“Insight at a Cost”: Postpartum Depressed Mothers’ Experiences with the Circle of Security-Parenting Program

Abstract The Circle of Security-Parenting (COSP™) program is an American psychoeducational intervention designed to improve parental sensitive responsiveness and foster secure attachment. This qualitative study explores the experiences of mothers of infants who participated in COSP™. Fourteen Danish mothers fulfilling diagnostic criteria for Postpartum Depression (PPD) were interviewed. Through reflexive thematic analysis, five main themes were developed: (1) Identifying negative lenses and connections to own childhood experiences led to the experience of relationship changes, (2) Experience of enhanced understanding of and ability to meet child’s needs, (3) Reflections in the group: a journey of insight and emotional strain, (4) Strengthening family bonds through collaborative parenting, and (5) Misalignment between program content and participants’ lived realities - developmental, emotional and cultural barriers. The results suggest that COSP™ was overall found to facilitate greater awareness of meeting the infant’s needs and for more mothers, an increased confidence in their parenting role. However, the results also indicate that COSP™ may not be the optimal choice of intervention for mothers diagnosed with PPD and their infants, as program adaptations may be needed for this population. Adaptations could include increased focus on the here-and-now relationship with the child, less emphasis on the parent’s own upbringing, strategies for how to cope with the depressive symptoms during interactions with the infant, culturally relevant materials, and more post-program support.