Research digest News and resources from the BACP Research team
RESEARCH BITES
From the team
To mark Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (29 April to 5 May), this issue’s papers focus on recent research on counselling and psychotherapy with mothers Anorexia in mothers
perinatal stress. Additionally, a subgroup analysis revealed that CBT-only was effective across a range of modalities. The authors recommend that future research is needed to rank the efficacy of different CBT modalities for perinatal women and for identifying cost-effective approaches. Read more: Li X et al. Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for perinatal maternal depression, anxiety and stress: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. bit.ly/3Ile1nv Experiences and expectations of motherhood This paper explored mothers’ perceptions of motherhood and how it affects their wellbeing. Thirteen mothers of children aged from two to five took part in semi-structured interviews encompassing questions focused on ideal and real motherhood. Four themes emerged: uncertainty of motherhood; mother as a juggler; the social context of motherhood; and maternal struggles. The inner conflict between the ideal image of motherhood and being unable to attain this image contributed to feelings of anxiety, stress, guilt, shame and anger. This research suggests that counsellors can be instrumental in helping mothers of young children through exploring their core values and discrepancies with the dominant maternal ideology to increase self- acceptance and reduce the influence of irrational thoughts. Read more: Prikhidko A, Swank JM. Motherhood experiences and expectations: a qualitative exploration of mothers of toddlers. bit.ly/3TnhHeZ
This study explores the experiences of mothers in terms of seeking and receiving professional help for anorexia while raising their children. The experiences of six white heterosexual mothers were explored through interviews. Four key themes were identified: conflict between mothering and seeking help; experiences of feeling blamed, poorly treated or misunderstood by health professionals; positive experiences of seeking and receiving support; and the importance of ongoing support. These findings suggest that healthcare professionals should adopt a more holistic approach that acknowledges the lifestyle of the client, including their role as a mother, when working with mothers experiencing anorexia. Read more: Fitzpatrick M-C et al. Being a mother with anorexia: a phenomenological study of seeking and receiving professional support for white heterosexual women in the UK. bit.ly/4c2iPvC Perinatal depression and stress This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of CBT for perinatal depression, anxiety and stress in both the short term and the long term. A total of 77 articles (reporting on randomised control trials) met the criteria for inclusion in the review. The findings indicated that CBT-only and CBT plus other interventions were effective for perinatal maternal depression in the short term and long term. CBT-only was effective both short and long term for perinatal anxiety, and had short-term efficacy for
Shanil Rathod, Research Assistant
‘I am thrilled to introduce myself as the newest addition to the BACP Research team as Research Assistant. My interest in mental health and therapy began with my undergraduate degree in psychology, which also sparked my interest in research, particularly during my final year dissertation project. Following this, I volunteered for The Mix mental health charity and for CAMHS, where I developed a passion for promoting mental wellbeing. Subsequently, my path led me to working for IAPT, where I started as an assistant psychologist and progressed to a qualified psychological wellbeing practitioner. These experiences equipped me with an in-depth understanding of the variety of challenges that individuals can face with their mental health, and enabled me to witness the transformative power that therapy can have. ‘This brings me to my role at BACP, where my goals are to bridge the gap between research and real-world applications to enhance the quality of therapeutic interventions involved in counselling, psychotherapy and coaching. I am happy to embark on this journey with BACP and I’m eager to make valuable contributions to this field of research to continue working to help individuals improve their lives.’
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THERAPY TODAY
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