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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04578925

Happy, Healthy, Loved: A Mobile-delivered Breastfeeding Self-efficacy Intervention for First Time Parents

The purpose of this study is to test if a mobile device delivered intervention program can improve breast-feeding self-efficacy in primiparous mothers.

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Female

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

OhioHealth

Columbus, Ohio, 43214, United States

About this study

The proposed study will test if a mobile device based intervention program, called "Happy, Healthy, Loved (HHL)", will impact breast feeding rates and breastfeeding self-efficacy when compared to care as usual. Primiparous women and their partners will be randomly assigned to the HHL program or usual care.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • primiparous mothers,
  • living with a partner or spouse,
  • have an intention to breastfeed their infant for at least 6-weeks postpartum;
  • whose infant is not in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,
  • have a mobile phone with text message capability,
  • have no current self-reported depressive episode, and;
  • English as a primary language

Exclusion criteria

  • mothers who have other biological children,
  • have infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit,
  • do not have a mobile phone with text message capabilities,
  • report current episodes of depression, or are receiving antidepressant treatment or psychotherapy for depression,
  • have initial study survey that indicates suicide risks (participants who are identified as suicidal ideation at 6 weeks or 6 months will receive further assessment and referral but not be excluded from the program because it may be more harmful and penalizing to remove them from the program if they find it helpful. We will remind the participant that continuing is voluntary and there is no penalty if they wish to discontinue participation)
  • do not speak, read and write English

Treatment and study plan

Happy, Healthy, Loved

Behavioral

A text message based, mobile-device delivered intervention that provides educational information to primiparous mothers and their partners about breast-feeding and coping with stress.

Primary outcomes

  1. Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy: Breastfeeding self-efficacy scale short form

    Time frame: 6 weeks postpartum

    Breastfeeding self-efficacy scale short form (McCarter-Spaulding & Dennis, 2010)- The Breastfeeding self-efficacy scale short form (BSES-SF) will be used to measure breastfeeding self-efficacy. The scores for this scale range from 1-5, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy related to breastfeeding.

  2. Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy: Breastfeeding self-efficacy scale short form

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Breastfeeding self-efficacy scale short form (McCarter-Spaulding & Dennis, 2010)- The Breastfeeding self-efficacy scale short form (BSES-SF) will be used to measure breastfeeding self-efficacy. The scores for this scale range from 1-5, with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy related to breastfeeding.

  3. Breastfeeding Rate

    Time frame: 6 weeks postpartum

    Index of breastfeeding status - Women will be asked to identify the level that accurately described their breastfeeding behaviors within the previous 24 hours. Four levels will be reported: exclusive breastfeeding (breast milk only), partial breastfeeding (breast milk and at least 1 bottle of formula per day), token breastfeeding (breast given to comfort baby not for nutrition), and no breastfeeding. Higher values represent more exclusive breastfeeding.

  4. Breastfeeding Rate

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Index of breastfeeding status - Women will be asked to identify the level that accurately described their breastfeeding behaviors within the previous 24 hours. Four levels will be reported: exclusive breastfeeding (breast milk only), partial breastfeeding (breast milk and at least 1 bottle of formula per day), token breastfeeding (breast given to comfort baby not for nutrition), and no breastfeeding. Higher values represent more exclusive breastfeeding.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Coping Behavior

    Time frame: 6 weeks postpartum

    Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) - This 28-item validated scale derived from a previously published measure showing reliability and convergent validity with several established coping measures will be used to identify coping strategies consistent with cognitive-behavioral skills. The scale assesses frequency with which a person uses coping strategies rated on a scale of 1-4. The higher the number indicates a higher frequency.

  2. Coping Behavior

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) - This 28-item validated scale derived from a previously published measure showing reliability and convergent validity with several established coping measures will be used to identify coping strategies consistent with cognitive-behavioral skills. The scale assesses frequency with which a person uses coping strategies rated on a scale of 1-4. The higher the number indicates a higher frequency.

  3. Postpartum Partner Support

    Time frame: 6 weeks postpartum

    Postpartum Partner Support Scale (PPSS) - The PPSS is a 24-item self-report instrument to assess partner postpartum-specific support. Items are rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale (responses from 1-4) to produce a total score ranging from 24 to 96, with higher scores indicating higher levels of postpartum partner support.

  4. Partner Support

    Time frame: 6 weeks postpartum

    Social Provisions Checklist - This is a 30-item measure of perceived support from the co-parent. The scale covers six provisions of support: guidance, reliable alliance, reassurance of worth, attachment, social integration, and opportunity for nurturance. All items are rated on a 5-point scale for a total score of between 30-120, with higher scores indicating higher levels of support.

  5. Postpartum Partner Support

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Postpartum Partner Support Scale (PPSS) - The PPSS is a 24-item self-report instrument to assess partner postpartum-specific support. Items are rated on a 4-point Likert-type scale (responses from 1-4) to produce a total score ranging from 24 to 96, with higher scores indicating higher levels of postpartum partner support.

  6. Partner Support

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Social Provisions Checklist - This is a 30-item measure of perceived support from the co-parent. The scale covers six provisions of support: guidance, reliable alliance, reassurance of worth, attachment, social integration, and opportunity for nurturance. All items are rated on a 5-point scale for a total score of between 30-120, with higher scores indicating higher levels of support.

  7. Hair Cortisol

    Time frame: 0-2 days postpartum

    A small amount (15-30 mg) of hair from the posterior vertex of the head will be collected. Hair strands will then be cut into 3 cm segments, which based on human scalp hair grows at approximately 1 cm per month, so each of the 3 cm samples will index cortisol output during the three trimesters of pregnancy. If hair is less than 9 cm long, the analysis will include only the number of 3 cm segments available. The wash procedure and steroid extraction will be undertaken using high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Additionally, mothers will be asked about their hair histories to use as covariates in analysis along with hair sample. Hair histories include questions related to hair color, salon treatments, sunlight exposure, use of hair products, medications, creams, and hair pieces, style and indoor tanning habits.

  8. Sleep Quality (hair cortisol covariate): Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)

    Time frame: 0-2 days postpartum

    Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) - This scale assesses sleep quality, which is a covariate of hair cortisol and mood. The PSQI is well-established questionnaire for assessing sleep quality, duration and disturbances. Items range from 0-3, with high scores indicating greater sleep disturbance.

  9. Postnatal Depression

    Time frame: 0-2 days postpartum

    Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) - The EPDS is a well-validated 10-item self-report depression screening tool, in which endorsement of each item is based on how women feel during the previous 7 days. Possible scores range from 0 to 30, with high scores reflecting more depressive symptoms.

  10. Postnatal Depression

    Time frame: 6 weeks postpartum

    Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) - The EPDS is a well-validated 10-item self-report depression screening tool, in which endorsement of each item is based on how women feel during the previous 7 days. Possible scores range from 0 to 30, with high scores reflecting more depressive symptoms.

  11. Postnatal Depression

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) - The EPDS is a well-validated 10-item self-report depression screening tool, in which endorsement of each item is based on how women feel during the previous 7 days. Possible scores range from 0 to 30, with high scores reflecting more depressive symptoms.

  12. Depression, Anxiety, Stress

    Time frame: 0-2 days postpartum

    Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) - The DASS-21 will be used to measure the unique symptoms of each state. There is normative data for the scale. Scores range from 0-63, with higher scores indicating more severe depression, anxiety, and stress.

  13. Depression, Anxiety, Stress

    Time frame: 6 weeks postpartum

    Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) - The DASS-21 will be used to measure the unique symptoms of each state. There is normative data for the scale. Scores range from 0-63, with higher scores indicating more severe depression, anxiety, and stress.

  14. Depression, Anxiety, Stress

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) - The DASS-21 will be used to measure the unique symptoms of each state. There is normative data for the scale. Scores range from 0-63, with higher scores indicating more severe depression, anxiety, and stress.

  15. Mood

    Time frame: 0-2 days postpartum

    Maternal Mood Screener (Munoz, 1988) - The mood screener questions were adapted from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and assesses lifetime and current major depressive episode. Positive endorsement of 5 out of 9 depression symptoms present for at least two weeks screens positive for possible major depressive episode. The screener is a self-report checklist using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria that has shown high concordance with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV), the gold standard diagnostic interview for depression.

  16. Mood

    Time frame: 6 weeks postpartum

    Maternal Mood Screener (Munoz, 1988) - The mood screener questions were adapted from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and assesses lifetime and current major depressive episode. Positive endorsement of 5 out of 9 depression symptoms present for at least two weeks screens positive for possible major depressive episode. The screener is a self-report checklist using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) criteria that has shown high concordance with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV), the gold standard diagnostic interview for depression.

  17. Mood

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Maternal Mood Screener (Munoz, 1988) - The mood screener questions were adapted from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule and assesses lifetime and current major depressive episode. Positive endorsement of 5 out of 9 depression symptoms present for at least two weeks screens positive for possible major depressive episode. The screener is a self-report checklist using DSM-IV criteria that has shown high concordance with the SCID-IV, the gold standard diagnostic interview for depression.

Other outcomes

  1. Acceptability: Happy Healthy Loved Acceptability Scale

    Time frame: 6 weeks postpartum

    Happy Healthy Loved Acceptability Scale - The investigators developed a list of 11 questions designed to assess participant satisfaction with the program on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Open ended responses for participants to suggest alterations to the program are included as well.

  2. Acceptability: Happy Healthy Loved Acceptability Scale

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Happy Healthy Loved Acceptability Scale - The investigators developed a list of 11 questions designed to assess participant satisfaction with the program on a scale of 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Open ended responses for participants to suggest alterations to the program are included as well.

  3. Adherence

    Time frame: 6 months postpartum

    Adherence will be measured by the percentage of text messages recorded as opened by participants, as well as the percentage of weekly breastfeeding check-in texts participants respond to with a yes, or no response.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

OhioHealth

Other

Collaborators

  • Claremont McKenna College
  • Denison University

Registry information

Acronym: HHL

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2023
First posted
Oct 8, 2020
Registry last updated
Jul 14, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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