Abid Malik
Biographic Data
| ID | 3774062 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Abid Malik |
| GIVEN NAMES | Abid |
| FAMILY NAME | Malik |
| SIGNATURE | MALIK A |
| AFFILIATIONS | Health Services Academy |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-9084-2185 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 27 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 3 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 27 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2008 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
“At least here, someone listens to us”
Perinatal mental health conditions are prevalent in low- and middle-income countries but poorly integrated into maternal care. In resource-constrained systems, research participation may substitute for absent services, raising ethical and structural questions about boundaries between research and care. This qualitative descriptive interpretive study, conducted in a tertiary public hospital in Pakistan within a biomarker-based longitudinal study o…
Psychosocial Challenges Faced by Women After Perinatal Loss in Pakistan and the Need for Supportive Interpregnancy Care
From Global to Local
Background: Medical students frequently experience psychological distress due to intense academic demands and high-stakes assessments.Scalable psychological interventions such as Self-Help Plus (SH+) may support student well-being, but contextual adaptation is required to ensure relevance within medical education.Objective: To adapt the SH+ intervention culturally and contextually for medical students while maintaining the core principles of Acce…
Technology-assisted platform (TAP) for training and supervision of task-shared psychosocial interventions to ensure competency during scale-up in low-resource settings
Common mental disorders are a major public health concern, particularly in low-resource settings where specialist services are limited. While task-shifting to non-specialist providers (NSPs) has improved access, maintaining their competency during scale-up remains a challenge. This study evaluated a technology-assisted platform (TAP) for training and supervision of NSPs delivering the WHO Thinking Healthy Programme (THP) for perinatal depression.…
Biopsychosocial Stressors and Perinatal Mental Health
Perinatal common mental health disorders (CMDs) remain major yet under-recognized public health concerns in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), where women face a dual burden of biological vulnerability and social adversity.This longitudinal cohort study provides rare integrated evidence from Pakistan demonstrating that readily measurable and highly prevalent nutritional deficiencies, particularly low hemoglobin and vitamin D levels, signifi…
Associations between exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and infant developmental delay
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant threat to women’s wellbeing and child development, particularly in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Despite its prevalence, research in LMICs on the effects of IPV on child development remains limited. This study investigates the association between IPV and different domains of child development as well as the moderating role of women’s empowerment. Participants included 397 women with a…
Comparing standard and technology-assisted peer-delivered CBT for perinatal depression
The ENHANCE non-inferiority trial that took place in a deprived setting in Pakistan demonstrated that a technology-assisted digital adaptation of the Technology Assisted Thinking Healthy Programme (THP-TAP) was no different than the face-to-face THP in improving symptoms of perinatal depression. The present study examines the mechanisms through which THP-TAP improved symptoms of perinatal depression (or not) compared to the face-to-face THP. We a…
Cost-effectiveness of a technology-assisted peer-delivered perinatal mental health intervention in Pakistan
INTRODUCTION: Perinatal depression in low- and middle-income countries is a global health concern. Interventions to support women suffering from perinatal depression using mental health specialists, such as the WHO Thinking Healthy Programme (WHO-THP), are established but may not be scalable in resource-constrained settings. The technology-assisted peer-delivered THP (THP-TAP) has been developed as a potential solution to deliver an intervention …
Receipt of a psychosocial intervention for prenatal anxiety and risk of perinatal intimate partner violence in Pakistani women
Mental health and intimate partner violence (IPV) are urgent public health problems in the perinatal period. We examined whether a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention designed to lower prenatal anxiety led to differing risk of perinatal IPV between the intervention and control arms. We investigated if social support or spousal relationship quality in the third trimester mediated this association. The analysis included 755 pregnant Pak…
The Association of Spousal Relationship Quality and Social Support With Maternal‐Infant Bonding
This study examined associations between spousal relationship quality and social support with mother‐infant bonding among women in Rawalpindi, Pakistan (Intervention Arm: n = 352, M age = 25.1, SD = 4.7; Control Arm: n = 358, M age = 25.3, SD = 4.5). We used cross‐sectional data from the Happy Mother‐Healthy Baby intervention study, a randomized controlled trial conducted between 2019 and 2022. Women were enrolled at their first prenatal visit (a…
Exploring the delivery of empathic care in task-shared settings
Empathy plays a crucial role in psychosocial and psychological interventions, greatly impacting rapport building, patient adherence, and satisfaction with treatment. Empathetic interactions enhance patient’s self-reflection and the delivery of more personalized therapeutic interventions tailored to the unique needs of each patient, thereby improving the overall quality of care. Despite empathy being central to psychosocial interventions, there ar…
Impacts of chronic suicidal ideation on parenting and child development
Exploring preference for delivery methods for a psychosocial intervention for prenatal anxiety
This study underscores the need for adaptable intervention delivery strategies that consider cultural norms, logistical challenges, and individual family dynamics. By combining the benefits of both delivery methods, mental health interventions can be optimized to effectively address prenatal anxiety and promote well-being in resource-constrained settings like Pakistan
Optimizing psychotherapies for perinatal depressive symptom dimensions by strengthening social support networks
The Thinking Healthy Program (THP) is a multicomponent low-intensity cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychosocial intervention. This intervention has been shown to be clinically effective in perinatal depression (PND) and feasible for implementation in low-resourced settings. It has also been shown to work universally for different phenotypes of PND. However, the mechanism through which THP resolves different phenotypes of PND are unclear. The…
Social Support and Spousal Relationship Quality Improves Responsiveness among Anxious Mothers
Self-reported problems and functional difficulties in anxious pregnant women in Pakistan
Anxiety during pregnancy affects women worldwide and is highly prevalent in Pakistan. The Psychological Outcome Profiles (PSYCHLOPS) questionnaire is an instrument used in therapy to assess patient-generated problems and the consequent functional difficulties. Using the PSYCHLOPS, we aimed to describe the type of problems and the consequent functional difficulties faced by anxious pregnant women in Pakistan. Secondarily, we sought to explore if a…
Perceived Social Support and Women’s Empowerment and Their Associations with Pregnancy Experiences in Anxious Women
Cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Pregnancy Experience Scale–Brief version (PES-Brief) in Pakistani women with antenatal anxiety symptoms
Background: Pregnancy experiences influence fetal and birth outcomes. There is scarcity of locally validated tools to assess pregnancy experiences. We aimed to validate the Pregnancy Experience Scale-Brief (PES-Brief) in pregnant Pakistani women with anxiety symptoms. Methods: A two-step process was used including 1) adaptation via translation/back-translation followed by cognitive interviewing with 10 participants and 2) factor analysis and vali…
Those whom I have to talk to, I can't talk to’
Anxiety during pregnancy is highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. The relative importance of different sources and types of perceived support in the Pakistani context is unknown. We explored social support during pregnancy and the role of social isolation in Pakistani women's experiences of antenatal anxiety. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 pregnant women with symptoms of anxiety and 10 female healthcare providers …
Prevalence of Depression and Its Associated Factors During 2nd Wave of Covid-19 Among Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Lahore
Purpose of the study: Antenatal depression is a significant predictor for postnatal depression, and pregnant women with depressive symptoms have an increased risk of frequent non-scheduled medical and emergency visits. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antenatal depression and its related factors and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the frequency of antenatal visits. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted fro…
Scalable Screening and Treatment Response Monitoring for Perinatal Depression in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Common perinatal mental disorders such as anxiety and depression are a public health concern in low- and middle-income countries. Several tools exist for screening and monitoring treatment responses, which have frequently been tested globally in clinical and research settings. However, these tools are relatively long and not practical for integration into routine data systems in most settings. This study aims to address this gap by considering th…
The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Pregnant Women with Perinatal Anxiety Symptoms in Pakistan
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on people with existing mental health conditions is likely to be high. We explored the consequences of the pandemic on women of lower socioeconomic status with prenatal anxiety symptoms living in urban Rawalpindi, Pakistan. This qualitative study was embedded within an ongoing randomized controlled trial of psychosocial intervention for prenatal anxiety at a public hospital in Rawalpindi. The part…
“A Woman Is a Puppet.” Women’s Disempowerment and Prenatal Anxiety in Pakistan
Common mental disorders are highly prevalent among pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries, yet prenatal anxiety remains poorly understood, particularly in the sociocultural context of South Asia. Our study explored sources, mitigators, and coping strategies for anxiety among symptomatic pregnant women in Pakistan, particularly in relation to autonomy in decision-making and social support. We interviewed 19 pregnant married women aged …
Development of a Psychological Intervention to Address Anxiety During Pregnancy in a Low-Income Country
Background: One in five women suffer from anxiety during pregnancy. Untreated anxiety is a risk factor for postnatal depression and is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Despite the high prevalence of prenatal anxiety in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), efforts to develop and evaluate context-specific interventions in these settings are lacking. We aimed to develop a culturally appropriate, feasible, and acceptable psychological int…
Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders and its Association with Life Events and Social Support in Mothers Attending a Well-Child Clinic
Common mental disorders (CMD), such as depression and anxiety disorders that affect mothers with young children, are a major public health issue in developing countries. This study investigates the prevalence of CMD and its associated factors among mothers attending a well-child clinic in Mombasa, Kenya. In this cross-sectional study, 429 women were screened for the presence of CMD using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20). Social suppor…
Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders and its Association with Life Events and Social Support in Mothers Attending a Well-Child Clinic
Common mental disorders (CMD), such as depression and anxiety disorders that affect mothers with young children, are a major public health issue in developing countries. This study investigates the prevalence of CMD and its associated factors among mothers attending a well-child clinic in Mombasa, Kenya. In this cross-sectional study, 429 women were screened for the presence of CMD using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20). Social suppor…
Those whom I have to talk to, I can't talk to’
Anxiety during pregnancy is highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. The relative importance of different sources and types of perceived support in the Pakistani context is unknown. We explored social support during pregnancy and the role of social isolation in Pakistani women's experiences of antenatal anxiety. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 pregnant women with symptoms of anxiety and 10 female healthcare providers …
Cognitive behaviour therapy-based intervention by community health workers for mothers with depression and their infants in rural Pakistan
The impact of perinatal depression on exclusive breastfeeding
Perinatal depression is associated with infant undernutrition. We hypothesised that perinatal depression was associated with early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding and reduced quantity of breast milk in rural Pakistan. We used a prospective cohort design to study a population-based sample of 132 depressed and 147 non-depressed women from the third trimester of pregnancy to 6 months post-natal. Current major depressive episode was measured in …
Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders and its Association with Life Events and Social Support in Mothers Attending a Well-Child Clinic
Common mental disorders (CMD), such as depression and anxiety disorders that affect mothers with young children, are a major public health issue in developing countries. This study investigates the prevalence of CMD and its associated factors among mothers attending a well-child clinic in Mombasa, Kenya. In this cross-sectional study, 429 women were screened for the presence of CMD using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20). Social suppor…
“A Woman Is a Puppet.” Women’s Disempowerment and Prenatal Anxiety in Pakistan
Common mental disorders are highly prevalent among pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries, yet prenatal anxiety remains poorly understood, particularly in the sociocultural context of South Asia. Our study explored sources, mitigators, and coping strategies for anxiety among symptomatic pregnant women in Pakistan, particularly in relation to autonomy in decision-making and social support. We interviewed 19 pregnant married women aged …
Development of a Psychological Intervention to Address Anxiety During Pregnancy in a Low-Income Country
Background: One in five women suffer from anxiety during pregnancy. Untreated anxiety is a risk factor for postnatal depression and is associated with adverse birth outcomes. Despite the high prevalence of prenatal anxiety in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), efforts to develop and evaluate context-specific interventions in these settings are lacking. We aimed to develop a culturally appropriate, feasible, and acceptable psychological int…
Prevalence of Depression and Its Associated Factors During 2nd Wave of Covid-19 Among Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Lahore
Purpose of the study: Antenatal depression is a significant predictor for postnatal depression, and pregnant women with depressive symptoms have an increased risk of frequent non-scheduled medical and emergency visits. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the antenatal depression and its related factors and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the frequency of antenatal visits. Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted fro…
Scalable Screening and Treatment Response Monitoring for Perinatal Depression in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Common perinatal mental disorders such as anxiety and depression are a public health concern in low- and middle-income countries. Several tools exist for screening and monitoring treatment responses, which have frequently been tested globally in clinical and research settings. However, these tools are relatively long and not practical for integration into routine data systems in most settings. This study aims to address this gap by considering th…
The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Pregnant Women with Perinatal Anxiety Symptoms in Pakistan
The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on people with existing mental health conditions is likely to be high. We explored the consequences of the pandemic on women of lower socioeconomic status with prenatal anxiety symptoms living in urban Rawalpindi, Pakistan. This qualitative study was embedded within an ongoing randomized controlled trial of psychosocial intervention for prenatal anxiety at a public hospital in Rawalpindi. The part…
Cultural adaptation and psychometric validation of the Pregnancy Experience Scale–Brief version (PES-Brief) in Pakistani women with antenatal anxiety symptoms
Background: Pregnancy experiences influence fetal and birth outcomes. There is scarcity of locally validated tools to assess pregnancy experiences. We aimed to validate the Pregnancy Experience Scale-Brief (PES-Brief) in pregnant Pakistani women with anxiety symptoms. Methods: A two-step process was used including 1) adaptation via translation/back-translation followed by cognitive interviewing with 10 participants and 2) factor analysis and vali…
Those whom I have to talk to, I can't talk to’
Anxiety during pregnancy is highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. The relative importance of different sources and types of perceived support in the Pakistani context is unknown. We explored social support during pregnancy and the role of social isolation in Pakistani women's experiences of antenatal anxiety. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 19 pregnant women with symptoms of anxiety and 10 female healthcare providers …
Perceived Social Support and Women’s Empowerment and Their Associations with Pregnancy Experiences in Anxious Women
Exploring preference for delivery methods for a psychosocial intervention for prenatal anxiety
This study underscores the need for adaptable intervention delivery strategies that consider cultural norms, logistical challenges, and individual family dynamics. By combining the benefits of both delivery methods, mental health interventions can be optimized to effectively address prenatal anxiety and promote well-being in resource-constrained settings like Pakistan
Optimizing psychotherapies for perinatal depressive symptom dimensions by strengthening social support networks
The Thinking Healthy Program (THP) is a multicomponent low-intensity cognitive behavioral therapy-based psychosocial intervention. This intervention has been shown to be clinically effective in perinatal depression (PND) and feasible for implementation in low-resourced settings. It has also been shown to work universally for different phenotypes of PND. However, the mechanism through which THP resolves different phenotypes of PND are unclear. The…
Social Support and Spousal Relationship Quality Improves Responsiveness among Anxious Mothers
Self-reported problems and functional difficulties in anxious pregnant women in Pakistan
Anxiety during pregnancy affects women worldwide and is highly prevalent in Pakistan. The Psychological Outcome Profiles (PSYCHLOPS) questionnaire is an instrument used in therapy to assess patient-generated problems and the consequent functional difficulties. Using the PSYCHLOPS, we aimed to describe the type of problems and the consequent functional difficulties faced by anxious pregnant women in Pakistan. Secondarily, we sought to explore if a…
Cost-effectiveness of a technology-assisted peer-delivered perinatal mental health intervention in Pakistan
INTRODUCTION: Perinatal depression in low- and middle-income countries is a global health concern. Interventions to support women suffering from perinatal depression using mental health specialists, such as the WHO Thinking Healthy Programme (WHO-THP), are established but may not be scalable in resource-constrained settings. The technology-assisted peer-delivered THP (THP-TAP) has been developed as a potential solution to deliver an intervention …
Receipt of a psychosocial intervention for prenatal anxiety and risk of perinatal intimate partner violence in Pakistani women
Mental health and intimate partner violence (IPV) are urgent public health problems in the perinatal period. We examined whether a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) intervention designed to lower prenatal anxiety led to differing risk of perinatal IPV between the intervention and control arms. We investigated if social support or spousal relationship quality in the third trimester mediated this association. The analysis included 755 pregnant Pak…
The Association of Spousal Relationship Quality and Social Support With Maternal‐Infant Bonding
This study examined associations between spousal relationship quality and social support with mother‐infant bonding among women in Rawalpindi, Pakistan (Intervention Arm: n = 352, M age = 25.1, SD = 4.7; Control Arm: n = 358, M age = 25.3, SD = 4.5). We used cross‐sectional data from the Happy Mother‐Healthy Baby intervention study, a randomized controlled trial conducted between 2019 and 2022. Women were enrolled at their first prenatal visit (a…
Exploring the delivery of empathic care in task-shared settings
Empathy plays a crucial role in psychosocial and psychological interventions, greatly impacting rapport building, patient adherence, and satisfaction with treatment. Empathetic interactions enhance patient’s self-reflection and the delivery of more personalized therapeutic interventions tailored to the unique needs of each patient, thereby improving the overall quality of care. Despite empathy being central to psychosocial interventions, there ar…
Impacts of chronic suicidal ideation on parenting and child development
“At least here, someone listens to us”
Perinatal mental health conditions are prevalent in low- and middle-income countries but poorly integrated into maternal care. In resource-constrained systems, research participation may substitute for absent services, raising ethical and structural questions about boundaries between research and care. This qualitative descriptive interpretive study, conducted in a tertiary public hospital in Pakistan within a biomarker-based longitudinal study o…
Psychosocial Challenges Faced by Women After Perinatal Loss in Pakistan and the Need for Supportive Interpregnancy Care
From Global to Local
Background: Medical students frequently experience psychological distress due to intense academic demands and high-stakes assessments.Scalable psychological interventions such as Self-Help Plus (SH+) may support student well-being, but contextual adaptation is required to ensure relevance within medical education.Objective: To adapt the SH+ intervention culturally and contextually for medical students while maintaining the core principles of Acce…
Technology-assisted platform (TAP) for training and supervision of task-shared psychosocial interventions to ensure competency during scale-up in low-resource settings
Common mental disorders are a major public health concern, particularly in low-resource settings where specialist services are limited. While task-shifting to non-specialist providers (NSPs) has improved access, maintaining their competency during scale-up remains a challenge. This study evaluated a technology-assisted platform (TAP) for training and supervision of NSPs delivering the WHO Thinking Healthy Programme (THP) for perinatal depression.…
Biopsychosocial Stressors and Perinatal Mental Health
Perinatal common mental health disorders (CMDs) remain major yet under-recognized public health concerns in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), where women face a dual burden of biological vulnerability and social adversity.This longitudinal cohort study provides rare integrated evidence from Pakistan demonstrating that readily measurable and highly prevalent nutritional deficiencies, particularly low hemoglobin and vitamin D levels, signifi…
Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum (23 works) · Anxiety (16 works) · Psychiatry (16 works) · Medicine (15 works) · Psychology (15 works) · Clinical Psychology (12 works) · Pregnancy (12 works) · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development (10 works) · Mental health (9 works) · Social support (9 works)