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The impact of including babies on the effectiveness of dialectical behaviour therapy skills groups in a community perinatal service

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2020

Adele E. Greaves Open the ORCID record for Adele E. Greaves [Opens in a new window] ,
Hannah McKenzie ,
Rachel O’Brien ,
Anna Roberts  and
Kate Alexander
Adele E. Greaves*
Affiliation:
Sussex and East Surrey Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Hannah McKenzie
Affiliation:
Sussex and East Surrey Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Rachel O’Brien
Affiliation:
Sussex and East Surrey Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Anna Roberts
Affiliation:
Sussex and East Surrey Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Kate Alexander
Affiliation:
Sussex and East Surrey Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Email: adele.greaves@nhs.net
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Abstract

Background:

Perinatal mental illnesses are a major public health issue, which untreated can have devastating impacts on women and their families. Problems with emotion regulation are a common feature across perinatal mental illnesses.

Aims:

This study sought to evaluate the impacts of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) skills groups for mothers and babies in a community perinatal service. We hypothesised that community perinatal DBT skills groups that included babies would reduce distress and improve emotional regulation.

Method:

A mixed-methods within-subjects design was utilised with outcome measures collected pre- and post-intervention. Qualitative interviews exploring mothers’ experiences of bringing their baby to group were also conducted.

Results:

Results indicated that DBT skills groups significantly improved levels of psychological distress and emotional regulation.

Conclusions:

Community perinatal DBT skills groups are effective when babies are present. Moreover, benefits of including babies were identified, under the themes of Self as Mother, Shared Experience, and Impact of Babies.

Keywords

babiesbehaviour therapyemotional regulationperinatal
Type
Main
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 49 , Issue 2 , March 2021 , pp. 172 - 184
Copyright
© British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2020

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