Study on the intervention effects of sandplay therapy on depressive state of primipara during pregnancy

Abstract

Objective To explore the intervention effects of sandplay therapy on the depressive state of primipara during pregnancy. Methods A total of 86 cases of primiparas who attended prenatal examinations in Fengtai Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Beijing and were diagnosed as depressive state during pregnancy by Self-Rating Depression Scale(SDS) from October 2016 to May 2017 were selected as research subjects. They were divided into study group (n=43) and control group (n=43) by random number table. Every primipara in both two groups received prenatal examination and mental health education. Besides, for primiparas in study group, they received additional sandplay therapy to intervene their depressive states during pregnancy. One week after 3 times of sandplay therapy in study group, and one month after the enrollment of control group, all primiparas received the second time of SDS test. The standard scores of SDS in two groups before and after intervention were compared by statistical methods. There were no significant differences between two groups in ages, gestational ages and constitute ratio of education levels and so on (P>0.05). This study was approved by the Ethics Committee in Fengtai Maternal & Child Health Hospital of Beijing and every primipara signed informed consent of clinical research. Results ①There was no significant difference between two groups in standard scores of SDS before intervention (t=0.56, P=0.577). While the standard score of SDS in study group after intervention was obviously lower than that in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (t=18.12, P<0.001). After intervention, intra-group comparison, the standard scores of SDS in study group and control group both were statistically lower than those before intervention, and both the differences were statistically significant (t=31.77, 15.04; P<0.001). ②The standard score of SDS in study group decreased by (27.9±5.8) scores before and after intervention, which was significantly higher than (8.8±3.8) scores in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (t=18.06, P<0.001). Conclusions Sandplay therapy can effectively improve the depressive state of primipara during pregnancy. For this study, since the sample size is small, it still needs larger-sample, multi-center and randomized controlled study to confirm whether sandplay therapy used in the intervention of depressive state of primipara during pregnancy is worthy of clinical promotion. Key words: Play therapy, sand; Pregnancy; Depressive state; Self-rating depression scale; Primipara