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Building Resilience through Psychological Intervention

Author

Listed:
  • Escobar Carias, Michelle
  • Baranov, Victoria
  • Bhalotra, Sonia
  • Biroli, Pietro
  • Maselko, Joanna

Abstract

Does past treatment for depression create resilience to future shocks? We study a randomized CBT-based intervention for prenatally depressed mothers in Pakistan and exploit variation in COVID-19 restriction stringency six years after childbirth. Treated women were protected against restriction-induced anxiety, depression, comorbidity, and functional impairment. Protection extended to spousal relationships, offsetting restriction-driven declines in relationship quality and increases in marital conflict. This resilience operates through psychological channels: the intervention builds locus of control and self-efficacy, strengthens family and partner support, and reduces how overwhelmed women feel when shocks arrive. The resulting psychological capital has returns well beyond the treated condition.

Suggested Citation

  • Escobar Carias, Michelle & Baranov, Victoria & Bhalotra, Sonia & Biroli, Pietro & Maselko, Joanna, 2026. "Building Resilience through Psychological Intervention," CEPR Discussion Papers 21842, Centre for Economic Policy Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:21842
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination

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