Prenatal Pandemic Stress IPV Intervention
Intimate partner violence (IPV) in pregnancy is associated with poor perinatal health, including psychopathology, substance use and sleep problems. Additionally, IPV negatively affects infant regulation and it disrupts the mother-infant relationship. For these reasons, it is crucial to develop effective interventions for pregnant women experiencing IPV.
There is evidence that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates IPV. IPV exposed women may be especially vulnerable to pandemic related stressors, which include work, childcare/schooling, relationships, finances, and physical illnesses. Given the substantial implications for public health, it is critical to understand the effects of pandemic-related stressors on early mother-child relational quality.
Dr. Laura Miller-Graff, Associate Professor of Psychology and Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, leads this project in partnership with Dr. Kathryn Howell, Associate Professor of Psychology at The University of Memphis. This project is integrated into an ongoing NICHD-funded clinical trial of a brief group intervention for IPV-exposed pregnant women, the Pregnant Moms’ Empowerment Program (PMEP). The PMEP’s theory of change underscores social support and maternal empowerment as key processes that may contribute to treatment response. By integrating assessments of pandemic-related stressors, the current study will provide valuable evidence of the effectiveness of PMEP in addressing accompanying stressors associated with COVID-19. This will not only contribute to the limited body of literature on intervention with IPV-exposed pregnant women, but will also provide unique insights into potential effects of the intervention on pandemic-related stressors and parent-child factors.
The aims of the study are three-fold:
Evaluate the indirect effects of the PMEP intervention on pandemic-related stress.
Examine the moderating effects of social and instrumental supports.
Analyze the dynamic associations among daily maternal mood, perceived stress, and mother-child relational quality.
This study evaluates an evidence-based program for at-risk mother-child dyads, representing an innovative and promising approach to care that reflects inter-generational and systems-focused theories of change.