State of the Science: Using Digital Mental Health Interventions to Extend the Impact of Psychological Services

Ramos, Giovanni; Hernandez-Ramos, Rosa; Taylor, Madison; Schueller, Stephen M.

doi:10.1016/j.beth.2024.04.004

Cited by 7 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 97 publications

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“…Overall, there are mixed results for the effectiveness of digital CBT interventions, and their impact is restricted by the issues related to limited reach, low adoption, implementation barriers and poor long-term maintenance among the intended users. 45 Nevertheless, there is a need to test further approaches to address generalised anxiety symptoms among university student populations. Furthermore, there is a significant scope to improve the adherence to digital CBT-based interventions based on the above-mentioned intervention approaches utilising emerging technologies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cerina: cognitive–behavioural therapy-based mobile application for managing GAD symptoms among Ulster University Students in Northern Ireland – a protocol for a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial

Eylem-van Bergeijk,

Poulter,

Ashcroft

et al. 2024

BMJ Open

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IntroductionUniversity students are one of the most vulnerable populations for anxiety disorders worldwide. In Northern Ireland, anxiety disorders appear to be more common among the university student population due to the population demographics across the region. Despite the need, these students show less inclination to access the widely available on-campus well-being services and other external professional services. Digital cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) aims to bridge this gap between the need for psychological help and access to it. However, challenges such as limited reach, low adoption, implementation barriers and poor long-term maintenance are mainstay issues resulting in reduced uptake of digital CBT. As a result, the potential impact of digital CBT is currently restricted. The proposed intervention ‘Cerina’ is a scalable CBT-based mobile app with an interactive user interface that can be implemented in university settings if found to be feasible and effective.Methods and analysisThe study is a single-blind pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial aiming to test the feasibility and preliminary effects of Cerina in reducing Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) symptoms. Participants are 90 Ulster University students aged 18 and above with self-reported GAD symptoms. They will be allocated to two conditions: treatment (ie, access to Cerina for 6 weeks) and a wait-list control group (ie, optional on-campus well-being services for 6 weeks). Participants in the wait-list will access Cerina 6 weeks after their randomisation and participants in both conditions will be assessed at baseline, at 3 (mid-assessment) and 6 weeks (postassessment). The primary outcome is the feasibility of Cerina (ie, adherence to the intervention, its usability and the potential to deliver a full trial in the future). The secondary outcomes include generalised anxiety, depression, worry and quality of life. Additionally, participants in both conditions will be invited to semistructured interviews for process evaluation.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval for the study has been granted by the Ulster University Research Ethics Committee (ID: FCPSY-22-084). The results of the study will be disseminated through publications in scientific articles and presentations at relevant conferences and/or public events.Trial registration numberNCT06146530.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cerina: cognitive–behavioural therapy-based mobile application for managing GAD symptoms among Ulster University Students in Northern Ireland – a protocol for a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial

Eylem-van Bergeijk,

Poulter,

Ashcroft

et al. 2024

BMJ Open

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“…The integration of the Internet into daily life has catalyzed a shift toward digital mental health interventions, with a notable rise in the preference for treatments delivered online ( Ramos et al, 2024 ). Online MBCT in an individual format is following this trend of preference when compared to treatment delivered face-to-face.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for treatment-resistant depression: a parallel-arm randomized controlled feasibility trial

Rodrigues,

Quagliato,

Appolinario

et al. 2024

Front. Psychol.

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IntroductionTreatment-resistant depression (TRD) presents a significant challenge, affecting approximately 30% of individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder and leading to poor treatment responses. Innovations in digital mental health, especially online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (eMBCT), offer promising avenues for enhancing access to effective mental health care for individuals with TRD in a clinical setting.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of eMBCT in an individual clinical context to decrease depressive symptoms for TRD.MethodsConducted at the Institute of Psychiatry of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this parallel-arm, randomized controlled feasibility trial involved outpatients diagnosed with TRD, aged 18 and above. Of the 39 outpatients invited, 28 were randomized into two groups: an intervention group receiving the eMBCT program (n = 15) and a control group (n = 13). The intervention, consisting of an 8-week course, was delivered via live video sessions. Following the assessment period, participants in the control group were offered the eMBCT intervention. Assessments using standardized questionnaires were conducted at the start and end of the study.ResultsWithin the eMBCT group, improvements were observed in depression symptoms (Z = −3.423; p = 0.001; effect size r = 0.78), anxiety symptoms (Z = −3.361; p = 0.001; effect size r = 0.77), with no significant changes in the control group. Comparatively, the eMBCT group showed significant reductions in depression symptoms and improvements in clinical global impressions over the control group (BDI2: U = 30.5; p = 0.015; effect size r = 0.47, CGI1: U = 21.0; p = 0.004; effect size r = 0.56).ConclusioneMBCT in an individual format combined with medication, appears to be a feasible treatment for TRD, decreasing symptoms of depression. In a future trial the control group may have a manualized intervention.Clinical trial registrationThe Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry: (https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-6zndpbv) and RBR-6zndpbv.

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State of the Science of Cognitive Processing Therapy

Resick,

LoSavio,

Monson

et al. 2024

Behavior Therapy

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State of the Science: Using Digital Mental Health Interventions to Extend the Impact of Psychological Services

Cited by 7 publications

References 97 publications

Cerina: cognitive–behavioural therapy-based mobile application for managing GAD symptoms among Ulster University Students in Northern Ireland – a protocol for a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial

Cerina: cognitive–behavioural therapy-based mobile application for managing GAD symptoms among Ulster University Students in Northern Ireland – a protocol for a pilot feasibility randomised controlled trial

Online mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for treatment-resistant depression: a parallel-arm randomized controlled feasibility trial

State of the Science of Cognitive Processing Therapy

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