A review of partner-inclusive interventions for preventing postnatal depression and anxiety

Background Preventing perinatal mood problems is critical because of the adverse consequences for the individual and their family. Partner support is an ideal target for prevention efforts as it is a protective factor for both perinatal depression and anxiety and is modifiable. Method This review explores the current evidence and future directions for interventions that aim to reduce the risk of perinatal mood problems by addressing partner support. A systematic search of electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant peer-reviewed studies. Interventions were eligible for inclusion if they aimed to facilitate partner support or strengthen the couple relationship, and included perinatal depression or anxiety as an outcome variable. Results A number of prevention efforts have been developed that include a partner component, and these have reported some benefits. Even so, not all of these interventions were delivered to both mothers and fathers, and research evaluating their effects on paternal mental health is lacking. In addition, current prevention strategies tend to be limited by low attendance rates. Conclusions Future research should focus on developing interventions that provide more opportunities for the active involvement of both partners. Alternatives to psycho-education groups should be explored to increase accessibility and enable scalability.