Helping pregnant women affected by intimate partner violence improve their mental health and support their infants.

Intervening during the Prenatal Period with Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence to Improve Maternal Functioning and Infant Adjustment

NIH-funded research University of Notre Dame · NIH-10676136

This study is for pregnant women who have faced partner violence and is testing a supportive program to help improve their mental health and parenting skills, so they can feel stronger and better care for their babies.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Notre Dame NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Notre Dame, United States)
Project IDNIH-10676136 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research focuses on pregnant women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) and aims to improve their mental health and parenting skills through a program called the Pregnant Moms’ Empowerment Program (PMEP). The study will involve a randomized clinical trial with 230 participants, where half will receive the PMEP intervention and the other half will be in a control group. The program is designed to enhance maternal resilience, reduce depression, and support early infant development by providing group-based treatment sessions. The research will also explore how social support and empowerment contribute to positive outcomes for both mothers and their infants.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are pregnant women who have experienced intimate partner violence.

Not a fit: Patients who are not pregnant or have not experienced intimate partner violence may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved mental health for mothers and better developmental outcomes for their infants.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that interventions targeting mental health and parenting in similar populations can lead to significant improvements, suggesting this approach has potential for success.

Where this research is happening

Notre Dame, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.