Effect of educational‐ counseling program based on precede‐proceed model during Pregnancy on postpartum depression

AIM: To explore the effects of an educational‐ counselling programme based on the precede–proceed model during pregnancy on preventing post‐partum depression. DESIGN: A randomized clinical trial (RCT) study. METHOD: 130 pregnant women were selected and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Data collection was carried out using questionnaires of predisposing, reinforcing and enabling factors, GHQ and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The Education programme was designed and performed in each group in a given weekday through four 60‐minute sessions. The whole intervention lasted for one month in all groups. The participants in the control group were given routine pregnancy care. Data were gathered before and after the intervention in both groups. RESULTS: Independent t test showed a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean score of predisposing, reinforcing, enabling factors and post‐partum depression (p < .05). Regression tests indicated predisposing, reinforcing, enabling factors and general health as the most important factors associated with post‐partum depression (p < .05). The results supported the effectiveness of the educational intervention on reducing post‐partum depression and showed that implementing these training during pregnancy leads to a reduced level of post‐partum depression.