Experiences of Women Participating in a Student-Led, Virtual Group Counseling Program for Maternal Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PURPOSE:To describe the experiences of women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) who participated in a virtual group counseling program for maternal mental health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHOD: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Participants were recruited from Facebook parenting groups targeted to women with children in Indiana. One-on-one, semi-structured interviews were conducted in a virtual setting. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using content analysis to yield themes. RESULTS: Nine women with PMADs participated in the virtual group counseling program. Three themes were identified: (1) The Program Reduced Symptoms of PMADs Amplified by the COVID-19 Pandemic, (2) The Program Advanced Practical Solutions, and (3) The Program Bolstered Social Support. CONCLUSION: Participants experienced heightened symptoms of PMADs during the pandemic. Participants' experiences in the student-led, virtual counseling program suggest that providers could enhance social support and screening for PMADs for women in the perinatal period through virtual programs. Graduatelevel psychology students could be considered to decrease the national shortage of mental health providers. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(xx), xx-xx.]