Preventing further trauma: KINDEX mum screen - assessing and reacting towards psychosocial risk factors in pregnant women with the help of smartphone technologies

The KINDEX mum screen has been designed to be administered by gynecologists and midwives during pregnancy for the assessment of the main psychosocial developmental risk factors, which include traumatic experiences of the parents, intimate partner violence, drug abuse, a history of mental health problems, poverty, acute stress, and others. In addition, we have developed a self-assessment version that runs on tablet computers (iPads). Validation of the KINDEX has been successfully completed in Germany, Spain, Greece, and Peru. Gynecologists or midwives interviewed 80120 pregnant women in each country. A randomized sub sample of respondents was assessed by trained clinical psychologists using standardized structural interviews to assess perceived stress and mental disorders. 14-months after giving birth the new mothers were interviewed again and the predictive value of the KINDEX was assessed by structured clinical interviews and the analysis of the cortisol levels (deposited in hair over a month) of mother and child as indicator for stress. The results show that the KINDEX assesses valid information about existing risk factors through a structured 15-minute interview with the pregnant women or through the application of this instrument as self-rating on a tablet computer. The tablet computer application in addition to the paperpencil version has the advantage of automatic analysis of the data and instant recommendation for further support of the pregnant woman.