Effects Of Self-Help Mindfulness Training On Negative Emotions In Pregnant Women

Objective:Depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms are the most common negative emotions during pregnancy,which have serious impacts on maternal and infant health.So far,the effects of self-help mindfulness training on negative emotions during pregnancy are unclear.Our study aims to explore the effects of self-help mindfulness training on negative emotions during pregnancy,which can provide theoretical and practical basis for future interventions on negative emotions during pregnancy.Methods:Our study is a Randomized Controlled Trial(RCT).The research protocol has been registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(ChiCTR).Participants were recruited in accordance with the inclusion criteria in an obstetric out-patient clinic of a hospital in Jinan,Shandong province,from April 2017 to October 2017.And then,participants were randomly divided into self-help mindfulness training group(n= 54)and health education group(n = 54).Using Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale(EPDS),Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale(GAD-7),Perceived Stress Scale-4 item(PSS-4),Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Questionnaire(PSQI),Fatigue Severity Scale(FSS)and Positive and Negative Affect Scale(PANAS)evaluated negative emotions(depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms)and secondary outcomes(perceived stress,sleep,fatigue and positive and negative affects)at pre-intervention(T1)and post-intervention(T2)and 15 weeks after post-intervention(T3)respectively.The Mixed Effect Models were used to analyze the effects of self-help mindfulness training on negative emotions and secondary outcomes.Within-group effect sizes(Hedges' g)and between-group effect sizes(Hedges' g)were calculated.Results:(1)The depression scores of the self-help mindfulness training group were significantly decreased from T1 to T3(T2 Hedges' g = 0.77,95%CI:0.36?1.17;T3 Hedges' g = 0.76,95%CI:0.33?1.20),and the score of anxiety was decreased significantly at T2(Hedges' g = 0.43,95%CI:0.04?0.82).Compared with the health education group,the scores of depression of the self-help mindfulness training group were significantly lower at T2 and T3(Hedges' g =0.61,95%CI:0.20?1.02;T3 Hedges' g = 0.73,95%CI:0.18-1.29).The score of anxiety the self-help mindfulness training group was significantly lower than the health education group at T2(T2 Hedges' g 0.43,95%CI:0.02?0.84).(2)The scores of perceived stress of the self-help mindfulness training group were significantly decreased from T1 to T3(T2 Hedges' g = 0.48,95%CI:0.08-0.87;T3 Hedges' g= 1.08,95%CI:0,63?1.53);The scores of perceived stress of the self-help mindfulness training group were significantly lower than the health education group at T2 and T3(T2 Hedges' g= 0.52,95%CI:0.10?0.93;T3 Hedges' g=1.60,95%CI:0.98-2.22).The scores of sleep of the self-help mindfulness training group were significantly lower than the health education group at T2 and T3(T2 Hedges' g = 0.53,95%CI:0.11?0.94;T3 Hedges' g = 0.77,95%CI:0.21?1.34.The score of positive affect were significantly increased(Hedges'g= 0.91,95%CI:0.47?1.36),and the score of negative affect were significantly reduced in the self-help mindfulness training group at T3(Hedges' g= 0.44,95%CI:0.02-0.87).The score of negative affect of the self-help mindfulness training group was significantly lower than the health education group at T2(Hedges' g= 0.43,95%CI:0.03-0.84);The score of positive affect of self-help mindfulness training group was significantly higher than health education group(Hedges' g = 0.66,95%CI:0.11-1.22),and the score of negative affect was significantly lower than the health education group at T3,(Hedges' g = 1.15,95%Cl:0.57?1.73).Conclusion:(1)Self-help mindfulness training can effectively improve depressive symptoms and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy.(2)Self-help mindfulness training can relieve stress,improve sleep quality,improve positive affect and reduce negative affect during pregnancy.(3)Our study preliminarily proves that self-help mindfulness training can effectively alleviate negative emotions during pregnancy,which can provide theoretical and practical basis for future research,which is of great significance.