Chateauguay

This research project focuses on women experiencing anxiety and depressive symptoms during the postnatal period. It evaluates the acceptability and effectiveness of a French-Canadian adaptation of an internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program designed specifically for postnatal anxiety and depression. The study compares the combined treatment of this adapted iCBT plus treatment as usual (TAU) to TAU alone, aiming to see if adding the iCBT reduces symptoms more effectively. Participants are divided into two groups: one group completes a 6-week non-guided iCBT program consisting of three lessons that teach cognitive behavioral therapy skills such as psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, problem solving, behavioral activation, graded exposure, and relapse prevention. This program includes practical homework and resources and is designed to be completed over six weeks with reminders and controlled pacing between lessons. The other group receives treatment as usual and is placed on a waitlist to access the iCBT after completing their final assessments. Participants complete questionnaires measuring anxiety and depression symptoms at the start, after six weeks, and again four weeks later (week 10). The primary tools used are the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale, both in French. Researchers also assess secondary outcomes like mother-child experience, psychological distress, suicidality risk, quality of life, treatment satisfaction, and healthcare usage. The study tracks symptoms over time to evaluate the therapy's impact and gathers important information for future large-scale implementation of the program.