Perceptions of the Mamma Mia program, an internet-based prevention strategy for perinatal depression symptoms

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Patricia Kinser - , Virginia Commonwealth University (Author)
  • Sara Moyer - , Virginia Commonwealth University (Author)
  • Heather A. Jones - , Virginia Commonwealth University (Author)
  • Nancy Jallo - , Virginia Commonwealth University (Author)
  • Ayomide Popoola - , Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) (Author)
  • Leroy Thacker - , Virginia Commonwealth University (Author)
  • Sally Russell - , Virginia Commonwealth University (Author)
  • Ellen Solstad Olavesen - , Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (Author)
  • Thea Sundrehagen - , Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (Author)
  • Megan M. Hare - , Tulane University (Author)
  • Bridget Xia - , Virginia Commonwealth University (Author)
  • Susan Garthus-Niegel - , Institute and Policlinic of Occupational and Social Medicine, MSH Medical School Hamburg, Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Author)
  • Silje Marie Haga - , University of Oslo, Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (Author)
  • Filip Drozd - , University of Oslo, Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health (Author)

Abstract

The Mamma Mia program is an internet-based intervention designed to prevent and/or intervene with perinatal mental health symptoms, such as depression symptoms. The purpose of this mixed-methods study, which occurred in a virtual setting, was to evaluate the perceived acceptability, obtrusiveness, and preliminary perceived usefulness of the Mamma Mia program by postpartum mothers who had access to the program through a larger parent study. Quantitative data on perceived obtrusiveness of the program (Unobtrusiveness Scale) were collected from 1772 pregnant women participating in a larger, three-arm randomized controlled parent study (clinicaltrials.gov: NCT04300894); qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured one-on-one interviews with a subset of these postpartum mothers (n = 55). Participants reported they found the program to be beneficial, emphasizing its guided content, focus on self-care, integration of mindfulness and educational components, and trustworthiness. Participants appreciated the structured nature of the program and expressed a high level of trust in the program, which was crucial for its perceived value and effectiveness. However, reported obtrusiveness of the intervention increased as participants progressed through the postpartum period, suggesting an evolving user experience with the program. Participants offered suggestions for improvement to the program, such as that the program should be app-based, the program should be available for partners to use, and that the program requires some updates to images and postpartum content. Overall, the study findings highlight the participants’ perceptions that the program is acceptable and useful. Future work is warranted to explore the enhancements proposed by participants to further optimize the program’s impact.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere0000138
JournalPLOS Mental Health
Volume2
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 3 Apr 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-7472-674X/work/197321486
Mendeley 13b1d958-d477-3160-a17d-502fd893c14a
Scopus 105027966316

Keywords