perinatal (pregnancy and postpartum)

Background
Depression is a common, serious complication during the postpartum period. Predictors of postpartum depression characterize who is at-risk for persistent symptoms. This study explored how psychological inflexibility affects depressive symptoms at 4 and 12 weeks postpartum.

Methods
Participants receiving prenatal care at a medical center were recruited during the second trimester. Participants (n = 180) completed online assessments and diagnostic interviews during the third trimester (≥28 weeks gestation), and at 4-, 8-, and 12-weeks postpartum. Online assessments measured psychological inflexibility (PI) and depressive symptoms, while diagnostic interviews measured lifetime history of depression.

Objective: To explore the relationship between cognitive fusion and the state of anxiety and depression of perinatal women and to provide empirical evidences for acceptance and commitment therapy in mental treatment of anxiety and depression in perinatal women.

Methods: 309 perinatal women collected by cluster random sampling were assessed with self-made general information questionnaire,Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS),Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ) in predelivcry period and 3-7 days after childbirth respectively.

It is well established that the transition to new parenthood is associated with the onset or worsening of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS); however, less is known regarding specific risk factors associated with the development of postpartum OCS. The present prospective study examined experiential avoidance and interpretations of intrusive thoughts as predictors of the development of postpartum OCS in first-time mothers and fathers. Participants were 64 expecting parents (33 mothers and 31 partners—all fathers) who were followed from the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy into the postpartum. All completed measures of postpartum OCS, experiential avoidance, and interpretations of intrusive thoughts.

Facing an infertility diagnosis and the demands of infertility medical treatment has been widely recognized as a psychologically distressing condition and psychological inflexibility may be a relevant construct to better understand mental health in this population. In this context, the current study aimed to develop a new self-report measure, the Psychological Inflexibility Scale – Infertility (PIS–I), and examine its factor structure and psychometric properties. Based on the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) conceptual framework, literature review and clinical expertise in the infertility domain, an initial pool of 18 items was developed. An online survey was conducted with 287 women presenting an infertility diagnosis.

Objective
Women hospitalized for high-risk pregnancies, including those with preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), are at a greater risk for experiencing distress, as well as symptoms of anxiety and depression. An acceptance-based therapy would be particularly suitable for such women, as it encourages them to experience uncomfortable sensations and thoughts. The aim of this study was to pilot-test the feasibility and acceptability of a brief acceptance-based therapy for pregnant women on hospitalized bedrest, and to report preliminary symptom changes.