PROJECT SUMMARY
Depression is one of the most common perinatal complications, with 1 in 7 mothers qualifying for a diagnosis of
postpartum depression (PPD) and even higher rates for those who identify as Hispanic/Latine, Black or African
American, American Indian, or Alaska Native, or by multiple races or ethnicities. This project addresses this
major gap in services to prevent PPD, particularly among socioeconomically disadvantaged and minoritized
groups. It tests the benefit of a virtual perinatal preventive intervention in English and Spanish to increase access,
scalability and address the mental health needs of underserved populations. This project will test the virtual
verison against the in-person version of a service-ready efficacious preventive intervention in a randomized
controlled trial (RCT). Consistent with the third priority from RFA-MH-21-240, this effectiveness trial will provide
a test of a preventive intervention with a strong evidence base that is scalable and can be delivered with fidelity
by service providers in settings where obstetric care is received. In this project, pregnant women will be
randomized to receive an evidence-based group prevention program (Reach Out, Stay Strong, Essentials for
New Moms; ROSE) designed for perinatal populations either a) in person, delivered at the hospital where they
are receiving prenatal care or b) virtually, delivered by the same staff via video conferencing, both offered in
English and Spanish. This project will test the following aims: 1: Test effectiveness of a virtual group preventive
intervention program on reducing postpartum depression compared to in-person delivery. 2: Identify mechanisms
of change for the intervention and characteristics that predict who receives the greatest benefit. 3: Provide
implementation recommendations for transporting and sustaining programs in other women’s healthcare
settings. The discoveries generated by this project will establish a preventive intervention model that can be
implemented at scale in diverse healthcare and community settings as a low-cost, high reach means of
preventing postpartum depression.