MOBILE WELL-BEING IN PREGNANCY: SUGGESTIONS FROM A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL CONTROLLED STUDY

“BenEssere Mamma” app, is a mobile self-help intervention containing mindfulness meditations and “savoring the present moment” exercises for use during pregnancy. The goal of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of this app in enhancing the psychological well-being of healthy childbearing women. A quasi-experimental controlled study was conducted with 74 pregnant women randomly assigned to experimental group (APP - mobile app and antenatal care) or control group (routine antenatal care). Participants were assessed on their psychological well-being before, after the four weeks of use of the app, and during the first three months after the birth of the child, using Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale. Women’s acceptance and user experience with the app were also assessed through an ad hoc questionnaire. Experimental group reported an increase in sense of autonomy after intervention and after childbirth, and greater self-acceptance after the childbirth compared to the control group. These results suggest that a self-help mobile intervention can be effective for enhancing women’s psychological well-being. Future researches are needed to understand if a more interactive content or a longer intervention could achieve more effective results and if other populations could take advantage of this opportunity.