks participants to indicate how satisfied they are, in general, with these people. The SSQ satisfaction score is calculated by adding the total number of responses to all six questions (with a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 36) and dividing by six to find the average item score.
Time frame: At 5 days and one month postpartum
Breastfeeding Status
Type of nutritional method of the newborn .
Time frame: At 5 days and one month postpartum
Number of medical visits and consultations
Number of visits to medical institutions and telephone consultations after discharge at the 1-month checkup.
Time frame: At one month postpartum
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