PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSISTANCE TO PREGNANT/BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS FOR POSYANDU CADRES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, A RESEARCH PROTOCOL

Abstract

This study aims to obtain a module or curriculum of psychological assistance for pregnant/breastfeeding mothers targeted to posyandu cadres. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative psychological impact on pregnant/breastfeeding mothers due to the threat of COVID 19 transmission. Changes in behavior patterns and patterns of daily activities, restrictions on mobility, keeping distance, and working from home, declining economic activities that have an impact on decreasing income for most households, increase risk factors for postpartum depression. Research shows an increase in the incidence of postpartum depression when compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic, partly because access to health services is limited. In Indonesia, services for pregnant and lactating women are supported by posyandu cadres, in a system called task-sharing. Posyandu cadres act as companions who monitor the physical health of mothers and children, as well as detect mental health problems in mothers. In the current pandemic situation, cadres need to receive special training to assist pregnant/breastfeeding mothers to avoid mental health problems such as depression. Research on the substance of the content of the mental health detection training curriculum for pregnant/delivery women has been carried out by researchers through the Delphi technique. The compiled curriculum needs to be validated so that it can be trusted to train posyandu’s cadres in providing psychological support. The tests include testing the quality of the content (validity) of the curriculum and testing its application to cadres. This research was conducted using a quantitative approach in three stages, namely Phase 1 testing the validity of the mentoring training module with a survey method with a Likert Scale to get a proper mentoring training module. The sample is 30 people with a background in Psychology, midwifery, and PKK managers. Phase 2 is testing the effectiveness of mentoring training for cadres using an experimental method with a pretest-posttest control group design. The research sample was 30 posyandu cadres from two kelurahan, each of which acted as the experimental group and the control group, which were determined randomly. Stage 3 is a community service activity in the form of the same training for cadres from the village who previously acted as a control group with a one group pretest-posttest design. The research will produce a psychological assistance training module for pregnant/breastfeeding mothers during the Covid-19 pandemic for posyandu cadres/pregnant women.