Co-Designing and Evaluating Additional Mothers and Babies Program Content for Expectant and New Parents of Children With Down Syndrome

Conditions

• Depression

Eligibility Criteria

Sex

ALL

Age

18 Years - N/A

Healthy Volunteers

Accepted

Interventions

• Mothers and Babies — BEHAVIORAL
  The Mother and Babies (MB) Program uses principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and attachment theory to target depressive symptoms and perceived stress during the perinatal period. The 9-session intervention will be delivered in 25-minute virtual, weekly session. Each session has an overall objective and 3 to 4 key topics regarding a core cognitive-behavioral skill. Each session has been scripted and has associated resources and materials, and assigns homework (entitled, a "personal project"). Sessions teach parents to identify healthy and unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, modify unhealthy patterns, develop skills to manage stress, ask for what they need, increase behavioral activation and social support.
• Mothers and Babies Down Syndrome — BEHAVIORAL
  The investigators will test new Down syndrome content embedded within the standard Mothers and Babies content. The Mother and Babies (MB) Program uses principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and attachment theory to target depressive symptoms and perceived stress during the perinatal period. The 9-session intervention will be delivered in 25-minute virtual, weekly session. Each session has an overall objective and 3 to 4 key topics regarding a core cognitive-behavioral skill. Each session has been scripted and has associated resources and materials, and assigns homework (entitled, a "personal project"). Sessions teach parents to identify healthy and unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, modify unhealthy patterns, develop skills to manage stress, ask for what they need, increase behavioral activation and social support.

Study Details

Goal: This R34 study will pilot an adaptation for the Mothers and Babies (MB) program for expectant and new parents of infants with Down syndrome (MBDS). Background: Expectant and new parents of infants with Down syndrome are at high risk for perinatal depression. Perinatal depression is both independently, and exponentially associated with long-term adverse neurodevelopmental consequences for infants with Down syndrome. MB is a cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to prevent perinatal depression. MB as one of the two most effective counseling interventions for perinatal depression prevention, with moderate to large effects sizes found across a series of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). However, research suggests that expectant and new parents of children with Down syndrome may have needs that standard MB does not address. Significance: This project will pilot a Down syndrome adaptation to MB, MBDS designed to target mechanisms of grief/loss and social support; and assess whether changes in the target mechanisms are associated with changes in depressive symptoms and parental sensitivity and responsivity to the infant. Innovation: The proposed project is innovative in three ways. First, the investigators plan to conduct the first pilot of a perinatal depression prevention intervention specifically designed for expectant and new parents of infants with Down syndrome. Second, the investigators plan to include fathers, nonbinary, and transgender parents to target symptoms of depression, rather than as simply a support person for maternal depressive symptom reduction. Third, the investigators plan to use a group format to establish cohorts of families of infants with Down syndrome of similar developmental stages. Design: Human-centered design and an open trial will inform a subsequent small randomized controlled clinical pilot to test the feasibility of the study protocol in preparation for a larger randomized controlled trial (RCT). Population: New and expectant parents of infants with Down syndrome. Outcomes: All aspects of the study protocol (e.g., condition allocation, treatment and control condition procedures, data collection, etc.) will be operationalized in preparation for the subsequent RCT. The investigators will assess MBDS effectiveness on target mechanisms of grief/loss and social support; and assess whether changes in the target mechanisms are associated with changes in depressive symptoms and parental sensitivity and responsivity to the infant.

Key Dates

Start date

May 30, 2026

Status verified

Mar 2026

Primary completion

Jul 30, 2028

Completion

Sep 15, 2028

Study Design

Enrollment

72 participants (estimated)

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Intervention model

PARALLEL

Primary purpose

PREVENTION

Arms

• Active Comparator: Standard Mothers & Babies
  The standard 9-session Mother's and Babies intervention
• Experimental: Mothers and Babies Down Syndrome
  The standard 9-session Mother's and Babies content plus Down Syndrome specific content
• No Intervention: Treatment as Usuals
  Parents will receive treatment as Usual

Primary Outcome Measure

Perinatal Grief Scale - Diagnosis [ Time Frame: Baseline, 5 weeks, 9 weeks, 21 weeks ]

Central Contacts

• Heather Risser, PhD
  13128483019
  [email protected]

Locations (1)

Find similar trials in Chicago, IL

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