Becoming Parents: A Hospital-community Partnership

Study Overview
=================
Brief Summary
-----------------
The proposed of this study is to determine if an intervention, known as the Becoming Parents programme, is more effective in improving the mental health, marital relationship and parental competence of expectant couples in a Chinese community.

Detailed Description
-----------------
Transition to parenthood is potentially a stressful life event for many new parents, which, if not properly managed, could have adverse effects on their mental health, marital satisfaction, and parent-child relationships. The proposed programme, Becoming Parents, aims to turn the challenges of the transition into opportunities of learning and support for these parents. Building on our experience of instituting a pioneering programme to support new fathers prenatally, Becoming Parents has an extra component of support for new parents in the postnatal period using trained volunteers from the community networks. Through Becoming Parents, seamless antenatal-postnatal care based on a hospital-community partnership will be provided to 125 expectant couples in a target community which is known for its high risks for postnatal depression, child abuse and intimate partner violence. In addition to addressing the health promotional needs of the target community, Becoming Parents will also illustrate how a community's capacity for health promotion can be maximized through the collaboration of healthcare providers and network of community partners in helping couples function more optimally during their transition to parenthood.

Official Title
-----------------
Becoming Parents: A Hospital-community Partnership to Enhance Transition to Parenthood

Conditions
-----------------
Expectant Couples

Intervention / Treatment
-----------------
* Behavioral: Becoming Parents intervention


Participation Criteria
=================
Eligibility Criteria
-----------------
Inclusion Criteria: 18 years of age or older Expectant couples with the pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in Princess Margaret Hospital before 20 weeks of gestation. Exclusion Criteria: Expected couples who are unable to communicate in Cantonese, Putonghua or English. Multiple pregnancy

Ages Eligible for Study
-----------------
Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
-----------------
All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
-----------------
Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
=================
How is the study designed?
-----------------

Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Becoming Parents intervention<br>A Becoming Parents Programme consists of: (i) 3 antenatal workshops conducted over a period of 10-14 weeks in prenatal period; and (ii) support provided by trained volunteers for up to 3 months post-delivery; in addition to the usual prenatal education. | Behavioral: Becoming Parents intervention<br>* A Becoming Parents programme consists of: (i) 3 antenatal workshops conducted over a period of 10-14 weeks in prenatal period; and (ii) support provided by trained volunteers for up to 3 months post-delivery; in addition to the usual prenatal education.<br>|
| No Intervention: Usual prenatal education<br>Attend usual prenatal classes which will be provided by the midwives in the hospital. | |

What is the study measuring?
-----------------
Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from Baseline in Depressive Symptoms at 3 months postpartum | The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale is used to measure women's distressed mood or dysphoria at baseline and also at 3 months postpartum | Baseline and 3 months postpartum | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Change from Baseline in Parental Competence at 3 months postpartum | The Parental Sense of Competence Scale is used to measure parenting efficacy and satisfaction at baseline and also at 3 months postpartum | Baseline and 3 months postpartum | 
| Change from Baseline in Marital Satisfaction at 3 months postpartum | The Dyadic Adjustment Scale is used to measure couples' consensus, cohesion, satisfaction and affection expression at baseline and also at 3 months postpartum | Baseline and 3 months postpartum | 

 Terms related to the study
=================
Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
-----------------
Depression, Marital relationship, Parental competence