mHealth Intervention to Prevent Postpartum Depression and Anxiety in Chilean Women (WWWT)

NCT07587177 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: COO-2026
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 220
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a digital psychoeducational intervention, "What Were We Thinking" (WWWT), to prevent the development of postpartum depression and anxiety symptoms in first-time mothers in Chile. The study includes adult women with a healthy, full-term infant younger than two months who are receiving care in primary health centers. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does participation in the WWWT intervention reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms at 3 months after the end of the intervention compared to usual care?
• Does participation in the intervention improve maternal self-efficacy, perceived social support, and coparenting relationship quality compared to usual care? Researchers will compare an experimental group receiving the full WWWT intervention with a control group receiving usual care to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Participants will:
• Complete self-report questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, maternal self-efficacy, perceived social support, and coparenting at baseline and at 3-month follow-up
• Be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group
• Receive the WWWT intervention between 4 and 10 weeks postpartum (intervention group), including:
• Fourteen psychoeducational video modules (3-5 minutes each) delivered via text messaging over 4-5 weeks
• Individual contact with a trained facilitator through text messaging
• One virtual group session with other mothers and a facilitator
• Continue receiving usual care in primary health services (control group) and receive a shortened version of the intervention after the follow-up assessment

Conditions

Postpartum Anxiety; Postpartum Depression (PPD)

Keywords

Postpartum depression prevention; Postpartum anxiety prevention; Perinatal mental health; First-time mothers; mHealth intervention; Randomized controlled trial; Chile; What Were We Thinking (WWWT)

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Postpartum depressive symptoms

  Depressive symptoms assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)

  Baseline and 3 months after completion of the intervention

• Postpartum anxiety symptoms

  Anxiety symptoms assessed using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21)

  Baseline and 3 months after completion of the intervention

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Maternal self-efficacy

  Baseline and 3 months after completion of the intervention

• Perceived social support

  Baseline and 3 months after completion of the intervention

• Satisfaction with coparenting

  Baseline and 3 months after completion of the intervention

Study Arms (2)

WWWT Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants receive the full "What Were We Thinking" (WWWT) mHealth intervention between 4 and 10 weeks postpartum. The intervention includes 14 psychoeducational video modules delivered via text messaging over 4-5 weeks, asynchronous support from a trained facilitator via text messages, and one virtual group session. Participants also continue receiving usual primary health care.

Behavioral: What Were We Thinking (WWWT) mHealth Intervention

Usual Care

NO INTERVENTION

Participants receive usual care provided by primary health services. They do not receive the WWWT intervention during the study period. After completion of the follow-up assessment, participants are offered a shortened version of the intervention.

Interventions

What Were We Thinking (WWWT) mHealth Intervention BEHAVIORAL

The "What Were We Thinking" (WWWT) is a psychoeducational, preventive mHealth intervention designed for first-time mothers to reduce the risk of postpartum depression and anxiety. The intervention targets modifiable risk factors, including maternal self-efficacy in infant care and perceived social support. It is delivered between 4 and 10 weeks postpartum and includes three components: (1) fourteen psychoeducational video modules (3-5 minutes each) delivered via text messaging over 4-5 weeks, accompanied by reflective prompts; (2) asynchronous support from a trained facilitator via text messaging; and (3) one virtual group session led by the facilitator. Facilitators are trained health professionals and can refer participants to primary care services when needed.

WWWT Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• First-time mothers (primiparous women)
• Aged 18 years or older
• Having a healthy, full-term infant younger than 2 months of age
• Receiving prenatal or postnatal care at participating primary health centers in Chile
• Having access to a mobile phone capable of receiving calls and text messages
• Able to understand and communicate in Spanish

You may not qualify if:

• Severe symptoms of depression or anxiety at baseline requiring immediate specialized mental health treatment
• Severe psychosocial problems (e.g., substance abuse, domestic violence, significant cognitive impairment)
• Infant born preterm or with severe medical conditions (e.g., genetic disorders or serious neonatal complications)
• Inability to provide informed consent or participate in study procedures due to language or cognitive barriers

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad del Desarrollo: lead
• University of Barcelona: collaborator

Related Publications (2)

• Coo S, Garcia MI, Perez JC, Aldoney D, Olhaberry M, Fernandez O, Alamo N, Franco P, Perez F, Fernandez S, Fisher J, Rowe H. Online Intervention Targeting Postnatal Depression and Anxiety in Chilean First-Time Mothers: Feasibility Trial. J Pediatr Psychol. 2024 Apr 15;49(4):266-278. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsad086.

  PMID: 38070171 BACKGROUND

• Coo S, Garcia MI, Awad N, Rowe H, Fisher J. Cultural adaptation of an intervention to prevent postnatal depression and anxiety in Chilean new mothers. J Reprod Infant Psychol. 2021 Jul;39(3):276-287. doi: 10.1080/02646838.2019.1705264. Epub 2019 Dec 17.

  PMID: 31847567 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Depression, Postpartum

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Puerperal Disorders; Pregnancy Complications; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Urogenital Diseases; Depressive Disorder; Mood Disorders; Mental Disorders

Central Study Contacts

Soledad Coo, PhD

CONTACT

+56 9 9075 3976; scoo@udd.cl

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associated Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 8, 2026
• First Posted: May 14, 2026
• Study Start: May 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2026
• Last Updated: May 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share