‘Nest’: A co-designed mobile app to support perinatal couples’ mental health and relationship wellbeing

Nest is a digital mental health intervention under development, aimed at improving perinatal mental health and relationship wellbeing among couples during the transition to parenthood.

The project uses a co-design methodology involving parents and healthcare professionals to inform content and functionality. The app will include psychoeducation, evidence-based tools (e.g., CBT, mindfulness, interpersonal strategies), and tailored resources to support communication, stress reduction, and emotional connection between partners. Following the co-design and prototyping phase, the project will progress to pilot testing and a full-scale randomised controlled trial (RCT).

Commenced in 2024; co-design and prototyping to complete in 2025. Pilot and RCT phases to follow.

Perinatal couples (during pregnancy to 12 months postpartum) living in Australia. Current sampling involves end-users and clinicians for qualitative co-design focus groups and interviews.

Study website: https://jcu.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5yEX5B4t7QdZ8vY