Caring for a small child is stressful for most people. One in five new parents struggle with distressing thoughts of intentionally harming their child, but for some the unwanted intrusive thoughts become distressing and reducing the quality of life.
A recent study by researchers at Karolinska Institutet explored the initial efficacy, feasibility and acceptability of a new 8-week self-guided online cognitive intervention for parents experiencing these troubling thoughts.
The results revealed significant reductions in distress and impairment related to these thoughts post-intervention, and these improvements were sustained at the 1-month follow-up. The results also showed that negative appraisals have a mediating role.
Rücklab - Psychiatry research at Karolinska Institutet 