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Engage & Connect: A Psychotherapy for Postpartum Depression

Engage & Connect: A Novel Social Reward Psychotherapy for Postpartum Depression

Who can join

As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.

Age
No age limits stated
Sex
Female only
Healthy volunteers
Not accepted
Compensation
Not stated

Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

What to expect

No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.

What participation involves

  • Time periods mentioned: 9 weeks

Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.

Show the study's own words
  • "It will examine changes in social isolation, processing of social rewards and depression severity over 9 weeks of treatment."
Compensation
Not stated
  • Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
  • Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
  • Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
  • Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.

About this study

In plain language

This study compares Engage & Connect, a new talk therapy, with a program that reviews symptoms and teaches about depression. It is for people with depression within 1 year after giving birth. Both programs are done remotely for 9 weeks, and the study looks at depression, feeling isolated, and how people respond to rewarding social experiences.

This randomized controlled trial compares a novel psychotherapy, Engage \& Connect, with a Symptom Review and Psychoeducation intervention, tailored to reduce postpartum depression. The study includes 9-weeks interventions, delivered remotely. It will examine changes in social isolation, processing of social rewards and depression severity over 9 weeks of treatment.

Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.

Eligibility

Who can join

  • You gave birth within the past year.
  • You score 10 or higher on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, a survey about depression after birth.
  • You take no antidepressants, or your dose has stayed the same for 8 weeks and you do not plan to change it for the next 10 weeks.
  • You can understand and agree to the study tests and treatment.
  • You speak English well.

Who can't join

  • You intend or plan to attempt suicide soon.
  • You receive talk therapy more than once every 8 weeks, or during the study treatment.
  • You currently misuse alcohol or drugs, or depend on them.
  • The pregnancy involved severe problems with the baby's development, stillbirth, or the baby's death by the time you join.
  • You have or have had a mental health diagnosis other than major depression without loss of touch with reality, ongoing general anxiety, long-lasting depression, or a strong fear of a specific thing or situation.
  • You take medicines that affect mood or thinking, or medicines called cholinesterase inhibitors. The listed exception is lorazepam at no more than 0.5 mg daily, up to 7 times a week.

Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.

Official eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria: 1. Up to 1 year post-delivery 2. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) score ≥ 10. 3. Off antidepressants or on a stable dose of an antidepressant for 8 weeks and do not intend to change the dose in the next 10 weeks. 4. Capacity to provide consent for research assessment and treatment. 5. Speaks English proficiently Exclusion Criteria: 1. Intent or plan to attempt suicide in the near future 2. Ongoing psychotherapy (no more than once every 8 weeks or during the duration of the intervention) 3. Active substance abuse or dependence 4. Severe fetal anomalies, stillbirth or infant death at time of enrollment for index pregnancy 5. History or presence of psychiatric diagnoses other than major depressive disorder without psychotic features, generalized anxiety disorder, persistent depressive disorder, or specific phobia. 6. Use of psychotropic drugs or cholinesterase inhibitors other than use of ≤ 0.5 mg of lorazepam daily up to seven times per week.

Study sites (1)

NY