Not yet recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

Cognitive Processing Therapy for Childbirth-Related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

This research is investigating a specific talking therapy called Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for individuals experiencing post-traumatic stress related to childbirth. The study will deliver 8 weekly sessions of CPT online, either individually or in a group setting. The main goals are to find out if it's practical for people to attend and complete this therapy, if participants find it helpful, and if it leads to a noticeable decrease in their trauma symptoms. Participants will complete questionnaires regularly and share their feedback to help understand the therapy's effectiveness and how well it fits into people's lives after a traumatic birth. This is an important step in finding better ways to support parents struggling after difficult birth experiences.

At a glance

Status

Not yet recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton

Enrolment target

Start

01 Apr 2026

Estimated completion

01 Apr 2028

What is this study about?

This study is about a special type of talking therapy called Cognitive Processing Therapy, or CPT, for people who are struggling after a difficult or traumatic childbirth. Sometimes, a birth experience can be so overwhelming or frightening that it leads to post-traumatic stress (PTSD), making it hard to cope with daily life. This study wants to see if CPT can help reduce these symptoms.

The therapy involves 8 weekly one-to-one sessions, delivered online. The researchers want to understand if it's practical for people to take part in these sessions, if they find the therapy helpful, and most importantly, if it truly helps reduce the distress and other symptoms linked to their traumatic birth experience. They'll be asking participants for their thoughts and feelings throughout the study.

By doing this, the study hopes to find a good way to help people recover from the emotional impact of a traumatic birth. This could lead to better support and treatment options in the future for many parents across the UK who might be going through similar challenges.

Key takeaways

This study uses an 8-session online talking therapy (CPT) for birth trauma.
It aims to see if the therapy makes a real difference to symptoms.
Participants will complete questionnaires and give feedback.
It's for women/birthing people aged 18+ who are at least one month post-birth.
You can't be getting other talking therapy at the same time.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for women and birthing people who are aged 18 or over and can speak, understand, and read English well. You must be at least one month post-birth to be considered. You should be experiencing significant distress or symptoms of PTSD related to a traumatic birth experience.

It's important that you are not currently receiving any other talking therapy or psychological treatment. If you are taking medication for your mental health, your dose and type of medication must have been stable for at least 8 weeks before the study starts and remain stable throughout.

Unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to join if you have severe depression or thoughts of self-harm that need urgent help, or if your mental health medication has recently changed or is expected to change during the study.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Are you at least one month postpartum (since giving birth)?
Do you speak and understand English fluently?
Do you feel you're experiencing significant distress or PTSD symptoms related to a traumatic birth?
Are you not currently receiving any other psychological therapy or counselling?
If you take mental health medication, has your dosage been stable for at least 8 weeks?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, you would attend 8 weekly one-to-one sessions of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). These sessions are delivered online. Each week, you would also be asked to complete a short questionnaire about your trauma symptoms. You'll complete more detailed questionnaires when you start the study, immediately after the therapy finishes, and again one month later.

About a week after your last therapy session, you'll have a brief chat with the researchers to share your feedback about your experience. The total duration of your active involvement in the study, including the follow-up, would be around 10-12 weeks.

Potential risks and benefits

Participating in this study offers the potential benefit of receiving an established talking therapy that may help significantly reduce the distress and symptoms you're experiencing related to a traumatic childbirth. This could improve your overall wellbeing and daily life. You'll also be helping researchers understand better ways to support others in similar situations. As with any therapy, discussing difficult experiences can sometimes bring up uncomfortable emotions temporarily, but the therapy is designed to help you process these safely. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, for any reason, without it affecting your usual medical care.

Locations (1)

Women's Health Concerns Clinic, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Verified postcode
Hamilton, Canada

Common questions

What is Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)?

CPT is a type of talking therapy that helps you understand and change how you think about traumatic events, which can reduce their impact on your feelings and life.

Will I be seeing a therapist in person or online?

All therapy sessions for this study will be delivered online, allowing you to participate from your own home.

How long will each therapy session last?

The information doesn't specify the exact length of each session, but they are weekly for 8 weeks.

Do I need to stop any medication to join?

No, you don't need to stop medication. However, if you're taking mental health medication, your dose and type should have been stable for at least 8 weeks before the study and remain stable throughout.

What happens if I start to feel worse during the study?

If you experience severe depression, thoughts of self-harm, or your mental health significantly worsens, you would be unable to continue in the study to ensure you receive the most appropriate care.

How to find out more

Sheryl M Green, Ph.D., C.Psych

sgreen@stjosham.on.ca 905-522-1155 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.