A Computer Game for Postpartum Mental Health After Emergency Cesarean Birth

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

implementation of a brief computer-based intervention "Tetris": Within 24 hours of emergency caesarean birth, the participants played Tetris (TetrisⓇ99), a cognitive task, for at least 10 and up to 15 minutes on a Nintendo Switch Lite game console.

Study summary

This study aims to explore whether playing the computer game Tetris can reduce PTSD symptoms in women who have undergone emergency caesarean births. Additionally, as a feasibility study, it seeks to provide essential data and insights that will guide the design and implementation of future larger-scale RCTs examining the effects of Tetris in this context.

The specific objectives are to explore:

1. Whether playing Tetris within 24 hours of an emergency C-section help to reduce symptoms of PTSD.
2. Clinical feasibility and acceptability for an intervention (ie. game Tetris) immediately after a cesarean section.
3. Issues arising from the research design, including requitement and sample size.

Participants in the intervention group will play Tetris for at least 10 minutes, but no more than 15 minutes within 24 hours of a C-section.

For outcomes, all participants will complete the questionnaires on the fifth day after the C-section and one month postpartum.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) scores (intrusive, avoidance and total scores) at one month postpartum — At one month postpartum
  The participants are asked to report the degree of distress experienced for each item in the past 7 days. The 5 points on the scale are: 0 (not at all), 1 (a little bit), 2 (moderately), 3 (quite a bit), 4 = (extremely).

Trial sites (1)

More Kyoto University, Graduate School of Medicine trials in Japan