Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder Following Perinatal Loss
Major Depressive Disorder, Miscarriage, Stillbirth
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Major Depressive Disorder focused on measuring Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Miscarriage, Stillbirth, Neonatal death, Interpersonal psychotherapy, Group Therapy, Coping with Depression (CWD)
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Current Major Depressive episode.
- Experience perinatal loss 1-18 months prior to intake (including early and late fetal death and the death of a live born neonate within the first 28 days).
Exclusion Criteria:
- Untreated thyroid difficulties (TSH levels out of the normal range).
- Anemia (hemoglobin or hematocrit out of the normal range).
- Onset of current major depressive episode prior to news of difficulties with the pregnancy or health risk to the infant (women with prior episodes will be included).
- Current or past diagnosis of bipolar I disorder, schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder.
- Primary diagnosis of substance dependence or eating disorder.
- Acute suicidal or homicidal risk.
- Non-stable course of antidepressant medication or psychotherapy (i.e., beginning or changing dose of either within the previous 8 weeks).
- Any IPT or cognitive-behavioral treatment in the previous 8 weeks.
Sites / Locations
- Brown University
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Active Comparator
Group Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT-G)
Coping with Depression (CWD)
Participants in the IPT-G condition will receive 12 group therapy sessions over 2 weeks as well as 2 individual (pre-group and 1-month booster sessions). In addition, 3 of the 12 group sessions will invite women to include their partners or other support people to bolster the woman's social support system and to reduce conflicts over how to react to the loss. This study adapted IPT for treatment of depression after perinatal loss.
The Coping with Depression (CWD) course is a highly structured, manualized psycho-educational group treatment for MDD. The course content is cognitive-behavioral in nature and is designed to train skills that can be used in the alleviation of depression. The skill modules focus on relaxation, cognitive skills, and behavioral activation. CWD will consist of an individual pre-group interview, 12 group therapy sessions over 12 weeks and a 1-month individual booster session to provide an identical treatment dose as the experimental condition.