Peer-support intervention for postpartum depression: Participant satisfaction and program effectiveness

Objective: Postpartum mood disorders represent a serious problem affecting 10-20% of women and support groups offer a promising intervention modality. The current study examined participant satisfaction with and effectiveness of a peer-facilitated postpartum support group.

Intervention: The program consists of a free, peer-support group, developed to increase social support and destigmatise postpartum mood symptoms. The weekly group is co-facilitated by former group attendees and maternal health professionals.

Setting: The peer-support program is offered in an urban city in the southeastern United States.

Design: To address study aims, a community-based participatory research approach was implemented. Participant satisfaction was assessed via mixed methods analyses. Differences in depression scores at follow-up between program attendees and a community sample were examined via weighted linear regression analysis following propensity score analysis. Finally, within-group change in depression scores for program attendees was examined using a repeated measures ANOVA.

Participants: Intake program data were provided by the sponsoring organisation (n = 73) and follow-up data were collected via an online survey from program attendees (n = 45). A community sample was recruited to establish a comparison group (n = 152).

Measurements and findings: Participant satisfaction was high with overwhelmingly positive perceptions of the program. Postparticipation depression scores were similar to those of the community sample at follow-up (p = .447). Among attendees, pre-post analyses revealed reductions in depression symptoms with significant interactions for time × complications (p ≤ .001) and time × delivery method (p ≤ .017).

Key conclusions: Overall, findings indicate this peer-support program is not only acceptable to program attendees but also they provide a potential mechanism for improving mental health outcomes; however, further evaluation is needed. Findings also emphasise the importance of integrating evaluation procedures into community-based mental health programming to support effectiveness.

Implications for practice: Peer-support groups are an acceptable form of intervention for women experiencing postpartum depression.