Examining Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Culturally Adapted Evidence-Based Postpartum Depression Preventive Intervention for Women in Doha, Qatar: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression and anxiety are the 2 most common perinatal mental health disorders, with prevalence rates higher among women living in the Middle East than in most Western countries. The negative outcomes associated with postpartum depression and anxiety are profound and include less responsive parenting and compromised infant and young child development. Although interventions exist to prevent postpartum depression and anxiety, to date, there have been no studies that have attempted to prevent postpartum depression or anxiety among Arabic-speaking women in the Middle East, including Qatar. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of an evidence-based postpartum depression preventive intervention-Mothers and Babies (MB)-culturally adapted for use with Arabic-speaking women in Doha, Qatar. MB is guided by a cognitive behavioral therapy framework that focuses on increasing pleasant activities, promoting healthy thought patterns, and increasing the type and frequency of personal contacts. MB is tailored to specific needs and issues related to pregnancy and the postpartum period. METHODS: A multidisciplinary and multiethnic investigator team adapted MB to promote cultural and contextual fit for Arabic-speaking women. Intervention concepts were reviewed to ensure core content would be understood by Arabic-speaking women in Qatar. Subsequently, images, activities, and examples in the intervention manuals were adapted, as needed, to make the content more relevant to Arab culture. To deliver the adapted intervention, 30 Arabic-speaking individuals with mental health backgrounds were trained. The adapted intervention was subsequently pilot-tested with 10 pregnant women receiving prenatal care at Sidra Hospital in Doha. We are now conducting an RCT to examine the effectiveness of the adapted intervention. We plan to enroll 210 pregnant individuals who are Arabic-speaking, with 1:1 randomization to the MB intervention or usual prenatal care. Among the enrolled participants, a stratified subsample of 40 pregnant women with diabetes is being recruited. Data collection will take place at baseline and a 6-month follow-up. The primary outcomes are depressive and anxiety symptoms and perceived stress. Diabetes self-care is the exploratory outcome for the subsample of individuals with diabetes. Intervention implementation will be assessed via client and provider surveys during and after intervention delivery. Power and sample size were calculated using a 2-sided 5% effort rate and assumed analyses on the individual level, accounting for attrition of 20%. RESULTS: The cultural adaptation and pilot study of the adapted MB intervention are completed. A total of 157 women have been enrolled in the RCT as of March 31, 2023. CONCLUSIONS: This study is highly innovative, as it is the first study to our knowledge to examine the effectiveness of an evidence-based postpartum depression preventive intervention in the Middle East. Limitations include a single follow-up time point and a small subsample of individuals with diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04442529; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04442529. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/11623.

Outpatient clinic-wide psychological screening for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Qatar: An initiative for integrative healthcare in the Gulf region.

OBJECTIVE: To identify culturally appropriate psychological screening measures for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes in Qatar, determine rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms in a clinical sample, and examine associations between screening measures, demographic variables, medical characteristics, and diabetes treatment outcomes, specifically HbA1c. METHODS: A total of 150 participants with type 1 diabetes aged 10-17 were recruited. Participants were Arabic or English speaking and of Qatari and non-Qatari nationality. Participants completed the Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (child and parent proxy form), the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale, and the Pediatric Quality of Life, Diabetes version (child and parent proxy form). Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) on the date of the testing was recorded. RESULTS: Approximately ten percent (10.2%) of children and adolescents scored above the cutoff score of 27 indicating clinically significant depressive symptoms, and 12.8% of parents rated their child above the respective cutoff score of 21 for the parent proxy form. Further, 36% of the sample reported clinically significant anxiety symptoms, scoring above the cutoff score of 50. Parent report on their child's quality of life predicted HbA1c (F[6, 140] = 5.42, p = 0.000); B = -0.05, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of depressive and anxiety symptoms are comparable to those observed in western countries. Thus, systematic screening for depression and anxiety in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes should be implemented in Qatar. This will help inform decisions to refer to mental health services and thus provide more integrated care, possibly improving treatment outcomes.

Comparing disciplinary methods used by mothers in Palestine and Qatar.

This paper explores child disciplinary methods used by parents in Qatar and Palestine. In this study ICAST-P, an internationally recognized tool, was used with mothers reporting on one of their children up to their 12th birthday. It questions about disciplinary methods: nonviolent; physical: moderate and severe; and psychological methods that had been used in the previous year on the index child in the family. A comparative national cross-sectional household survey of mothers aged 25-50 years old was conducted in both Qatar and Palestine, both Arabic Muslim states, but with very different socio-economic and political contexts that place Qataris in a much more advantageous position. Our results show that the 1299 Palestinian mothers interviewed were younger, had more children and less education compared to the 1018 Qatari mothers. Fewer mothers from Palestine were working. The index child in Palestine tended to be younger with 60% being under 5 years, while 73.7% of Qatari children were over 5 years of age. Severe physical disciplinary methods were reported significantly more often, in Palestine, e.g. Kicking the child (P value < 0.001), using hand or pillow to prevent breathing (P value < 0.001) and hitting child with object or fist (P value < 0001). Moderate as well as psychological disciplinary methods were also significantly higher among Palestinian mothers (P value < 0.001). Our results suggest that challenging circumstances that Palestinian mothers experience, as compared to their Qatari peers, are associated with greater prevalence of the harsher forms of discipline. Our findings have policy implications and preventative strategies for child maltreatment in both countries.

Child discipline in Qatar and Palestine: A comparative study of ICAST-R.

To compare the nature and determinants of child discipline in Qatar and Palestine among young adults through retrospective survey to develop legislation, policies and interventions for effective prevention of child maltreatment, and educational materials to promote positive discipline among parents and caregivers. Cross-sectional random household surveys were conducted in each country (Qataris N=697, Palestinians N=2064) using ISPCAN Child Abuse Screening Tool-Retrospective (ICAST-R) for young adults (18-24 years), to investigate child discipline methods into the maltreatment range. Qatari young adults were more educated (p<0.001) and had more full-time employment (p=0.004) than Palestinian young adults. Qatar reported lower physical and emotional abuse compared to their counterparts in Palestine, e.g. Hit/Punch, Kick (p<0.001) and Insult/Criticize, Threaten to be hurt/killed (p<0.001). Qatari participants found any harsh discipline they received in childhood was not reasonable and not justified compared to Palestinian participants. The more advantaged Qatari population was less likely to experience disciplinary methods that experts developing the ICAST-R defined as abuse compared to Palestinians where the higher incidence of child abuse could be attributed to lower economic advantage, lower level of education and greater exposure to violence. Suggestions are made for future studies in Qatar and Palestine to develop survey methodology with a more culturally appropriate level of intrusion, such as indirect yet meaningful child maltreatment questions.