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Providing brief and recurrent interpersonal therapy may be an effective strategy in reducing depressive symptoms during pregnancy. A randomized clinical trial of 234 pregnant adults with elevated depression symptoms treated patients with either enhanced usual care (EUC) or MomCare. EUC consists of maternity support services with optional mental health counseling while MomCare is a culturally relevant intervention of weekly, interpersonal therapy sessions with psychoeducation. Overall, participants in the MomCare group showed a greater reduction in depressive scores compared to participants receiving EUC. Future research will focus on whether children born to individuals undergoing the MomCare intervention experience a reduction in risk for their own mental health concerns. To learn more, see the study in JAMA Psychiatry.  

Current research suggests social media overall may have positive and negative impacts on mental health. A novel study interviewed 16 participants about their experience interacting with mental health content on TikTok to learn about the platform’s specific impacts. The most commonly reported benefits were a sense of self-discovery and social support through a virtual community. While users noted that mental health information was easily accessible, they worried about its credibility. Researchers also warn that the algorithm-driven platform may continuously serve users unwanted or harmful content. Further research is needed to better understand how TikTok affects mental health, including how to maintain its benefits while mitigating drawbacks. To learn more, see the study here.