Maternal mental health update: Role of cognitive behavioural therapy on postpartum depression

Published in the prestigious 'Jurnal Eduhealt', a quasi-experiment study revealed positive outcomes associated with the application of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for women with postpartum depression.

The study authors aimed to assess the application of CBT for preventing postpartum depression in mothers aged 10-40 days as participants. The sample had 15 mothers in the experimental and control groups, selected using purposive consecutive sampling techniques. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to investigate depression that occurs after childbirth.

The findings from the unpaired t-test revealed a significant mean difference in postpartum depression scores between the intervention and control groups. This indicates a tangible impact of CBT application on reducing postpartum depression. The linear regression analysis suggested that CBT application can reduce depression scores by 3.863 units.

Healthcare providers are advised to include early detection and screening for postpartum depression as part of regular postpartum assessments in order to effectively address and reduce its potential impact, according to the study's author.