ArticlePilot and feasibility studies2023
Feasibility, clinical efficacy, and well-being outcomes of an online singing intervention for postnatal depression in the UK: SHAPER-PNDO, a single-arm clinical trial.
Article in Pilot and feasibility studies, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04857593 (Online Singing Interventions for Postnatal Depression in Times of Social Isolation), which is not on this map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Online Singing Interventions for Postnatal Depression in Times of Social Isolation: a Single Arm Study
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- The evidence base of interventions to treat antenatal depression: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Archives of women's mental health · 2026Pooled it
- Maternal communication and attachment following a group singing intervention for postnatal depression: findings from the SHAPER-PND trial.Psychological medicine · 2026Trial
- Clinical effectiveness, implementation effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a community singing intervention for postnatal depressive symptoms, SHAPER-PND: randomised controlled trial.The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science · 2025Trial
- Ecological Momentary Assessment Reveals Causal Effects of Music Enrichment on Infant Mood.Child developmentTrial
- Exploring the experiences of women of African, Caribbean and Mixed heritages to inform a music-based intervention for perinatal mental health in South East London: A qualitative study.PLOS mental health · 2026Article
- The role of music in perinatal mental health, with a psychoneuroimmunological perspective.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2025Article
- Mamas in Harmony: protocol for a pilot RCT and process evaluation of a music and social support intervention establishing the feasibility of reducing anxiety and stress in postnatal mothers.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2025Article
- Implementation of singing groups for postnatal depression: experiences of participants and professional stakeholders in the SHAPER-PND randomised controlled trial.Frontiers in health services · 2025Article
- Article
- Investigating the Acceptability and Feasibility of Three Online Interventions for Caregivers of Infants with Feeding Difficulties.Inquiry : a journal of medical care organization, provision and financingArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
22 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPostnatal depression (PND) affects over 12% of mothers, with numbers rising during COVID-19. Singing groups can support mothers with PND; however, online delivery has never been evaluated. SHAPER-PNDO, a single-arm clinical trial, evaluated the feasibility, clinical efficacy, and well-being outcomes of a 6-week online version of Breathe Melodies for Mums (M4M) singing intervention developed for mothers with PND during COVID-19 lockdowns.
methodsThe primary objective of this study was to assess the feasibility of a group online singing intervention for new mothers with postnatal depression. This was ascertained through recruitment rates, study retention rates, attendance rates to the singing sessions, and study completion rates. The secondary objective of the study was to assess the clinical efficacy and well-being outcomes of the singing intervention. Specifically, we measured change in Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and Office for National Statistics Wellbeing Scale (ONS) scores from baseline to end-of-intervention (week 6); follow-up assessments were completed at weeks 3, 16, and 32. Mothers were eligible if they scored ≥10 on the baseline EPDS.
resultsEighty-seven percent of the 37 recruited mothers completed the study, attending, on average, 5 of the 6 group singing sessions. With regard to secondary outcomes, at end-of-treatment, mothers experienced significant reductions in depression (EPDS, 16.6 ± 3.7 to 11.2 ± 5.3, 95% CI [0.79,1.65]), anxiety (STAI-S, 48.4 ± 27.1 to 41.7 ± 26.8, 95% CI [4.96, 17.65]) and stress (PSS, 29.0 ± 5.7 to 19.7 ± 5.3, 95% CI [1.33, 7.07]); and, furthermore, significant improvements in life satisfaction (ONS, 50.5 ± 23.0 to 72.8 ± 11.7, 95% CI [- 39.86, - 4.64]) and feelings of worthwhileness (ONS, 51.7 ± 30.4 to 78.6 ± 15.1, 95% CI [- 52.79, - 0.85]). Reduction on the EPDS correlated with a reduction on the BDI and the STAI-S and maternal childhood maltreatment was predictive of a smaller treatment response.
conclusionsM4M online was feasible to mothers who partook in the programme. Furthermore, M4M online supports the mental health and well-being of new mothers experiencing PND, especially when barriers to in-person treatment are present.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT04857593 . Registered 22 April 2021, retrospectively registered.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.