Mother and Infant Depression Improvement Study
Research has documented the devastating impact of depression on maternal functioning and child social, emotional, and cognitive development. Yet, only 20-30% of depressed mothers receive treatment. In particular, first-time mothers often face multiple barriers to obtaining effective treatment. In Every Child Succeeds, 44% of mothers have clinically elevated levels of depression in the first year of service, yet only 18% receive treatment.
In response to this problem, we received a three year grant from the National Institute on Mental Health to conduct a randomized clinical trial of In-Home Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (IH-CBT). The investigative team includes Drs. Robert T. Ammerman, Frank W. Putnam, and Jack Stevens (Columbus Children's Hospital). The Mother and Infant Depression Improvement Study (MIDIS) compares mothers receiving IH-CBT and home visitation with mothers receiving home visitation plus community treatment to determine the effectiveness of IH-CBT. Originally developed with a grant from the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati, IH-CBT is designed to deliver an empirically proven treatment, cognitive behavior therapy, which has been adapted for new mothers receiving ongoing home visitation. IH-CBT consists of 15 weekly treatment sessions and a one month booster session. Both groups (those receiving IH-CBT and home visitation and those who receive home visitation alone) complete a comprehensive assessment battery at pre-treatment, post-treatment, and three months later. It is hypothesized that the IH-CBT group will have reduced depressive symptoms, greater recovery from major depression, an increase in social support and other life course indicators, and will be valued by home visitors.
