Achieving Precision Mental Health through Effective Assessment, Monitoring, and Feedback Processes : Introduction to the Special Issue

Data-Informed Communication: How Measurement-Based Care Can Optimize Child Psychotherapy

Measurement-based care (MBC) research and practice, including clinical workflows and systems to support MBC, are grounded in adult-serving mental health systems. MBC research evidence is building in child and adolescent services, but MBC practice is inherently more complex due to identified client age, the family system and the need to involve multiple reporters. This paper seeks to address a gap in the literature by providing practical guidance for youth-serving clinicians implementing MBC with children and their families. We focus on MBC as a data-informed, client-centered communication process, and present three key strategies to enhance usual care child and adolescent psychotherapy via developmentally-appropriate MBC. These strategies include (1) go beyond standardized measures; (2) lean into discrepancies; and (3) get curious together. Case-based examples drawn from various child-serving settings illustrate these key strategies of MBC in child psychotherapy.

A Precision Mental Health Model for Predicting Stability of 4-year-olds' Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms to Age 6 Diagnostic Status

OBJECTIVE

Estimates of the stability of a preschooler's diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) into early elementary school vary greatly. Identified factors associated with diagnostic instability provide little guidance about the likelihood a particular child will have ADHD in elementary school. This study examined an approach to predicting age 6 ADHD-any subtype (ADHD-any) from preschoolers' demographics and ADHD symptoms.

METHOD

Participants were 796 preschool children (Mage = 4.44; 51% boys; 54% White, non-Hispanic) recruited from primary pediatric care and school settings. Parents completed ADHD Rating Scales at child ages 4 and 5 years, and a structured diagnostic interview (DISC-YC) at ages 4 and 6. Classification tree analyses (CTAs) examined the predictive utility of demographic and symptom variables at ages 4 and 5 years for age 6 ADHD.

RESULTS

Over half (52.05%) of preschoolers meeting diagnostic criteria for ADHD-any at age 4 did not meet those criteria at age 6; more than half (52.05%) meeting criteria for ADHD-any at age 6 had not met those criteria at age 4. A CTA conducted at age 4 predicted age 6 ADHD-any diagnosis 65.82% better than chance; an age 5 CTA predicted age 6 ADHD-any 70.60% better than chance. At age 4, likelihood of age 6 ADHD-any diagnosis varied from <5% to >40% across CTA tree branches and from <5% to >78% at age 5.

CONCLUSIONS

Parent-reported patterns of preschool-age symptoms may differentially predict ADHD-any at age 6. Psychoeducation regarding these patterns may aid in decision about pursuing multidisciplinary evaluations or initiating treatment.

Core Components and Implementation Determinants of Multilevel Service Delivery Frameworks Across Child Mental Health Service Settings

Multilevel service delivery frameworks are approaches to structuring and organizing a spectrum of evidence-based services and supports, focused on assessment, prevention, and intervention designed for the local context. Exemplar frameworks in child mental health include positive behavioral interventions and supports in education, collaborative care in primary care, and systems of care in community mental health settings. Yet, their high-quality implementation has lagged. This work proposes a conceptual foundation for multilevel service delivery frameworks spanning diverse mental health service settings that can inform development of strategic implementation supports. We draw upon the existing literature for three exemplar multilevel service delivery frameworks in different child mental health service settings to (1) identify core components common to each framework, and (2) to highlight prominent implementation determinants that interface with each core component. Six interrelated components of multilevel service delivery frameworks were identified, including, (1) a systems-level approach, (2) data-driven problem solving and decision-making, (3) multiple levels of service intensity using evidence-based practices, (4) cross-linking service sectors, (5) multiple providers working together, including in teams, and (6) built-in implementation strategies that facilitate delivery of the overall model. Implementation determinants that interface with core components were identified at each contextual level. The conceptual foundation provided in this paper has the potential to facilitate cross-sector knowledge sharing, promote generalization across service settings, and provide direction for researchers, system leaders, and implementation intermediaries/practitioners working to strategically support the high-quality implementation of these frameworks.

A prognostic index to predict symptom and functional outcomes of a coached, web-based intervention for trauma-exposed veterans

Researchers at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have studied interventions for posttraumatic stress disorder and co-occurring conditions in both traditional and digital formats. One such empirically supported intervention is web skills training in affective and interpersonal regulation (webSTAIR), a coached, 10-module web program based on STAIR. To understand which patient characteristics were predictive of webSTAIR outcomes in a sample of trauma-exposed veterans (N = 189), we used machine learning (ML) to develop a prognostic index from among 18 baseline characteristics (i.e., demographic, military, trauma history, and clinical) to predict posttreatment posttraumatic stress disorder severity, depression severity, and psychosocial functioning impairment. We compared the ML models to a benchmark of linear regression models in which the only predictor was the baseline severity score of the outcome measure. The ML and "severity-only" models performed similarly, explaining 39%-45% of the variance in outcomes. This suggests that baseline symptom severity and functioning are strong indicators for webSTAIR outcomes in veterans, with higher severity indicating worse prognosis, and that the other variables examined did not contribute significant added predictive signal. Findings also highlight the importance of comparing ML models to an appropriate benchmark. Future research with larger samples could potentially detect smaller patient-level effects as well as effects driven by other types of variables (e.g., therapeutic process variables). As a transdiagnostic, digital intervention, webSTAIR can potentially serve a diverse veteran population with varying trauma histories and may be best conceptualized as a beneficial first step of a stepped care model for those with heightened symptoms or impairment. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Aerobic exercise interventions to address impaired quality of life in patients with pituitary tumors

Patients with pituitary tumors may experience persistent fatigue and reduced physical activity, based on subjective measures after treatment. These symptoms may persist despite gross total resection of their tumors and biochemical normalization of pituitary function. While reduced quality of life has been commonly acknowledged in pituitary tumor patients, there is a lack of studies on what interventions may be best implemented to ameliorate these issues, particularly when hormonal levels have otherwise normalized. Aerobic exercise programs have been previously described to ameliorate symptoms of chronic fatigue and reduced physical capacity across a variety of pathologies in the literature. As such, a prescribed aerobic exercise program may be an underrecognized but potentially impactful intervention to address quality of life in pituitary tumor patients. This review seeks to summarize the existing literature on aerobic exercise interventions in patients with pituitary tumors. In addition, future areas of study are discussed, including tailoring exercise programs to the hormonal status of the patient and incorporating more objective measures in monitoring response to interventions.

Potentiality of algorithms and artificial intelligence adoption to improve medication management in primary care: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of artificial intelligence (AI) and/or algorithms on drug management in primary care settings comparing AI and/or algorithms with standard clinical practice. Second, we evaluated what is the most frequently reported type of medication error and the most used AI machine type.

METHODS

A systematic review of literature was conducted querying PubMed, Cochrane and ISI Web of Science until November 2021. The search strategy and the study selection were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and the Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome framework. Specifically, the Population chosen was general population of all ages (ie, including paediatric patients) in primary care settings (ie, home setting, ambulatory and nursery homes); the Intervention considered was the analysis AI and/or algorithms (ie, intelligent programs or software) application in primary care for reducing medications errors, the Comparator was the general practice and, lastly, the Outcome was the reduction of preventable medication errors (eg, overprescribing, inappropriate medication, drug interaction, risk of injury, dosing errors or in an increase in adherence to therapy). The methodological quality of included studies was appraised adopting the Quality Assessment of Controlled Intervention Studies of the National Institute of Health for randomised controlled trials.

RESULTS

Studies reported in different ways the effective reduction of medication error. Ten out of 14 included studies, corresponding to 71% of articles, reported a reduction of medication errors, supporting the hypothesis that AI is an important tool for patient safety.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights how a proper application of AI in primary care is possible, since it provides an important tool to support the physician with drug management in non-hospital environments.

Comparative analysis of pediatric anxiety measures in clinical sample: evaluation of the PROMIS pediatric anxiety short forms

OBJECTIVE

Examine the psychometric properties, validity in relation to a legacy measure, and diagnostic accuracy of the PROMIS Anxiety Short Form 2.0 (PROMIS A-SF) Caregiver and Youth Reports in a clinical sample.

METHODS

Participants were 301 youth and caregivers referred to a behavioral health clinic by their pediatrician. Participants and their caregivers completed PROMIS A-SF (youth and caregiver proxy), SCARED (youth and caregiver proxy), and a semi-structured interview. Descriptive, correlational, test-retest reliability, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were conducted for both measures.

RESULTS

PROMIS A-SF measures were highly correlated with SCARED total scores and the panic subscale. PROMIS A-SF measures had AUCs ranging from .49-.79 for the detection of any of three primary subtypes of anxiety: Generalized Anxiety, Separation Anxiety, and Social Anxiety.

IMPLICATIONS

Dimensional anxiety subtypes, such as Social Anxiety may not be well detected on the PROMIS youth measure. Use of the PROMIS A-SF as a part of Evidence Based Assessment process is discussed.

Study protocol for a cluster-randomized trial of a bundle of implementation support strategies to improve the fidelity of implementation of schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in rural schools

Background

Improving the implementation of evidence-based interventions is important for population-level impacts. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is effective for improving school climate and students’ behavioral outcomes, but rural schools often lag behind urban and suburban schools in implementing such initiatives.

Methods/Design

This paper describes a Type 3 hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial of Rural School Support Strategies (RS3), a bundle of implementation support strategies selected to improve implementation outcomes in rural schools. In this two-arm parallel group trial, 40 rural public schools are randomized to receive: 1) a series of trainings about PBIS; or 2) an enhanced condition with training plus RS3. The trial was planned for two years, but due to the pandemic has been extended another year. RS3 draws from the Interactive Systems Framework, with a university-based team (support system) that works with a team at each school (school-based delivery system), increasing engagement through strategies such as: providing technical assistance, facilitating school team functioning, and educating implementers. The primary organizational-level outcome is fidelity of implementation, with additional implementation outcomes of feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and cost. Staff-level outcomes include perceived climate and self-reported adoption of PBIS core components. Student-level outcomes include disciplinary referrals, academic achievement, and perceived climate. Mediators being evaluated include organizational readiness, school team functioning, and psychological safety.

Discussion

The study tests implementation strategies, with strengths including a theory-based design, mixed methods data collection, and consideration of mediational mechanisms. Results will yield knowledge about how to improve implementation of universal prevention initiatives in rural schools.

Exploring the Impact of Trauma History on the Mental Health Presentations of Youth who have Experienced Commercial Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking

This study explores the types and extent of potentially traumatic events that youth who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking (CSE/T) report, and how these experiences influence mental health. CSE/T youth (N = 110, 11-19 years old) referred to Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral therapists affiliated with Project Intersect provided self-report data between August 2013 and March 2020 at the start (baseline), mid-point, and completion of therapeutic services. This study focuses on the baseline data collected. Bivariate relationships were analyzed, and where bivariate associations were statistically significant, associations were assessed in adjusted regression models. Two logistic regressions were performed: one for the adjusted associations between types of potentially traumatic events reported by CSE/T youth and the outcome PTSD, and a second for the outcome emotional distress. Results indicated that polytrauma was significantly associated with PTSD diagnosis among CSE/T youth. Direct violence victimization and polytrauma were significantly associated with CSE/T youth emotional distress. Results inform behavioral medicine practitioner considerations for how to appropriately assess the potentially traumatic experiences of CSE/T youth, and how these experiences may differentially impact the mental health presentations of youth in clinical treatment. Effective treatment may include precision-based customization of evidence-based practices to ensure that the diverse traumatic experiences and related symptomatology of CSE/T youth are effectively addressed.

PTSD Coach Version 3.1: A Closer Look at the Reach, Use, and Potential Impact of This Updated Mobile Health App in the General Public

BACKGROUND

With widespread smartphone ownership, mobile health apps (mHealth) can expand access to evidence-based interventions for mental health conditions, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Research to evaluate new features and capabilities in these apps is critical but lags behind app development. The initial release of PTSD Coach, a free self-management app developed by the US Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense, was found to have a positive public health impact. However, major stakeholder-driven updates to the app have yet to be evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to characterize the reach, use, and potential impact of PTSD Coach Version 3.1 in the general public. As part of characterizing use, we investigated the use of specific app features, which extended previous work on PTSD Coach.

METHODS

We examined the naturalistic use of PTSD Coach during a 1-year observation period between April 20, 2020, and April 19, 2021, using anonymous in-app event data to generate summary metrics for users.

RESULTS

During the observation period, PTSD Coach was broadly disseminated to the public, reaching approximately 150,000 total users and 20,000 users per month. On average, users used the app 3 times across 3 separate days for 18 minutes in total, with steep drop-offs in use over time; a subset of users, however, demonstrated high or sustained engagement. More than half of users (79,099/128,691, 61.46%) accessed one or more main content areas of the app (ie, Manage Symptoms, Track Progress, Learn, or Get Support). Among content areas, features under Manage Symptoms (including coping tools) were accessed most frequently, by over 40% of users (53,314/128,691, 41.43% to 56,971/128,691, 44.27%, depending on the feature). Users who provided initial distress ratings (56,971/128,691, 44.27%) reported relatively high momentary distress (mean 6.03, SD 2.52, on a scale of 0-10), and the use of a coping tool modestly improved momentary distress (mean -1.38, SD 1.70). Among users who completed at least one PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) assessment (17,589/128,691, 13.67%), PTSD symptoms were largely above the clinical threshold (mean 49.80, SD 16.36). Among users who completed at least two PCL-5 assessments (4989/128,691, 3.88%), PTSD symptoms decreased from the first to last assessment (mean -4.35, SD 15.29), with approximately one-third (1585/4989, 31.77%) of these users experiencing clinically significant improvements.

CONCLUSIONS

PTSD Coach continues to fulfill its mission as a public health resource. Version 3.1 compares favorably with version 1 on most metrics related to reach, use, and potential impact. Although benefits appear modest on an individual basis, the app provides these benefits to a large population. For mHealth apps to reach their full potential in supporting trauma recovery, future research should aim to understand the utility of individual app features and identify strategies to maximize overall effectiveness and engagement.

A Local Community-Based Social Network for Mental Health and Well-being (Quokka): Exploratory Feasibility Study

BACKGROUND

Developing healthy habits and maintaining prolonged behavior changes are often difficult tasks. Mental health is one of the largest health concerns globally, including for college students.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to conduct an exploratory feasibility study of local community-based interventions by developing Quokka, a web platform promoting well-being activity on university campuses. We evaluated the intervention's potential for promotion of local, social, and unfamiliar activities pertaining to healthy habits.

METHODS

To evaluate this framework's potential for increased participation in healthy habits, we conducted a 6-to-8-week feasibility study via a "challenge" across 4 university campuses with a total of 277 participants. We chose a different well-being theme each week, and we conducted weekly surveys to (1) gauge factors that motivated users to complete or not complete the weekly challenge, (2) identify participation trends, and (3) evaluate the feasibility of the intervention to promote local, social, and novel well-being activities. We tested the hypotheses that Quokka participants would self-report participation in more local activities than remote activities for all challenges (Hypothesis H1), more social activities than individual activities (Hypothesis H2), and new rather than familiar activities (Hypothesis H3).

RESULTS

After Bonferroni correction using a Clopper-Pearson binomial proportion confidence interval for one test, we found that there was a strong preference for local activities for all challenge themes. Similarly, users significantly preferred group activities over individual activities (P<.001 for most challenge themes). For most challenge themes, there were not enough data to significantly distinguish a preference toward familiar or new activities (P<.001 for a subset of challenge themes in some schools).

CONCLUSIONS

We find that local community-based well-being interventions such as Quokka can facilitate positive behaviors. We discuss these findings and their implications for the research and design of location-based digital communities for well-being promotion.

Trends and gaps in precision health research: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To determine progress and gaps in global precision health research, examining whether precision health studies integrate multiple types of information for health promotion or restoration.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

DATA SOURCES

Searches in Medline (OVID), PsycINFO (OVID), Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and grey literature (Google Scholar) were carried out in June 2020.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Studies should describe original precision health research; involve human participants, datasets or samples; and collect health-related information. Reviews, editorial articles, conference abstracts or posters, dissertations and articles not published in English were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

The following data were extracted in independent duplicate: author details, study objectives, technology developed, study design, health conditions addressed, precision health focus, data collected for personalisation, participant characteristics and sentence defining 'precision health'. Quantitative and qualitative data were summarised narratively in text and presented in tables and graphs.

RESULTS

After screening 8053 articles, 225 studies were reviewed. Almost half (105/225, 46.7%) of the studies focused on developing an intervention, primarily digital health promotion tools (80/225, 35.6%). Only 28.9% (65/225) of the studies used at least four types of participant data for tailoring, with personalisation usually based on behavioural (108/225, 48%), sociodemographic (100/225, 44.4%) and/or clinical (98/225, 43.6%) information. Participant median age was 48 years old (IQR 28-61), and the top three health conditions addressed were metabolic disorders (35/225, 15.6%), cardiovascular disease (29/225, 12.9%) and cancer (26/225, 11.6%). Only 68% of the studies (153/225) reported participants' gender, 38.7% (87/225) provided participants' race/ethnicity, and 20.4% (46/225) included people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. More than 57% of the articles (130/225) have authors from only one discipline.

CONCLUSIONS

Although there is a growing number of precision health studies that test or develop interventions, there is a significant gap in the integration of multiple data types, systematic intervention assessment using randomised controlled trials and reporting of participant gender and ethnicity. Greater interdisciplinary collaboration is needed to gather multiple data types; collectively analyse big and complex data; and provide interventions that restore, maintain and/or promote good health for all, from birth to old age.

Improving Mental Health Services: A 50-Year Journey from Randomized Experiments to Artificial Intelligence and Precision Mental Health

This conceptual paper describes the current state of mental health services, identifies critical problems, and suggests how to solve them. I focus on the potential contributions of artificial intelligence and precision mental health to improving mental health services. Toward that end, I draw upon my own research, which has changed over the last half century, to highlight the need to transform the way we conduct mental health services research. I identify exemplars from the emerging literature on artificial intelligence and precision approaches to treatment in which there is an attempt to personalize or fit the treatment to the client in order to produce more effective interventions.

Improving the Quality of Children's Mental Health Care with Progress Measures: A Mixed-Methods Study of PCIT Therapist Attitudes

Progress measures are an evidence-based technique for improving the quality of mental health care, however, clinicians rarely incorporate them into treatment. Research into how measure type impacts clinician preference has been recommended to help improve measure implementation. Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an assessment-driven treatment that serves as an ideal intervention through which to investigate measure preferences given its routine use of two types of assessments, a behavioral observation (the Dyadic Parent–Child Interaction Coding System) and a parent-report measure (the Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory). This study investigated PCIT therapist attitudes towards progress measures used within PCIT and children’s mental health treatment generally. A mixed-method (QUAN + QUAL) study design examined PCIT therapist attitudes towards two types of progress measures and measures used in two contexts (PCIT and general practice). Multi-level modeling of a survey distributed to 324 PCIT therapists identified predictors of therapist attitudes towards measures, while qualitative interviews with 23 therapists expanded and clarified the rationale for differing perceptions. PCIT therapists reported more positive attitudes towards a behavioral observation measure, the DPICS, than a parent-report measure, the ECBI, and towards measures used in PCIT than in general practice. Clinician race/ethnicity was significantly related to measure-specific attitudes. Qualitative interviews highlighted how perceptions of measure reliability, type of data offered, ease of use, utility in guiding sessions and motivating clients, and embeddedness in treatment protocol impact therapist preferences. Efforts to implement progress monitoring should consider preferences for particular types of measures, as well as how therapists are trained to embed measures in treatment.

Exploration, Preparation, and Implementation of Standardized Assessment in a Multi-agency School Behavioral Health Network

School mental health treatment services offer broad public health impact and could benefit from more widespread implementation and sustainment of standardized assessments (SA). This demonstration study describes one approach to increase SA use in a large school behavioral health network using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation and Sustainment (EPIS) framework. Mental health administrator interviews with four participating agencies and a multidisciplinary planning team informed SA measure selection and implementation supports. The SA initiative was implemented during one school year, including system-wide training and ongoing implementation supports for 95 clinicians. Linear mixed effect models revealed improvements in clinician attitudes about the SA for clinical utility and treatment planning immediately following the half-day training (N = 95, p < .001). Clinicians self-reported a significant increase in use of SA for new clients during intakes (p < .001) over time and 71.4% of expected SA data were submitted. Qualitative feedback, including recommendations to offer more SA choices and beginning new SA data collection earlier in the school year, was integrated to inform quality improvements and future sustainment efforts.

Use of Korean dramas to facilitate precision mental health understanding and discussion for Asian Americans

Precision mental health holds great potential for revolutionizing care and reducing the burden of mental illness. All races and ethnicities such as Asian Americans, the fastest growing racial group in the United States (U.S.), need to be engaged in precision mental health research. Owing to its global popularity, Korean drama ('K-drama') television shows may be an effective educational tool to increase precision mental health knowledge, attitudes and behaviors among Asian Americans. This qualitative study examined the participants' perspectives about and acceptance of using K-dramas to educate and engage Asian Americans about precision mental health. Twelve workshops were conducted in English, Vietnamese and Korean with a convenience sample in the San Francisco Bay Area in the U.S. (n = 122). Discussions were coded for themes. Findings revealed that all language groups reported positive reactions to using K-dramas to learn about precision health, genetics and mental health. Overall, participants shared that they learned about topics that are not generally talked about (e.g. precision health; genetic testing; mental health), from other people's perspectives, and the importance of mental health. Participants expressed how much they enjoyed the workshop, how they felt relieved due to the workshop, thought the workshop was interesting, and had an opportunity for self-reflection/healing. This pilot test demonstrated that K-dramas has promise to be used as a health educational tool in a workshop format focused on mental health among a diverse group of Asian Americans. Given the widespread access to K-dramas, they present a scalable opportunity for increasing awareness about specific health topics.

Longitudinal Effects of PostDivorce Interparental Conflict on Children's Mental Health Problems Through Fear of Abandonment: Does Parenting Quality Play a Buffering Role?

In a sample of 559 children (ages 9-18), researchers investigated whether: (a) fear of abandonment mediated the association between postdivorce interparental conflict (IPC) and mental health problems, and (b) parent-child relationship quality moderated the association between IPC and fear of abandonment. Mediation analyses indicated that pretest IPC predicted fear of abandonment 3 months later, which then predicted child- and teacher-reported mental health problems 10 months later. The hypothesized protective effect of a high-quality parent-child relationship was not observed. IPC predicted fear of abandonment for all children, except for those with low- and moderate-quality father-child relationships, for whom IPC was not significantly related to fear of abandonment. Findings highlight the need to optimize child coping programs and improve parenting-after-divorce programs to reduce IPC.

eHealth and mHealth Psychosocial Interventions for Youths With Chronic Illnesses: Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

An estimated 12.8% of children and adolescents experience chronic health conditions that lead to poor quality of life, adjustment and coping issues, and concurrent mental health problems. Digital health deployment of psychosocial interventions to support youth with chronic illness has become increasingly popular with the advent of the technological advances in the digital age.

OBJECTIVE

Our objectives were to systematically review published efficacy studies of eHealth and mHealth (mobile health) psychosocial interventions for youths with chronic illnesses and review intervention theory and treatment components.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for studies published from 2008 to 2019 of eHealth and mHealth psychosocial interventions designed for children and adolescents with chronic illnesses in which efficacy outcomes were reported. We excluded studies of interventions for caregivers, healthy youth, disease and medication management, and telehealth interventions that function solely as a platform to connect patients to providers via phone, text, or videoconference.

RESULTS

We screened 2551 articles and 133 relevant full-text articles. Sixteen efficacy studies with psychosocial and health outcomes representing 12 unique interventions met the inclusion criteria. Of the included studies, 12 were randomized controlled trials and 4 were prospective cohort studies with no comparison group. Most interventions were based in cognitive behavioral theory and designed as eHealth interventions; only 2 were designed as mHealth interventions. All but 2 interventions provided access to support staff via text, phone, email, or discussion forums. The significant heterogeneity in intervention content, intervention structure, medical diagnoses, and outcomes precluded meta-analysis. For example, measurement time points ranged from immediately postcompletion of the mHealth program to 18 months later, and we identified 39 unique outcomes of interest. The majority of included studies (11/16, 69%) reported significant changes in measured health and/or psychosocial posttreatment outcomes, with small to large effect sizes.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the available literature on the efficacy of eHealth and mHealth psychosocial interventions for youth with chronic illnesses is limited, preliminary research suggests some evidence of positive treatment responses. Future studies should continue to evaluate whether digital health platforms may be a viable alternative model of delivery to traditional face-to-face approaches.

Four Actionable Bottlenecks and Potential Solutions to Translating Psychiatric Genetics Research: An Expert Review

BACKGROUND

Psychiatric genetics has had limited success in translational efforts. A thorough understanding of the present state of translation in this field will be useful in the facilitation and assessment of future translational progress.

PURPOSE

A narrative literature review was conducted. Combinations of 3 groups of terms were searched in EBSCOhost, Google Scholar, and PubMed. The review occurred in multiple steps, including abstract collection, inclusion/exclusion criteria review, coding, and analysis of included papers.

RESULTS

One hundred and fourteen articles were analyzed for the narrative review. Across those, 4 bottlenecks were noted that, if addressed, may provide insights and help improve and increase translation in the field of psychiatric genetics. These 4 bottlenecks are emphasizing linear translational frameworks, relying on molecular genomic findings, prioritizing certain psychiatric disorders, and publishing more reviews than experiments.

CONCLUSIONS

These entwined bottlenecks are examined with one another. Awareness of these bottlenecks can inform stakeholders who work to translate and/or utilize psychiatric genetic information. Potential solutions include utilizing nonlinear translational frameworks as well as a wider array of psychiatric genetic information (e.g., family history and gene-environment interplay) in this area of research, expanding which psychiatric disorders are considered for translation, and when possible, conducting original research. Researchers are urged to consider how their research is translational in the context of the frameworks, genetic information, and psychiatric disorders discussed in this review. At a broader level, these efforts should be supported with translational efforts in funding and policy shifts.

Acquisition of Information About Innovative Practices in Outpatient Mental Health Clinics

This study uses qualitative interviews with leaders of 34 mental health clinics in the context of a statewide rollout of clinical and business innovations to explore how clinics first learn about innovations and which external sources of information they access. Clinic leaders reported accessing information about innovations mainly from government agencies, professional associations, peer organizations, and research literature. Leaders mentioned an average of two external sources of information. There was evidence of variation in how leaders accessed information and how information about innovations was communicated within clinics. Findings have implications for improving dissemination of information about innovations in mental health systems.

Attitudes Towards the Use of Routine Outcome Monitoring of Psychological Therapies Among Mental Health Providers: The EBPAS-ROM

Implementation of routine outcome monitoring (ROM) in mental health care is progressing slowly. Knowledge about factors influencing ROM implementation, including health providers' attitudes towards ROM, is necessary. Based on a survey of 662 psychologists and nurses, this article describes (1) the development of a short instrument measuring provider attitudes towards ROM, derived from the Evidence-based Practice Attitude Scale (EBPAS), and (2) how attitudinal domains relate to clinicians' current use of standardized instruments for treatment evaluation. The EBPAS-ROM showed concurrent validity in predicting aspects important for the implementation of ROM, including perceived limitations and the value of organizational support.

Clinical Demonstration of the Potential of Parental Feedback in Reducing Deterioration During Group Psychotherapy With Children

In recent years, great efforts have been exerted to minimize the rates of deterioration in clinical practice, especially in child psychotherapy. The present study explored the potential effect of routine outcome monitoring (ROM) with parents as a preventive intervention to reduce deterioration in children. Twenty-five children receiving treatment for emotional problems were randomized to parent-based, ROM-assisted group psychotherapy or to treatment as usual (TAU). A mixed-methods approach was utilized, with the number of deteriorating cases compared at the group level and two case illustrations assessed at the individual level. At the group level, there were fewer cases of deterioration in child's anxiety, parental stress, and quality of parent's alliance in the ROM-assisted group, compared with TAU. Case studies illustrated how ROM can be used as a tool to communicate with parents to prevent deterioration. Routine outcome monitoring in child psychotherapy may thus benefit therapy process and outcome. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

Measurement-based care as a practice improvement tool: Clinical and organizational applications in youth mental health

Measurement-based care (MBC) is systematic, ongoing assessment to monitor treatment progress and inform clinical decision-making. MBC is considered an evidence-based practice, with extensive research support in adult clinical populations and emerging evidence in youth populations. This paper describes both clinical (e.g., enhancing therapy alliance, informing case conceptualization) and organizational (e.g., informing quality improvement efforts) applications of MBC, and illustrates the clinical applications through two case examples from publicly-funded mental health agency settings. The paper concludes by detailing future research needed to enhance the clinical and organizational utility of MBC.

What Gets Measured Gets Done: How Mental Health Agencies can Leverage Measurement-Based Care for Better Patient Care, Clinician Supports, and Organizational Goals

Mental health clinicians and administrators are increasingly asked to collect and report treatment outcome data despite numerous challenges to select and use instruments in routine practice. Measurement-based care (MBC) is an evidence-based practice for improving patient care. We propose that data collected from MBC processes with patients can be strategically leveraged by agencies to also support clinicians and respond to accountability requirements. MBC data elements are outlined using the Precision Mental Health Framework (Bickman et al. in Adm Policy Mental Health Mental Health Serv Res 43:271-276, 2016), practical guidance is provided for agency administrators, and conceptual examples illustrate strategic applications of one or more instruments to meet various needs throughout the organization.

A trial protocol for the effectiveness of digital interventions for preventing depression in adolescents: The Future Proofing Study

BACKGROUND

Depression frequently first emerges during adolescence, and one in five young people will experience an episode of depression by the age of 18 years. Despite advances in treatment, there has been limited progress in addressing the burden at a population level. Accordingly, there has been growing interest in prevention approaches as an additional pathway to address depression. Depression can be prevented using evidence-based psychological programmes. However, barriers to implementing and accessing these programmes remain, typically reflecting a requirement for delivery by clinical experts and high associated delivery costs. Digital technologies, specifically smartphones, are now considered a key strategy to overcome the barriers inhibiting access to mental health programmes. The Future Proofing Study is a large-scale school-based trial investigating whether cognitive behaviour therapies (CBT) delivered by smartphone application can prevent depression.

METHODS

A randomised controlled trial targeting up to 10,000 Year 8 Australian secondary school students will be conducted. In Stage I, schools will be randomised at the cluster level either to receive the CBT intervention app (SPARX) or to a non-active control group comparator. The primary outcome will be symptoms of depression, and secondary outcomes include psychological distress, anxiety and insomnia. At the 12-month follow-up, participants in the intervention arm with elevated depressive symptoms will participate in an individual-level randomised controlled trial (Stage II) and be randomised to receive a second CBT app which targets sleep difficulties (Sleep Ninja) or a control condition. Assessments will occur post intervention (both trial stages) and at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months post baseline. Primary analyses will use an intention-to-treat approach and compare changes in symptoms from baseline to follow-up relative to the control group using mixed-effect models.

DISCUSSION

This is the first trial testing the effectiveness of smartphone apps delivered to school students to prevent depression at scale. Results from this trial will provide much-needed insight into the feasibility of this approach. They stand to inform policy and commission decisions concerning if and how such programmes should be deployed in school-based settings in Australia and beyond.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry, ACTRN12619000855123. Registered on 31 May 2019. Clinical Trial Notification Scheme (CTN), CT-2019-CTN-02110-1-v1. Registered on 30 June 2019.

Health professionals' perceptions of how gender sensitive care is enacted across acute psychiatric inpatient units for women who are survivors of sexual violence

BACKGROUND

Sexual violence is a global public health issue. It is a form of gender-based violence commonly experienced by women accessing mental health services. The biomedical model has been the dominant model of care in acute psychiatric units, however, there has been a global movement towards more gender-sensitive and trauma-informed models. To date, only a small amount of research has focused on evaluating these models of care and health professionals' experiences of providing this care. The aim of this study is to gain an in-depth understanding of healthcare professionals' perceptions of how Gender Sensitive Care (GSC) is enacted across acute psychiatric inpatient units for women who are survivors of sexual violence.

METHODS

This study used case study methodology and the Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) conceptual framework. NPT is a practical framework that can be used to evaluate the implementation of complex models of care in health settings. It included semi-structured interviews with 40 health professionals, document and policy reviews, and observations from four psychiatric inpatient units within a large Australian public mental health organisation. Data were examined using thematic and content analysis.

RESULTS

Themes were developed under the four NPT core constructs; 1) Understanding GSC in acute psychiatric units: "Without the corridors there's not a lot we can do", 2) Engagement and Commitment to GSC in acute psychiatric units: "There are a few of us who have that gender sensitive lens", 3) Organising, relating and involvement in GSC: "It's band aid stuff", 4) Monitoring and Evaluation of GSC in acute psychiatric units: "We are not perfect, we have to receive that feedback".

DISCUSSION

Many health professionals held a simplistic understanding of GSC and avoided the responsibility of implementing it. Additionally, the competing demands of the biomedical model and a lack of appraisal has resulted in an inconsistent enactment of GSC.

CONCLUSIONS

Health professionals in this study enacted GSC to varying levels. Our findings suggest the need to address each NPT construct comprehensively to adequately implement GSC.

Coping in context: The effects of long-term relations between interparental conflict and coping on the development of child psychopathology following parental divorce

Exposure to high levels of postdivorce interparental conflict is a well-documented risk factor for the development of psychopathology, and there is strong evidence of a subpopulation of families for which conflict persists for many years after divorce. However, existing studies have not elucidated differential trajectories of conflict within families over time, nor have they assessed the risk posed by conflict trajectories for development of psychopathology or evaluated potential protective effects of children's coping to mitigate such risk. We used growth mixture modeling to identify longitudinal trajectories of child-reported conflict over a period of six to eight years following divorce in a sample of 240 children. We related the trajectories to children's mental health problems, substance use, and risky sexual behaviors and assessed how children's coping prospectively predicted psychopathology in the different conflict trajectories. We identified three distinct trajectories of conflict; youth in two high-conflict trajectories showed deleterious effects on measures of psychopathology at baseline and the six-year follow-up. We found both main effects of coping and coping by conflict trajectory interaction effects in predicting problem outcomes at the six-year follow-up. The study supports the notion that improving youth's general capacity to cope adaptively is a potentially modifiable protective factor for all children facing parental divorce and that children in families with high levels of postdivorce conflict are a particularly appropriate group to target for coping-focused preventive interventions.

Toward clinical digital phenotyping: a timely opportunity to consider purpose, quality, and safety

The use of data generated passively by personal electronic devices, such as smartphones, to measure human function in health and disease has generated significant research interest. Particularly in psychiatry, objective, continuous quantitation using patients' own devices may result in clinically useful markers that can be used to refine diagnostic processes, tailor treatment choices, improve condition monitoring for actionable outcomes, such as early signs of relapse, and develop new intervention models. If a principal goal for digital phenotyping is clinical improvement, research needs to attend now to factors that will help or hinder future clinical adoption. We identify four opportunities for research directed toward this goal: exploring intermediate outcomes and underlying disease mechanisms; focusing on purposes that are likely to be used in clinical practice; anticipating quality and safety barriers to adoption; and exploring the potential for digital personalized medicine arising from the integration of digital phenotyping and digital interventions. Clinical relevance also means explicitly addressing consumer needs, preferences, and acceptability as the ultimate users of digital phenotyping interventions. There is a risk that, without such considerations, the potential benefits of digital phenotyping are delayed or not realized because approaches that are feasible for application in healthcare, and the evidence required to support clinical commissioning, are not developed. Practical steps to accelerate this research agenda include the further development of digital phenotyping technology platforms focusing on scalability and equity, establishing shared data repositories and common data standards, and fostering multidisciplinary collaborations between clinical stakeholders (including patients), computer scientists, and researchers.

Designing for Accelerated Translation (DART) of Emerging Innovations in Health

Accelerating innovation translation is a priority for improving healthcare and health. Although dissemination and implementation (D&I) research has made significant advances over the past decade, it has attended primarily to the implementation of long-standing, well-established practices and policies. We present a conceptual architecture for speeding translation of promising innovations as candidates for iterative testing in practice. Our framework to Design for Accelerated Translation (DART) aims to clarify whether, when, and how to act on evolving evidence to improve healthcare. We view translation of evidence to practice as a dynamic process and argue that much evidence can be acted upon even when uncertainty is moderately high, recognizing that this evidence is evolving and subject to frequent reevaluation. The DART framework proposes that additional factors – demand, risk, and cost, in addition to the evolving evidence base – should influence the pace of translation over time. Attention to these underemphasized factors may lead to more dynamic decision-making about whether or not to adopt an emerging innovation or de-implement a suboptimal intervention. Finally, the DART framework outlines key actions that will speed movement from evidence to practice, including forming meaningful stakeholder partnerships, designing innovations for D&I, and engaging in a learning health system.

Using Korean Dramas as a Precision Mental Health Education Tool for Asian Americans: A Pilot Study

Precision mental health (MH) holds great potential for revolutionizing MH care and reducing the burden of mental illness. Efforts to engage Asian Americans in precision MH research is necessary to help reduce MH disparities. Korean drama ("K-drama") television shows may be an effective educational tool to increase precision MH knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) among Asian Americans. This study determined whether KAB improved after participating in a K-drama precision MH workshop, and examined the participants' perspectives about K-dramas' utility as an educational tool. A K-drama precision MH workshop in English/Vietnamese/Korean was conducted with a convenience sample (n = 122). Pre-/post-tests on precision MH KAB (genetics and genetic testing, and MH and help-seeking) and a survey on K-dramas' utility as an educational tool were administered. Findings revealed a significant difference in the pre- and post-test KAB scores overall, by genetics and genetic testing, and by MH and help-seeking. There were also significant increases in the overall post-test KAB scores by workshop (language) participation. Overall, participants responded positively on the utility of K-dramas as a precision MH educational tool. This study demonstrates the feasibility of K-drama as an innovative and widely available health education tool to educate communities about precision MH.

Association of language, behavior, and parental stress in young children with a language disorder

BACKGROUND

Several studies show that language problems, child behavior problems, and parental stress can co-occur in children. Still, little is known about how these domains are related in toddlers with a language disorder (LD).

AIMS

This study examined relations between language problems, child behaviour problems, and parental stress in toddlers with LD and if these relations differ for children with different types of LD.

METHOD

Data of 185 children with LD (mean age 38 months) were collected using Routine Outcome Monitoring. Children were divided into two groups: presence of receptive and expressive problems (REP) and expressive problems only (EP). Relations were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling.

RESULTS

A better receptive language was associated with less teacher-reported internalizing and externalizing problems. A better expressive vocabulary was associated with more parent-reported internalizing problems and more teacher-reported externalizing problems. No relation was found between language and parental stress. Associations between language, behavior, and parental stress did not differ for children with REP or children with EP.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows that when specific language domains are examined, the pattern of associations between language and behavior becomes more complex, because relations exist between specific language domains and behavior, but not between all of them.

Advancing the science and practice of precision education to enhance student outcomes

School psychology research and practice has considerable room for growth to go beyond "did an intervention work?" to "what intervention worked for whom and how did it work?" The latter question reflects a more precise understanding of intervention, and involves strategic efforts to enhance the precision of services students with academic, behavioral, emotional, or physical health problems receive to enhance the degree to which interventions are appropriately tailored to and produce benefit for individual students. The purpose of this special issue is to advance the notion and science of precision education, which is defined as an approach to research and practice that is concerned with tailoring preventive and intervention practices to individuals based on the best available evidence. This introductory article provides context for the special issue by discussing reasons why precision education is needed, providing definitions/descriptions of precision education research, and outlining opportunities to advance the science of precision education. Six empirical studies and one methodological-oriented article were compiled to provide examples of the breadth of research that falls under precision education. Although each of the article focuses on students with different needs (literacy deficits, math deficits, emotional and behavior problems, and intellectual disability), there is a common thread that binds them together, and that is each one captures the heterogeneity among students with particular problems or deficits and highlights the need to select and deliver more precise interventions to optimize student outcomes.

Exploring Provider Use of a Digital Implementation Support System for School Mental Health: A Pilot Study

This pilot study explored provider use of an online system, Centervention, to support the delivery of empirically supported school-based mental health interventions (ESIs); and associations between components of this system [resources, training, technical assistance (TA), feedback loops], implementation indicators, and student outcomes. Multilevel modeling data were collected from 39 providers implementing ESIs with 758 students. Training, TA, and progress monitoring predicted ESI adherence, and perceived value of resources and TA influenced student responsiveness. Greater adherence was predictive of better socio-emotional outcomes. Interviews with 15 providers illuminated how they used these four Centervention support strategies. Implications for digital implementation support research are discussed.

A Digital Feedback System to Support Implementation of Measurement-Based Care by School-Based Mental Health Clinicians

Evidence supports the utility of measurement-based care (MBC) to improve youth mental health outcomes, but clinicians rarely engage in MBC practices. Digital measurement feedback systems (MFS) may reflect a feasible strategy to support MBC adoption and sustainment. This pilot study was initiated to evaluate the impact of a MFS and brief consultation supports to facilitate MBC uptake and sustainment among mental health clinicians in the education sector, the most common mental health service delivery setting for youth. Following an initial training in MBC, 14 clinicians were randomized to either a digital MFS and brief consultation supports or control. Baseline ratings of MBC attitudes, skill, and use were collected. In addition, daily assessment ratings tracked 2 core MBC practices (i.e., assessment tool administration, provision of feedback) over a 6-month follow-up period. Clinicians in the MFS condition demonstrated rapid increases in both MBC practices, whereas the control group did not significantly change. For clinicians in the MFS group, consultation effects were significant for feedback and approached significance for administration. Over the follow-up period, average decreases in the current study were moderate with only 1 of the 2 outcome variables (administration) decreasing significantly. Inspection of individual clinician trajectories revealed substantial within-group trend variation. MFS may represent an effective MBC implementation strategy beyond initial training, although individual clinician response is variable. Identifying feasible and impactful implementation strategies is critical given the ability of MBC to support precision health care.

Health Information Technologies-Academic and Commercial Evaluation (HIT-ACE) methodology: description and application to clinical feedback systems

Background

Health information technologies (HIT) have become nearly ubiquitous in the contemporary healthcare landscape, but information about HIT development, functionality, and implementation readiness is frequently siloed. Theory-driven methods of compiling, evaluating, and integrating information from the academic and commercial sectors are necessary to guide stakeholder decision-making surrounding HIT adoption and to develop pragmatic HIT research agendas. This article presents the Health Information Technologies—Academic and Commercial Evaluation (HIT-ACE) methodology, a structured, theory-driven method for compiling and evaluating information from multiple sectors. As an example demonstration of the methodology, we apply HIT-ACE to mental and behavioral health measurement feedback systems (MFS). MFS are a specific class of HIT that support the implementation of routine outcome monitoring, an evidence-based practice.

Results

HIT-ACE is guided by theories and frameworks related to user-centered design and implementation science. The methodology involves four phases: (1) coding academic and commercial materials, (2) developer/purveyor interviews, (3) linking putative implementation mechanisms to hit capabilities, and (4) experimental testing of capabilities and mechanisms. In the current demonstration, phase 1 included a systematic process to identify MFS in mental and behavioral health using academic literature and commercial websites. Using user-centered design, implementation science, and feedback frameworks, the HIT-ACE coding system was developed, piloted, and used to review each identified system for the presence of 38 capabilities and 18 additional characteristics via a consensus coding process. Bibliometic data were also collected to examine the representation of the systems in the scientific literature. As an example, results are presented for the application of HIT-ACE phase 1 to MFS wherein 49 separate MFS were identified, reflecting a diverse array of characteristics and capabilities.

Conclusions

Preliminary findings demonstrate the utility of HIT-ACE to represent the scope and diversity of a given class of HIT beyond what can be identified in the academic literature. Phase 2 data collection is expected to confirm and expand the information presented and phases 3 and 4 will provide more nuanced information about the impact of specific HIT capabilities. In all, HIT-ACE is expected to support adoption decisions and additional HIT development and implementation research.