This randomized controlled study aims to investigate the effects of a brief computerized intervention (the computer game "Tetris") on intrusive memories and other posttraumatic stress symptoms following an emergency cesarean section (ECS). Women who have undergone an emergency cesarian section will be randomly allocated to either the brief computerized intervention plus usual care or an attention placebo control group plus usual care within the first 6 hours following the ECS. Women and their infants will be followed up at ≤ 1 week postpartum, 6 weeks postpartum, and 6 months postpartum. It is predicted that women given the brief computerized intervention will develop fewer intrusive memories and less posttraumatic stress symptoms than those who are not. This will inform the development of a simple computerized early intervention to prevent distressing psychological symptoms after a traumatic event, such as an ECS.
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presence and severity of PTSD symptoms: clinician-rated (mother)
Timeframe: 6 weeks postpartum
presence and severity of PTSD symptoms: self-report (mother)
Timeframe: 6 weeks postpartum