Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41008323›Full record

ArticleBrain sciences2025

Effectiveness of Telepsychotherapy Versus Face-to-Face Psychological Intervention for Perinatal Anxiety and Depressive Symptomatology During COVID-19: The Case of an Italian Perinatal Psychological Care Service.

Beatrice Allegri, Giacomo Deste, Valeria Brenna, Emanuela Saveria Gritti, Linda Confalonieri, Alessandra Puzzini, Irene Corbani, Andrea Zucchetti, Umberto Mazza, Tamara Rabà and 3 more

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Article in Brain sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Beatrice AllegriDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy.
Giacomo DesteDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9392-4015
Valeria BrennaDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-9255-4227
Emanuela Saveria GrittiDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6109-2699
Linda ConfalonieriDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy.
Alessandra PuzziniDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy.
Irene CorbaniDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy.
Andrea ZucchettiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.ORCID 0000-0003-1643-704X
Umberto MazzaDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-7422-6817
Tamara RabàDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy.
Mauro PercudaniDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Niguarda Hospital, Piazza Ospedale Maggiore 3, 20162 Milan, Italy.
Stefano BarlatiDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-1784-3915
Antonio VitaDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-3621-6394

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCOVID-19 has limited pregnant and postpartum women's access to mental health services, leading to the introduction of online interventions.

objectivesThis study aims to compare the effectiveness of telepsychotherapy (i.e., psychotherapy provided through digital technology supporting real-time interactivity in the audio or audiovisual modality) with the one yielded by face-to-face interventions in treating perinatal depression and anxiety and to assess the therapist's perceived alliance in both interventions.

methodsWe collected anamnestic information and obstetrical risk factors for 61 women. We evaluated the effectiveness of face-to-face (N = 31) vs. telepsychotherapy (N = 30) interventions on depressive and anxiety symptoms at baseline (T0) and the end of treatment (T1) using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Y 1 and 2). We assessed the degree of alliance perceived by therapists with the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI-T).

resultsBoth groups showed significant decreases in depressive (EPDS face-to-face: T0 12.65 ± 5.81, T1 5.77 ± 4.63,

conclusionsSynchronous telepsychotherapy for perinatal depression and anxiety showed comparable treatment response to face-to-face interventions, with both modalities associated with significant symptom reduction and the establishment of a working alliance. These findings support the potential of telepsychotherapy as a valuable alternative when in-person services are not accessible, especially during emergency contexts.

Indexed as

anxietyCOVID-19depressionpregnancytelepsychotherapytherapeutic alliance

Identifiers

PMID41008323
PMCPMC12467804

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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.