None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
A efficacy trial of Wide Awake Parenting: A program for the management of parental fatigue in the postpartum Fatigue is reported to be one of the most common health concerns in the postnatal period, for both mothers and fathers (Ansara, Cohen, Gallop, Kung, & Shei, 2005; Glazener, Abdalla, & Stroud, 1995; Parks, Lenz, & Milligan, 1999). "Wide Awake Parenting" (WAP) is a psychologically informed, written resource for parents aimed to assist parents to manage fatigue and promote well-being in the early postpartum. A systematic cohort of 220 parents of a newborn infant aged between 0-4 months will be recruited from Maternal and Child Health Centres in a diverse range of Local Govt. Areas in Metropolitan Melbourne. The primary aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of the Wide Awake Parenting Programme in reducing fatigue and improving well-being for parents. It is hypothesised that parents who receive the WAP intervention – either the WAP resources only (intervention group one), or with the addition of professionally-led enhanced support (intervention group two), will have reduced fatigue and improved well-being compared to parents who are receiving standard care (control group). The following parental outcomes will be assessed, using validated self-report, psychometric instruments, at baseline, two weeks and two-months post intervention: 1. Symptoms of fatigue 2. Parental mood, reduced symptoms of depression, confusion, anxiety and irritability 3. Improved parenting sense of competence 4. Reduced parenting stress
Interventions
"Wide Awake Parenting" (WAP) is a psycho-educational intervention offering:
1. Psyho-education about fatigue, the experience and symptoms of fatigue, the relationship of fatigue to mental health and well-being during early parenting, and the effect of fatigue on parenting behaviours and practices.
2. Behavioural strategies aimed to improve symptoms of fatigue, parenting competence and parent mood and well-being, including:
a. support for improved parental self-care, including information on sl
"Wide Awake Parenting" (WAP) is a psycho-educational intervention offering: 1. Psyho-education about fatigue, the experience and symptoms of fatigue, the relationship of fatigue to mental health and well-being during early parenting, and the effect of fatigue on parenting behaviours and practices. 2. Behavioural strategies aimed to improve symptoms of fatigue, parenting competence and parent mood and well-being, including: a. support for improved parental self-care, including information on sleep hygeine, rest, health eating and acitivity. b. negotiating practical and emotional support c. challenging unhelpful thinking d. managing priorities and expectations e. negotiating discretionary leisure time f. problem-solving g. planning and evaluation of strategies tailored to each parents'needs; tips to sustain this beyond the life of the intervention WAP is a written resource, and includes information, tips, strategies and acitivities for parents to complete. The trial will evaluate two modes of WAP delivery: a. Profesionally led by clinical psychologists: Includes an initial one hour home visit; three telephone-support follow-up sessions, of approximately 20 mins duration, one per week for three weeks, for a total duration of one month. b. Parent self-directed: parents will be given the WAP workbook with instructions to complete one of four 'sessions' of information and activities per week, for a total of one month duration, but will have no further contact with research team about the WAP materials.
Sponsors
Parenting Research Centre
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Over 18 years of age Sufficient English literacy for completion study materials Parent of an infant aged <4 months at recruitment
Exclusion criteria
Under 18 years of age Parents of an infant < 4 months of age Insufficient English for completion of study materials
Outcome results
None listed