Preferences and Barriers to Counseling for and Treatment of Intimate Partner Violence, Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Postpartum Women: Study Protocol of the Cross-Sectional Study INVITE

Abstract

The cross-sectional study INVITE (INtimate partner VIolence care and Treatment prEferences in postpartum women) aims to examine treatment and counseling preferences and barriers in relation to the experience of intimate partner violence (IPV), depression and anxiety, and (childbirth-related) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among postpartum women in Dresden, Germany. Currently, the INVITE study consists of an interim sample of N = 1,787 participants with n = 891 completed interviews. Recruitment is ongoing, targeting a community sample of at least N = 4,000 women who complete various quantitative questionnaires via telephone interviews at 3–4 months postpartum. The differences in rates of IPV, postpartum depression and anxiety, and/or (childbirth-related) PTSD as well as treatment and counseling preferences and barriers between affected and non-affected women will be assessed. Further, predisposing variables, past and present stress exposure, enabling resources, as well as past and present health will be examined as predictors of service preferences and barriers. In this study protocol, the theoretical background, methods, as well as preliminary results regarding sociodemographic characteristics and birth-related factors of the interim sample are presented and discussed in terms of their socio-political relevance. Simultaneously assessing IPV, postpartum depression and anxiety, and (childbirth-related) PTSD will facilitate exploring comorbidities and concomitant special needs of affected women. Results of the INVITE study will therefore set the ground for well-aimed development and improvement of treatment and counseling services for the respective target groups by informing health care professionals and policy makers about specific preferences and barriers to treatment. This will yield the possibility to tailor services to the needs of postpartum women.

Support preferences among women with and without postpartum depression and anxiety disorder

“…The following main factors were derived: (1) Professional and Personal Con dants (e.g., midwife or woman in the same situation), (2) Communal and Psychosocial Services (e.g., household help or psychosocial crisis service), (3) Medical Services (e.g., general practitioner or pediatrician), (4) Psychotherapeutic Services (e.g., day clinic for psychiatry or psychosomatic medicine or specialized trauma outpatient clinic). PFA revealed a pattern that deviated from the theoretical framework model (44). More detailed information is provided in an additional le (see Additional le 1).…”

“…The data used in this study derive from the cross-sectional study INVITE (INtimate partner VIolence Treatment PrEferences) (44). INVITE examines the preferences for, and barriers to, counseling and treatment services for women in the postpartum period.…”

“…A self-generated questionnaire based on Simhi et al (40) was used to assess preferences for counseling and treatment services of varying specialization (44). For this purpose, affected women were asked to indicate on a four-point Likert scale whether they would choose the listed services or not.…”

“…The questionnaire consists of 20 items, with scores ranging between 0 and 80. A framework model was utilized to categorize services that could potentially be used (44). Services were categorized as social (e.g., self-help groups), psychosocial (e.g., consultation hotline), and medical services (e.g., family midwife).…”

“…Participants were also asked whether they would prefer a therapy of the mother alone or mother-child therapy when utilizing psychiatric or psychosomatic treatment. The various counseling and treatment services surveyed in the current study were selected speci cally for the German support system and attempt to cover all available services provided in Dresden that are eligible for women with postpartum mental health problems (44).…”