Pregnant women with major depressive disorder (MDD) report that psychotherapy is a more acceptable treatment than pharmacotherapy. However, although results of several studies suggest that psychotherapy is an effective treatment for pregnant women, logistical barriers—including cost and traveling for weekly visits—can limit real-world utility. We hypothesized that computer-assisted cognitive behavior therapy (CCBT) would be both acceptable and would significantly decrease depressive symptoms in pregnant women with MDD.
Methods:
As a preliminary test of this hypothesis, we treated 10 pregnant women with MDD using a standardized CCBT protocol.
Results:
The pilot results were very promising, with 80% of participants showing treatment response and 60% showing remission after only eight sessions of CCBT.
Conclusion:
A larger, randomized controlled trial of CCBT in pregnant women with MDD is warranted.
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