The effects of depressive symptom management interventions on low‐income mothers: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Abstract

Aim To evaluate the effects of depressive symptom management interventions (DSMI) for low‐income mothers. Background Depressive symptoms and depression are common complications following childbirth. Depressive symptoms experienced by low‐income mothers negatively affect infant–toddler development. Design A systematic review and meta‐analysis was conducted to provide a synthesized and critical appraisal of the included studies. Data Sources We conducted a systematic search of randomized controlled trials in the following electronic databases through November 2017: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and Cochrane Library CENTRAL. Review Methods Ten studies were found in the systematic review of DSMI in terms of content, mode of delivery, session, and provider. We then conducted a meta‐analysis of nine randomized controlled trials with 798 participants, comparing low‐income mothers with and without DSMI. Results A significant effect was noted for DSMI in improving depressive symptoms in low‐income mothers with young children and for interventions lasting 8 weeks or less. Conclusion The meta‐analysis suggested that DSMI for low‐income mothers can be effective; however, the effectiveness varies by intervention type, intervention duration, and whether the mothers had other children. Impact The findings of this study will contribute to the development of effective DSMI by providing scientific evidence for the development of such programmes for low‐income mothers, especially with respect to target population and intervention duration.

Interventions to Reduce Parental Substance Use, Domestic Violence and Mental Health Problems, and Their Impacts Upon Children’s Well-Being: A Systematic Review of Reviews and Evidence Mapping

“…Nine reviews examined psychoeducational interventions including symptom management, peer support, mindfulness, and exercise-based interventions. All of these reviews examined interventions that were entirely or mostly delivered within the postnatal period, with most reporting that these interventions positively impacted upon parental mental illness, with mixed effect sizes (see Table 1) (Alexander, 2018; Daley et al, 2009; Kim & Lee, 2019; Leger & Letourneau, 2015; Morrell, 2006; Shi & MacBeth, 2017; Song et al, 2015).…”