AI Enabled Content Analysis of Peer vs. Professional Telephonic Coaching to Support Online Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy for Prevention of Perinatal Depression Recurrence

Online Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is effective in preventing perinatal depression recurrence. However, telephonic coaching support using Motivational Interviewing (MI) is important to foster program engagement. Utilizing peers with lived experience of perinatal depression as coaches may expand the mental health workforce and offer unique benefits over mental health professionals. This study used an AI program (Lyssn) to compare coaching calls from trained peers vs. mental health professionals. Transcribed calls with 209 participants randomized to receive coaching from peers and 214 to receive coaching from mental health professionals were coded for MI proficiency and percent of MI-type statements used. Among 682 calls, Professional coaches had significantly higher MI proficiency ratings than peer coaches whereas peer coaches had a higher percent of speech coded as giving information that included self-disclosure and psycho-ed style interventions. However, program engagement and clinical outcomes were equivalent, suggesting that different coaching styles may be equally effective.