Table 3.
Included study characteristics.
| Study | N | Country | Recruitment | Condition | Method of diagnosing the condition | Intervention | Control | Baseline severity | Mean age (and standard deviation, SD) | Ethnicity (%) | % in a relationship | % University education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burns et al. [56], Netsi et al. [57] | 36 | UK | Via routine midwife contact referral | Depression | CIS-R | C/BT | TAU | Moderate | Intervention 28.2 (SD = 5.0) Control 30.1 (SD = 6.2) |
Intervention white 72.2% and Control white 94.4% |
Intervention 72.2% and Control 55.6% |
Reported as ‘O' level equivalent or above, as intervention 83.3% Control 88.9% |
| Carter et al. [58] | 6 | UK | Via routine maternity clinics | MDD | SCID | C/BT | TAU | Moderate | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported | Not reported |
| Cho et al. [59] | 27 | South Korea | Via routine maternity clinics | Depression | SCID-I | C/BT | PsychoEd | Moderate | Intervention 30.3 (SD = 4.1) and Control 28.8 (SD = 2.7) |
Not reported | Not reported, however, the intervention was concerned with improving marital satisfaction therefore might assume all married | Intervention 50% Control 40% |
| Dimidjian et al. [48] | 163 | USA | Referral via obstetric care providers, or via self-referral following healthcare appointment | Depression | Self-reported PDSQ | C/BT BA plus TAU | TAU | Moderate | 28.75 (5.67) | White 58.28%, Black 27.61%, Asian 4.29%, and other 9.82% | 69.94% | 13.50% |
| Forsel et al. [60] | 42 | Sweden | Self-referral via web-based and public advertisements and via healthcare signposting | Depression and anxiety | SCID-I | i-C/BT GSH | TAU with option to receive i-C/BT at a later date | Moderate | Intervention 31.2 (SD = 3.7) and Control 30.8 (SD = 5.3) |
Not reported | Intervention 96% and Control 100% |
Intervention 86% Control 60% |
| Hayden et al. [61] | 34 | USA | During health seeking appointments at prenatal care clinics | MDD | Diagnostic Interview Schedule | C/BT | Supportive counseling | Moderate | Intervention 31.5 (SD = 6.1) and Control 30.7 (SD = 5.0) |
Only reported as follows: intervention minority participants 35.3% and Control 70.6% |
Not reported | Not reported |
| Milgrom et al. [62, 63] | 54 | Australia | Via routine maternity clinic referral and via other healthcare professional referrals | Depression and anxiety | SCID | C/BT | TAU | Severe | Intervention 32.79 (SD = 5.97) and Control 30.78 (SD = 5.86) |
Reported those born in Australia as intervention 74% Control 81.5% |
Intervention 92.6%, Control 85.2% |
Intervention 48.1%, Control 51.8% |
| Edge [39] | 43 | Australia | Self-referral via web-based advertisements and via healthcare signposting | Depression | SCID-IV | i-C/BT GSH | TAU | Moderate | Intervention 31.7 (SD = 4.6) and Control 31.5 (SD = 4.3) |
Only reported that 91% born in Australia | 88.5% | 49% |
| Milgrom et al. [64]a | 116 | Australia | Self-referral via web-based and public advertisements, and via maternal and child health centers | PND | SCID-IV | i-C/BT GSH | TAU | Moderate to severe | Intervention 30.8 (SD = 4.3) and Control 31.9 (SD = 4.2) |
Not reported | Intervention 100% Control group 92% |
Intervention 23% Control 24% |
| Ngai et al. [17, 65–67], Netsi et al. [57] | 397 | China | During postnatal hospital unit admissions | Depression | Self-report EPDS | C/BT | TAU | Mild to moderate | Intervention 31.1 (SD = 3.8) and Control 30.4 (SD = 4.4) |
Not reported | 100% | Intervention 56.9%, Control 56% |
| O'Mahen et al. [68] | 55 | USA | Via obstetric clinic referral | Depression | SCID-I | C/BT | TAU | Moderate | Intervention 27.40 (SD = 5.32) Control 26.62 (SD = 6.01) |
Intervention African American 16%, white 10%, Asian 3%, Other 1% Control African American 16%, White 7%, Asian 1%, Other 1% |
Intervention partnered 70% Control 64% |
Intervention 36.6% Control 16% |
| O'Mahen et al. [69, 70] | 910 | UK | Self-referral via web-based advertisements | PND | EPDS | i-C/BT GSH | TAU | Moderate to severe | Interventionn32.3 (SD = 4.7) Control 32.2 (SD = 5.7) |
Not reported | 93.5% | 44.4% |
| O'Mahen et al. [71] | 83 | UK | Self-referral via web-based advertisements | PND | CIS-R | i-C/BT GSH | TAU | Severe | Not reported | Intervention white British 92.6%, Asian 2.4%, Other 4.8% Control white British 92.9%, Mixed white/African/Caribbean 4.8%, African 2.4% |
Intervention 92.6% Control 90.5% |
Intervention 56.1% Control 50% |
| Pugh et al. [72] | 50 | Canada | Self-referral via web-based advertisements and via healthcare signposting | PPD | MINI | i-C/BT GSH | Waitlist | Moderate | Not reported | Intervention Caucasian 92%, Other 8% Control Caucasian 100% |
Intervention 92% Control 78% |
Intervention 59% Control 70% |
| Rondung et al. [73], Baylis et al. [74], Hildingsson and Rubertsson [75] | 258 | Sweden | Via routine maternity clinics | FOB | FOB scale | i-C/BT GSH | TAU | Moderate to severe | <25 14.3%, 25–35 72.1%, >35 13.6% | Reported country of birth as Sweden 86.8% and other country 13.2% | Reported living with partner as 94.2% | 53.5% |
| Shaw et al. [76, 77] | 105 | USA | Parents of hospitalized infants within NICU wards were approached | Depression, anxiety, and trauma-related symptoms | Davidson trauma scale for PTSD, MINI for anxiety and depression | C/BT | Information/TAU | Moderate | Intervention 33.76 (SD = 6.25) Control 30.70 (SD = 5.50) |
Intervention white 67.7%, Hispanic 25.8% Control white 51.2%, Hispanic 32.6% |
Intervention 93.5% Control 100% |
Intervention 69.4% Control 55.8% |
| Suchan et al. [78] | 63 | Canada | Self-referral via web-based advertisements and via healthcare referral | Depression and/or anxiety | Self-report EPDS, GAD-7, PHQ-9 | i-C/BT GSH | TAU | Moderate | 30.83 (SD = 4.29) | 85% white, 8% aboriginal, 7% other | 96% | 57% |
| Trevillion et al. [79] | 53 | UK | Via participation in a related study, or via midwife referral, or self-referral through poster adverts | Depression | Clinical interview based on DSM-IV (name not reported) | C/BT GSH plus TAU | TAU | Mild to moderate | Intervention < 25 11.54%, 25–29 19.23%, 30–39 69.23%, 40 + 0% Control < 25 7.41%, 25–29 11.11%, 30–39 66.67%, 40 + 14.81% |
Intervention White 69.23%, Black 26.92%, Asian 0%, Mixed/Other 3.85%; Control White 69.96%, Black 25.93%, Asian 3.70%, Mixed/Other 7.41% |
Intervention 73.08% and Control 66.67% |
Intervention 61.54% and Control 55.56% |
| Wozney et al. [80] | 62 | Canada | Self-referral via web-based, and public advertisements and via healthcare provider referral | PPD | SCID-I | C/BT GSH | TAU | Severe | Intervention 28.0 (SD = 3.9) and Control 29.9 (SD = 5.6) |
Not reported | Intervention 25% and Control 25% |
Intervention 12% and Control 15% |
aThis study [25] included a third comparison group, which was face-to-face cognitive/behavioral therapy but data from this ineligible comparison group was not included in this review. CIS-R, a self-administered computerized interview and gives an ICD-10 diagnosis of mild, moderate or severe depression.
Abbreviations: BA, behavioral activation; C/BT, cognitive/behavioral therapy; DSM, diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders; EPDS, Edinburgh postnatal depression scale; FOB, fear of birth; GAD-7 - generalized anxiety disorder assessment; GSH, guided self-help; i-C/BT, internet-based cognitive/behavioral therapy; MDD, major depressive disorder; MINI, mini international neuropsychiatric interview; NICU, neonatal intensive care unit; PDSQ, psychiatric diagnostic screening questionnaire; PHQ-9, patient health questionnaire; PND, postnatal depression; PPD, postpartum depression; PsychoEd, psycho education.PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder; SCID, structured clinical interview for DSM; TAU, treatment as usual.