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Help-seeking and treatment delivery preferences for women experiencing perinatal anxiety symptoms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 April 2023

Peta N. Maguire Open the ORCID record for Peta N. Maguire [Opens in a new window] ,
Navjot Bhullar Open the ORCID record for Navjot Bhullar [Opens in a new window] ,
Suzanne M. Cosh Open the ORCID record for Suzanne M. Cosh [Opens in a new window]  and
Bethany M. Wootton Open the ORCID record for Bethany M. Wootton [Opens in a new window]
Peta N. Maguire
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of New England, Australia
Navjot Bhullar
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of New England, Australia Discipline of Psychology, Edith Cowan University, Australia
Suzanne M. Cosh
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, University of New England, Australia
Bethany M. Wootton*
Affiliation:
Discipline of Clinical Psychology, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
*
*Corresponding author. Email: bethany.wootton@uts.edu.au
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Abstract

Background:

Anxiety is common during the perinatal period and despite effective treatments being available, many women with perinatal anxiety disorders experience barriers when accessing treatment.

Aims:

The aims of the current study were to explore women’s perceived barriers to treatment uptake; cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) treatment delivery preferences; and the utility of the Health Belief Model (HBM) in predicting intention to seek psychological help for women with perinatal anxiety symptoms.

Method:

This study employed a cross-sectional design consisting of women with self-reported anxiety in the perinatal period. A total of 216 women (M age=28.53 years; SD=4.97) participated in the study by completing a battery of online self-report measures.

Results:

The results indicated that the most salient barriers to accessing care were: (1) the cost of treatment, (2) wanting to solve the problem on their own, and (3) thinking the problem would go away without treatment. Group-delivered CBT was the least acceptable treatment method, while face-to-face individual CBT was the most acceptable treatment method. The HBM variables predicted approximately 35% of the variance in help-seeking intention.

Discussion:

This study has important implications for the delivery of psychological care in the perinatal period and may be used to improve treatment uptake.

Keywords

anxietyHealth Belief Modelperinatalpregnancytreatment
Type
Main
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 51 , Issue 4 , July 2023 , pp. 271 - 285
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies

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