Background

Pregnant women facing social challenges, such as stress or mental health issues, may have higher stress hormone levels. This can negatively impact their baby’s brain development and the mother-child bond, leading to potential long-term health and social issues for the child. While parenting programs have shown promise, little evidence exists on their effectiveness in the UK.

Objective

The THRIVE study aimed to evaluate two parenting support programs that include cognitive-behavioral therapy: Enhanced Triple P for Baby and Mellow Bumps. The goal was to see how these programs affect the mental health of vulnerable mothers and the emotional and behavioral development of their children.

Study Design

THRIVE was a three-part randomized controlled trial involving pregnant women with social and care needs. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two parenting programs or standard care.

Participants

A total of 485 women participated in the study, slightly below the target of 500. They were recruited from specific health board areas in Scotland, with their babies also included in the study.

Interventions

Enhanced Triple P for Baby included four weekly group sessions during pregnancy and up to three home visits after birth. Its focus was on teaching parenting skills and improving overall well-being. Mellow Bumps consisted of seven weekly sessions during pregnancy and one after birth, aiming to reduce maternal stress and enhance early interactions with the baby.

Main Outcomes

The primary measures of success were the levels of anxiety and depression in mothers and the quality of mother-infant interactions.

Results

There were no significant differences in anxiety and depression levels between the groups receiving the parenting programs and those receiving standard care. However, Mellow Bumps showed promise for being cost-effective due to potential savings in healthcare resources.

Limitations

A major limitation was low attendance in the parenting groups, which was under 42%. Even with adjusted analyses for attendance, the results remained unchanged.

Conclusions

The THRIVE study did not provide sufficient evidence to recommend the widespread use of Enhanced Triple P for Baby or Mellow Bumps for this population.

Future Work

Future research should look into the timing and intensity of interventions, the composition of intervention groups, and the use of online sessions to better address inequalities.

Measurable Outcomes

Clear goals for evaluating parenting interventions include tracking improvements in maternal mental health and child development outcomes.

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