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Cited by 287Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and PostpartumPersonality Disorders and PsychopathologyPsychotherapy Techniques and Applications

A meta-analysis of treatments for perinatal depression

Open access
Sockol, Laura E., Epperson, C. Neill, Barber, Jacques P.·2011·Clinical Psychology Review
DOI 10.1016/j.cpr.2011.03.009PMC PMC4108991
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Abstract

This meta-analysis assessed efficacy of pharmacologic and psychological interventions for treatment of perinatal depression. A systematic review identified 27 studies, including open trials (n=9), quasi-randomized trials (n=2), and randomized controlled trials (n=16) assessing change from pretreatment to posttreatment or comparing these interventions to a control group. Uncontrolled and controlled effect sizes were assessed in separate meta-analyses. There was significant improvement in depressive symptoms from pretreatment to posttreatment, with an uncontrolled overall effect size (Hedges' g) of 1.61 after removal of outliers and correction for publication bias. Symptom levels at posttreatment were below cutoff levels indicative of clinically significant symptoms. At posttreatment, intervention groups demonstrated significantly greater reductions in depressive symptoms compared to control groups, with an overall controlled effect size (Hedges' g) of 0.65 after removal of outliers. Individual psychotherapy was superior to group psychotherapy with regard to changes in symptoms from pretreatment to posttreatment. Interventions including an interpersonal therapy component were found to have greater effect sizes, compared to control conditions, than interventions including a cognitive-behavioral component. Implications of the findings for clinical practice and future research are discussed.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.cpr.2011.03.009

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  • Alongside medication, interpersonal therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy are the best-studied and most effective ways to treat and prevent perinatal mood disorders.

    “It is important to recognize that in addition to pharmacologic treatment, interpersonal therapy (IPT) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions are the most well studied and most effective treatment85,86 and prevention strategies87 for perinatal mood disorders.”

    From Prevalence of Depression or Anxiety During Antepartum Hospitalizations for Obstetric Complications (2021) · cites this paper as [86]

    The Study characteristics section identifies IPT and CBT as the two most commonly studied psychological interventions for perinatal depression, and the Discussion reports that interventions reduced depressive symptoms. But the paper does not establish both as the most effective treatments: it describes only preliminary evidence favoring IPT over CBT and calls for further research. In the citing sentence, prevention has a separate citation (87); this paper assesses treatment, not prevention. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Existing reviews highlight the effectiveness of a number of interventions for peripartum depression, including medication, health promotion interventions and psychological interventions.

    “Existing reviews highlight the effectiveness of a number of interventions for PPD including medication (eg, antidepressant medication), health promotion interventions (eg, educational home visits) and psychological interventions (eg, cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy.16–27”

    From Effectiveness and acceptability of cognitive-behavioural therapy based interventions for maternal peripartum depression: A systematic review, meta-analysis and thematic synthesis protocol (2019) · cites this paper as [25]

    The Abstract and Results report improvement with pharmacological and psychological treatments for perinatal depression, including studies of CBT and interpersonal therapy. The Discussion says the efficacy of home-based interventions remains uncertain; the paper does not establish the effectiveness of health-promotion interventions such as educational home visits. The indexed passages do not provide page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.86)

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  • Computer-based therapies may be most appealing to pregnant women who do not want to take medication or face barriers such as scheduling demands, access to transportation, or childcare.

    “Computer-based therapies may be most appealing to pregnant women who do not want to take medication or face barriers such as scheduling demands, access to transportation, or childcare.48,49”

    From Pregnancy and the Acceptability of Computer-Based Versus Traditional Mental Health Treatments (2017) · cites this paper as [49]

    The passage labeled Abstract reports that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding generally prefer psychological interventions to antidepressant medication. The Discussion likewise notes low medication acceptability, but neither passage supports the specific claim that computer-based therapies appeal to women facing scheduling, transportation, or childcare barriers. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Effective treatments for depression exist.

    “Effective treatments for depression exist (Claridge 2014; De Crescenzo et al. 2014; Sockol et al. 2011; Stuart and Koleva 2014)”

    From Perinatal Dyadic Psychotherapy for postpartum depression: a randomized controlled pilot trial (2015) · cites this paper as Sockol et al. 2011

  • There are mixed findings regarding the superiority of one type of psychological intervention over another for peripartum depression.

    “Although there are mixed findings regarding the superiority of one type of psychological intervention over another,17 25 27”

    From Effectiveness and acceptability of cognitive-behavioural therapy based interventions for maternal peripartum depression: A systematic review, meta-analysis and thematic synthesis protocol (2019) · cites this paper as [25]

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. O'Hara MW Swain AM Rates and risk of postpartum depression: A metaanalysis International Review of Psychiatry 1996 8 37 54

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Related

Authors
Sockol, L. E., Epperson, C. N., & Barber, J. P.
Affiliations
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
  • Philadelphia VA Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Sockol, Laura E.
ORCID
Venue
Clinical Psychology Review
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-07
Volume
31
Issue
5
Pages
839-849
ISSN
0272-7358 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.cpr.2011.03.009
PMC
PMC4108991
OpenAlex
W2005817233
Cited by
287
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 21 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 8
FWCI
3.15
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Clinical Psychology Review (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute on Drug Abuse (K24DA030301)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Disorders and Psychopathology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Keywords
perinatal depression, pharmacotherapy, psychological intervention, individual psychotherapy, group therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, depressive symptom reduction, treatment efficacy
MeSH terms
Antidepressive Agents, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Psychotherapy, Treatment Outcome, Depression, Postpartum, Peripartum Period

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