Program Helps Treat Depression In Moms

New findings published in the journal Academic Pediatrics reveal a new intervention developed especially for depressed mothers by researchers at the University of California-Davis.

The Motivating our Mothers (MOM) program helps depressed mothers with a unique approach, specifically relying on pediatricians rather than the mother's doctor for diagnosis.

"This is one of the first studies to take on the role of the pediatrician in not only identifying depression in mothers but also helping them take the next step," Erik Fernandez y Garcia, associate professor of clinical pediatrics and lead author on the study, said via Psych Central. "The hope is that once we've refined the intervention and presented it to pediatricians, they will feel more comfortable about addressing depression with mothers of their patients."

To test the program, mothers were given a short survey to assess whether they needed additional care. Those who identified depression symptoms were then coached by a research assistant to seek further help.

Findings revealed that the program held a remarkable impact, with nearly 74 percent of mothers in the intervention group seeking out further assistant.  

The study specifically looked at English-speaking mothers with children between 0 to 12 years who were given a simple, question survey about the core symptoms of depression. Mothers who showed symptoms received targeted education that focused on removing the stigma associated with depression and how treatment could improve their children's health. Furthermore, they received follow-up calls two days later to reinforce the message.

By using an active control group, researchers screened for depression were given depression education and advice. However, the control intervention lacked targeted messaging designed to destigmatize depression and link treatment for improved child health.

In the future, researchers are hoping to program and conduct a similar study that will include Spanish-speaking mothers.

"If I can give pediatricians an efficient intervention to implement in their practices, we can really increase our ability to identify women with depression," Fernandez y Garcia said. "We can help them feel better and the kids will have better outcomes as well, so it has a positive effect on everybody's well being."