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<\/p>\nThe IMAGINE study team recruited research participants through popular social media platforms, Facebook and Instagram.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/center>After two years, the \u201cSocial media support for peripartum adolescents\u201d study, known as the IMAGINE Study<\/a>,<\/strong> completed its pilot social media-based counseling intervention program for U.S. pregnant and postpartum youth, and offered promising results in supporting participants’ emotional well-being.\u00a0 The intervention aimed to overcome barriers associated with attending in-person care (i.e. costs, time, stigma) and offered participants evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy virtually to prevent perinatal depression, which can cause negative health consequences for both mother and infant.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The study team advertised the study between October 2020 and February 2021, through social media ads and word of mouth. 69 people contacted them to learn more about the study. From the 30 people they reached, 10 enrolled and participated.<\/p>\n The first IMAGINE group of 7 participants was active from December 2020 through March 2021, and the second group of 3 participants was active from February through May 2021.\u00a0 During the virtual group sessions, participants discussed the IMAGINE content and shared their perspectives on how the treatment activities, their thoughts, and contact with other people shape their moods and emotions.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what the team heard about participants\u2019 experiences in the group:<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201c[IMAGINE] helped me just understand that my emotions were normal\u2026 Before I felt like I was broken or I needed to be fixed or there\u2019s something wrong with me. And now\u2026 there\u2019s nothing wrong with me. [I\u2019m] normal.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cYou get support from people your age and y\u2019all got the same type of stuff going on, so it\u2019s kind of like\u2026 you\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cNow I\u2019m able to identify if I\u2019m having a frustrating day. I use one of the strategies, and I\u2019m able to calm myself down and actually realize what is going on\u2026 and help with my frustration.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The participants reported that IMAGINE was helpful to learn new skills and connect with other young parents.\u00a0 Following the completion of the pilot, the team plans to test IMAGINE in a larger study to understand in more detail whether the program improves participants\u2019 mental wellness.\u00a0 Participants also shared some recommendations to improve the program, including facilitating more activities at the start of the group to build community connections, shortening some of the communication messages, and incorporating an initial in-person meeting for the group.<\/p>\n IMAGINE is led by researchers and clinical providers through the University of Washington, including Principal Investigator Dr. Keshet Ronen<\/a>,\u00a0Dr. Jennifer Unger<\/a>,\u00a0Dr. Amritha Bhat<\/a>,\u00a0Dr. Yolanda Evans<\/a>, Anupa Gewali, Kristin Dachelet, Marimirca Jean-Baptiste, and former Department of Global Health graduate students, Alana Lopez and Elise Healy.\u00a0 The study was funded by the Technology and Adolescent Mental Wellness<\/a>\u00a0(TAM) program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After two years, the \u201cSocial media support for peripartum adolescents\u201d study, known as the IMAGINE Study, completed its pilot social media-based counseling intervention program for U.S. pregnant and postpartum youth, and offered promising results in supporting participants’ emotional well-being.\u00a0 The intervention aimed to overcome barriers associated with attending in-person care (i.e. costs, time, stigma) and…<\/p>\n\n
\nParticipants’ feedback to the team:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\nWhat\u2019s next for IMAGINE?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n