Research
Current Projects
Evaluation of a Home-based Clinical Intervention for Women With Postpartum Mood Disorders and Their Infants
SSW Investigator(s):
Ruth Paris
Major outside collaborators:
Senior Consultants: M. Katherine Weinberg;
Arietta Slade (City University of New York)
Funding Source:
Boston University Provost (SPRInG Grant), New York Community
Trust (Silberman Faculty Grant Program), Wellesley College (Stone Primary
Prevention Grant Initiative)
Project Description:
This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an innovative
in-home therapeutic intervention for mothers with postpartum mood disorders
and their infants. The program, called Early Connections, developed by
a community social service agency (Greater Boston Jewish Family and Children's
Service), focuses on strengthening maternal competence and the parent-child
relationship. To evaluate the effectiveness of the program, a multi-method
assessment of the mother's mood and functioning, infant behavior, and
mother-infant interactions before and after the therapeutic intervention
is being used. Further, using in-depth interviews, the study is also
examining the processes of the intervention from the perspectives of
the participants and the clinicians. Given the plethora of home-based
interventions for families that have emerged in social work agencies,
findings from this study will be important as a basis of curricula for
all students and social work practitioners interested in working with
this population.
