Date of Graduation

Summer 8-5-2026

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

College/School

School of Nursing and Health Professions

Department/Program

Nursing

Program

Population Health Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Jo Loomis

Second Advisor

Dr. Deepika Goyal

Abstract

Background: Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) affect 20–25% of mothers worldwide and are a leading cause of maternal complications. Stigma, fragmented care, and limited provider training leave families vulnerable, while birth workers offer trusted, continuous support.

Problem: Birth workers' maternal mental health (MMH) training is minimal and often excludes matrescence, the developmental transition to motherhood, limiting their ability to distinguish normal adjustment from clinical PMADs and delaying intervention.

Methods: A single-group, pre-/post-test design evaluated a matrescence-informed workshop at Roots Community Health's 2nd Annual Symposium. Anonymous surveys measured knowledge, attitudes, and confidence, analyzed with Mann–Whitney U, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and thematic analysis.

Interventions: A 105-minute interactive workshop with four modules introduced the MMH crisis, matrescence, a "pink flags versus red flags" tool for clinical differentiation and referral, and an advocacy plan.

Results: Composite confidence toward supporting MMH and matrescence rose from a median of 3.4 to 4.4 (p < .001, r = .71), with the largest gains in explaining and differentiating matrescence from PMADs; baseline knowledge was high and rose post-intervention (4.05 to 4.51, p = .10). Evaluations were uniformly positive, and thematic analysis of open-ended responses yielded five themes: naming matrescence, differentiating pink flags from red flags, personal resonance, PMAD complementarity, and practical application.

Conclusions: Integrating matrescence into birth worker education significantly improved confidence in supporting clients and in making appropriate referrals—a scalable, low-cost way to strengthen the perinatal mental health safety net.

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