Video feedback for young babies and maternal perinatal mental illness: Adaptation, feasibility and qualitative interviews

Aims/ Background We aimed to adapt, test and explore experiences of the video feedback intervention for positive parenting (VIPP) for 2 to 6 month old babies and for mothers experiencing moderate to severe perinatal mental health difficulties. Design/ Methods The VIPP intervention was adapted to include developmentally appropriate activities and developmental psychoeducation for 2 to 6 month olds, alongside psychoeducation on emotion regulation. Subsequently, the adapted intervention was trialled in 14 mothers experiencing moderate to severe perinatal mental health difficulties (registration ISRCTN64237883 ). Observational and self-reported pre-post outcome data was collected, and post-intervention qualitative interviews were conducted with participating mothers and clinicians. Results Consent (67%), intervention completion (79%) and follow-up rates (93%) were high. Effect sizes on pre-post outcome measures indicated large improvements in parenting confidence and perceptions of the parent-infant relationship, and a medium-size improvement in maternal sensitivity. Qualitative interviews suggested that clinicians and mothers were able to use the video feedback to identify young babies’ subtle behavioural cues and moments of mother-infant connection, enhancing maternal sensitivity. Mothers’ initial anxieties about being filmed were overcome by the experience of receiving positive and strengths-focussed feedback, boosting their confidence in themselves as parents. The interviews also generated recommendations for minor modifications to optimise intervention feasibility and acceptability, such as streamlining the information provided on maternal emotion regulation, and allowing increased use of clinical judgement to tailor intervention delivery. Conclusion VIPP can potentially be beneficial for enhancing maternal sensitivity with very young babies in mothers experiencing perinatal mental health difficulties.