Smartphone-Based Therapy Shows Potential for Supporting Perinatal Mental Health

A randomised controlled trial in Japan has examined whether a smartphone-based intervention informed by interpersonal psychotherapy can support mental well-being during pregnancy and the early postpartum period. The study focused on a digital approach intended to provide accessible psychological support to women who may face difficulties obtaining traditional in-person mental-health services.

The trial included 350 pregnant women, who were randomly assigned either to a smartphone intervention group or to a usual-care group. The application was designed around principles of interpersonal psychotherapy and included several features, such as mental-health questionnaires, mood tracking, self-care activities, written information and tools for understanding interpersonal relationships.

The intervention was developed as a low-intensity programme rather than as a replacement for clinical treatment of diagnosed depression. Participants could use the application independently alongside their routine health check-ups. A safety feature was also incorporated into the application to direct women reporting thoughts of self-harm towards appropriate public support services.

The results showed a high level of acceptance. Among participants who completed the eight-week assessment, 90.2% achieved the study's predefined threshold for satisfaction with the application. However, the researchers did not find a statistically significant difference in depressive symptoms between the intervention and control groups at the end of the eight-week pregnancy period.

A different pattern emerged after childbirth. At one month postpartum, women who had used the application recorded significantly lower depressive symptom scores than those in the usual-care group. The researchers also observed more favourable changes among participants who had higher levels of depressive symptoms at the beginning of the study.

The researchers concluded that the smartphone intervention was highly acceptable and showed potential as an accessible form of perinatal mental-health support. They noted that further studies involving larger and more diverse populations, along with longer follow-up periods, will be needed to establish its effectiveness more firmly. 

24-09-2026