The feasibility and acceptability of a single-session Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) intervention to support women self-reporting fear of childbirth in a first pregnancy

A clinical trial protocol of a single-session self-guided acceptance-based online intervention targeting food cravings as predictors of disordered eating in pregnant people

BACKGROUND

Pregnancy is a time of heightened risk for disordered eating behaviors, which are linked to adverse health outcomes in gestation, delivery, and the postpartum. These adverse outcomes may be partially mediated by greater rates of deviation from recommended weight gain trajectories, especially in those who engage in binge and loss of control (LOC) eating. Food cravings are powerful and highly modifiable triggers of binge and LOC eating in non-pregnant populations with preliminary evidence linking cravings to disordered eating behaviors in pregnancy as well. Acceptance-based approaches have been shown to be feasible and effective in reducing the adverse impact of cravings on behavior.

PURPOSE

To test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a single-session, self-guided, acceptance-based online workshop targeting food cravings as predictors of binge and LOC eating in pregnancy.

METHODS

We will conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial of a single-session, self-guided online acceptance-based workshop targeting food cravings in pregnancy. Pregnant individuals in the second trimester (n ≥ 74) endorsing current food cravings will be randomly assigned to the intervention or an untreated control group. The intervention group will participate in a one-hour workshop that imparts skills grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, including acceptance, defusion, and present-moment awareness. Both groups will complete comprehensive self-report assessments of primary outcomes and hypothesized mediators and moderators of intervention efficacy at baseline, one-month follow-up, and at full-term.

CONCLUSION

Results will inform integration of acceptance-based skills targeting food cravings into routine prenatal care to prevent adverse outcomes associated with disordered eating behaviors in pregnancy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT06129461; registered on November 10, 2023.

The impact of midwifery continuity of care on maternal mental health: A narrative systematic review

BACKGROUND

Systematic reviews have shown that midwifery continuity of care programs lead to improvements in birth outcomes for women and babies, but no reviews have focused specifically on the impact of midwifery continuity of care on maternal mental health outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the available evidence on the impact of midwifery continuity of care on maternal mental health during the perinatal period.

METHOD

A systematic search of published literature available through to March 2021 was conducted. A narrative approach was used to examine and synthesise the literature.

RESULTS

The search yielded eight articles that were grouped based on the mental health conditions they examined: fear of birth, anxiety, and depression. Findings indicate that midwifery continuity of care leads to improvements in maternal anxiety/worry and depression during the perinatal period.

CONCLUSION

There is preliminary evidence showing that midwifery continuity of care is beneficial in reducing anxiety/worry and depression in pregnant women during the antenatal period. As the evidence stands, midwifery continuity of care may be a preventative intervention to reduce maternal anxiety/worry and depression during the perinatal period.

Characteristics and trends in acceptance and commitment therapy research: A bibliometric analysis

PURPOSE

As acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) becomes mainstream and a growing body of literature emerges, it is critical to map the global collaborative network and a quantitative and systematic assessment of ACT, as research on this topic is still lacking. This review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the trajectory, key themes, and future prospects in ACT research.

METHODS

Publications were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection before 2022. Excel 2019, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace software were used to analyze the characteristics and trends of ACT research. Examples include publications trend analysis, authors' cooperation network analysis, keywords co-occurrence analysis, and citation burst analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 799 articles in 314 journals contributed by 2,862 authors from 958 institutions in 52 countries were identified. The number of publications has increased significantly since 2015. The United States/Utah State University is the most productive country/institution; Karolinska Institute, Utah State University, and King's College of London are the most significant nodes. Twohig M.P., Hayes S.C., and Levin M.E. are the most influential authors. Keyword co-occurrence analysis found the curative mechanisms, using network technology or mobile technology as adjuvant therapy, reducing psychological diseases of cancer patients were potential trends.

CONCLUSION

This review is the first attempt of its kind to systematically examine the knowledge structure and draw an evidence map of ACT research. It deepens the understanding of existing research, gives many operable research directions and suggests to future ACT research.