Pilot study of Emoticom tool for new mothers

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Developing and administering a test battery for evaluating treatment effects on emotional, motivational and social function in new mothers.

• IRAS ID

  181700

• Contact name

  Kathryn Abel

• Contact email

  Kathryn.M.Abel@manchester.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Faculty Research Practice Co-ordinator

• Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

  13005, Emoticom tool; 13211, ; 15465,

• Duration of Study in the UK

  2 years, 0 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  The early parental environment is crucial for healthy development of children. Maternal care behaviour including maternal sensitivity has been widely studied in relation to its potential effects on short­ and long­term child outcomes. Maternal sensitivity can be defined as the ability of the mother to perceive, interpret and respond to her child in a timely, consistent and contingent manner. However, little is known about the potential pathways resulting in differing levels of maternal sensitivity.

  Affective cognition is the interface at which emotional and cognitive processes are integrated in order to produce behaviour. This includes the processing of emotional information, recognition and processing of emotional facial expressions, social and moral emotions and the links between emotion, memory and attention. A computerised battery (known as ‘Emoticom’) has been recently developed for evaluating such processes in people with mood disorders. An modified version of this tool has been developed specifically for new mothers.

  This current study intends to test the modified version of this tool in a group of new mothers. Initially this pilot study will assess acceptability and feasibility and collect normative data in healthy new mothers. The longer term plan would be to eventually test the tool in mothers with known mental illness in order to understand better the relationship between maternal sensitivity, social and affective cognition. By more fully understanding the processes underlying maternal care behaviour and how social and affective cognition links with maternal sensitivity, this will help inform more personalised treatment approaches for vulnerable mothers and their children.

• REC name

  North West - Greater Manchester West Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  17/NW/0069

• Date of REC Opinion

  27 Jun 2017

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion