“I'm not afraid to be alone with the baby now”: Parents' experiences of an online self-guided cognitive intervention for unwanted intrusive thoughts about harming their child

Abstract

Half of parents to infants and toddlers experience unwanted intrusive thoughts (UITs) about intentionally harming their child. For some, this can lead to impaired parental self-efficacy, elevated parental stress, and symptoms of depression. Many do not disclose their thoughts due to shame. Our research group has developed a self-guided online cognitive intervention for parents with distressing UITs of intentional child-related harm. A previous randomized pilot trial (N = 43) showed that the intervention was more effective than waitlist in reducing distress related to UITs. It also improved parental self-efficacy. This study is an qualitative investigation of the participants’ experiences with the intervention. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 8 participants. A thematic analysis revealed two overarching themes: (1) Changed perception of the unwanted intrusive thoughts and (2) Different paths to recovery. The parents reported that the intervention taught skills to approach their UITs in a more flexible way, which had positive effects on well-being and parenting. The flexibility and anonymity of the online format was highlighted as positive. Some would have liked additional therapist support and better adaptations to a smartphone format. The findings provide additional qualitative data how an online self-guided intervention can help parents who struggle with UITs.