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Sapkota RP, Lozinski T, Wilhems A, Nugent M, Schaub MP, Keough MT, Sundström C, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Internet-delivered therapy for alcohol misuse: engagement, satisfaction, and outcomes when patients select their preference for therapist- or self-guided treatment. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2024; 19:30. [PMID: 38643242 PMCID: PMC11032586 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-024-00456-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol misuse is common and causes substantial harm. Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) is effective in reducing alcohol misuse; however, the literature investigating how treatment outcomes are impacted by patients' preferences for therapist- versus self-guided ICBT for alcohol misuse is sparse. METHODS In this preference trial, 74 eligible patients (who reported ≥ 14 drinks in the previous week and obtained scores suggesting hazardous or harmful drinking) chose between enrolling in either therapist- or self-guided ICBT for alcohol misuse. We investigated whether those who chose therapist- versus self-guided ICBT differed in their (a) drinking outcomes-as measured by Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB) and heavy drinking days (HDD) at post-treatment and 3-month follow-up-and (b) post-treatment ICBT engagement and satisfaction. RESULTS The majority (81.1%) of eligible patients chose therapist-guided ICBT. These patients reported higher psychotropic medication use, drinking difficulties, and anxiety symptoms. For both the therapist- and self-guided patients, a modified intention-to-treat analysis revealed large within-group treatment effects for TLFB (β = - 2.64, SE 0.66; p < 0.001) and HDD (β = - 0.34, SE 0.07; p < 0.001), with large pre-to-post-treatment Cohen's effect sizes of d = 0.97 (95% CI [0.49, 1.45]) for TLFB and d = 1.19 (95% CI [0.69, 1.68]) for HDD. The interaction comparing the effects of therapist- to self-guided ICBT over time was not significant for TLFB (p = 0.34) or HDD (p = 0.06). With treatment, for both therapist- and self-guided patients, there was a significant improvement in drinking difficulties, cravings, and confidence with controlling cravings, as well as in anxiety, depression, and functional impairment. Further, the majority (75.7%) of patients completed five or more lessons, as well as reported overall satisfaction with the treatment (88.9%) and increased confidence in managing their symptoms (86.7%); these outcomes also did not differ between therapist- and self-guided patients. CONCLUSIONS The current study shows that ICBT for alcohol misuse is associated with reduced drinking and comorbid mental health difficulties over time, irrespective of whether patients chose to complete the course on their own or with therapist guidance. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04611854 ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04611854 ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram P Sapkota
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Tristen Lozinski
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Andrew Wilhems
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Marcie Nugent
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Michael P Schaub
- Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Konradstrasse 32, 8005, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Matthew T Keough
- Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Christopher Sundström
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Norra Stationsgatan 69, 113 64, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heather D Hadjistavropoulos
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada.
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, McCall HC, Dear BF, Beahm JD, Carleton RN, Titov N. Outcomes of transdiagnostic internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy tailored to public safety personnel: A longitudinal observational study. J Anxiety Disord 2024; 104:102861. [PMID: 38640867 DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2024.102861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
First responders and other public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health problems and face barriers to accessing mental healthcare. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) is an effective and accessible treatment for various mental health concerns. Canadian PSP report favorable attitudes toward ICBT, and preliminary outcomes demonstrate that they benefit from it. Expanding on this research, the current study consisted of a longitudinal observational study of 560 Canadian PSP who participated in ICBT. It was designed to assess the longer term effectiveness of ICBT and moderators of outcomes by gender, linguistic and occupational group, and years of occupational experience. We evaluated symptom change at 8, 26, and 52 weeks post-enrollment, and results among PSP who had elevated clinical scores, showed large reductions (Hedges' g) in symptoms of depression (g = 1.3), anxiety (g =1.48), posttraumatic stress (g =1.24), panic (g =1.19), and anger (g =1.07) and moderate reductions in symptoms of social anxiety (g =.48-.56). Moderator analyses revealed modest differences in pre-treatment symptoms among certain groups but no group differences in symptom change over time. Clients showed good completion of treatment materials and reported high treatment satisfaction. The results suggest further study of ICBT tailored to PSP is warranted, including evaluating ICBT tailored for PSP in other countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather D Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada; Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada.
| | - Hugh C McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada; Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Blake F Dear
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia; eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Janine D Beahm
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada; Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - R Nicholas Carleton
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada; Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Nickolai Titov
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia; eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
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Sapkota RP, Valli E, Dear BF, Titov N, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Satisfaction, engagement, and outcomes in internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy adapted for people of diverse ethnocultural groups: an observational trial with benchmarking. Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1270543. [PMID: 38501087 PMCID: PMC10944864 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1270543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health disorders worldwide. Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (ICBT) can reduce barriers to care to broad cross sections of the population. However, People of Diverse Ethnocultural Backgrounds (PDEGs) other than White/Caucasian underutilize mental health services and are under represented in clinical trials of psychological interventions. Methods To address this research gap we adapted an evidence-based ICBT program for PDEGs. The current pilot study explores the engagement, satisfaction, and effectiveness in the adapted ICBT program by PDEGs (N=41) when benchmarked against a sample of PDEGs (N=134) who previously completed a non-adapted version of the ICBT program. Results An intent-to-treat analyses showed that the adapted ICBT program is effective in reducing anxiety and depression symptoms among PDEGs. Large within-group pre-to post-treatment Cohen's effect sizes of d = 1.23, 95% CI [0.68, 1.77] and d = 1.24, 95% CI [0.69, 1.79] were found for depression and anxiety, respectively. Further, 81.8% of the PDEGs who received the adapted ICBT reported overall satisfaction, 90.9% reported increased confidence in managing symptoms, and 70.7% completed majority of the psychoeducational lessons in the ICBT program. Conclusion No statistically significant differences in the clinical outcomes, engagement, and satisfaction were found between the pilot study and benchmark sample. Future directions for ICBT research with PDEGs are described. Clinical trial registration https://beta.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05523492, identifier NCT05523492.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram P. Sapkota
- Online Therapy Unit, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Emma Valli
- Online Therapy Unit, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Blake F. Dear
- eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nickolai Titov
- MindSpot Clinic, eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Beahm JD, McCall HC, Carleton RN, Jones N, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Examining how organizational leaders perceive internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for public safety personnel using the RE-AIM implementation framework. Internet Interv 2024; 35:100718. [PMID: 38318086 PMCID: PMC10840103 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2024.100718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Within Canada, internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) has recently been tailored by PSPNET to meet the needs of public safety personnel (PSP) to help address high rates of mental health problems within this population. Perceptions and outcomes of ICBT among PSP are promising, but it remains unknown how PSPNET is perceived by PSP organizational leaders. It is important to assess this gap because these leaders have significant potential to influence the uptake of ICBT. Methods In the current study, PSP leaders (n = 10) were interviewed to examine their perceptions of PSPNET and opportunities to improve ICBT implementation. The RE-AIM evaluation framework was used to assess PSP leaders' perceptions of PSPNET in terms of reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Results The results evidenced that leaders perceived PSPNET as effective in reaching and serving PSP and PSP organizations. PSP leaders reported perceiving ICBT as effectively implemented, especially for being freely offered to individual PSP and for improving PSP's access to experienced therapists specifically trained to work with PSP. Participants indicated organizations have promoted and will continue promoting PSPNET longer-term, facilitating adoption and maintenance. Factors perceived as facilitating successful service delivery included building relationships and trust with PSP organizations and general support for PSP leadership mental health initiatives. PSP leaders identified perceived areas for improving ICBT implementation (e.g., ensuring leaders have access to data on PSPNET uptake and outcomes, creating promotional videos, expanding availability of PSPNET to other provinces, offering additional options for receiving therapist support). Implications Overall, the study provides insights into PSP leaders' perceptions of the implementation of ICBT among PSP and ideas for optimizing implementation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine D. Beahm
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Hugh C. McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - R. Nicholas Carleton
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Nicholas Jones
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
- Department of Justice Studies, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
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Pettersen TR, Schjøtt J, Allore H, Bendz B, Borregaard B, Fridlund B, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Larsen AI, Nordrehaug JE, Rasmussen TB, Rotevatn S, Valaker I, Wentzel-Larsen T, Norekvål TM. Discharge Information About Adverse Drug Reactions Indicates Lower Self-Reported Adverse Drug Reactions and Fewer Concerns in Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention. Heart Lung Circ 2024; 33:350-361. [PMID: 38238118 DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2023.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
AIM There are discrepancies between the information patients desire about adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and the information they receive from healthcare providers; this is an impediment to shared decision-making. This study aimed to establish whether patients received information about ADRs resulting from prescribed pharmacotherapy, before hospital discharge, after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and to determine whether receiving information about ADRs was associated with incidence of self-reported ADRs or concerns related to prescribed pharmacotherapy. METHODS CONCARDPCI, a prospective multicentre cohort study including 3,417 consecutive patients after PCI, was conducted at seven high-volume referral PCI centres in two Nordic countries. Clinical data were collected from patients' medical records and national quality registries. Patient-reported outcome measures were registered 2 months (T1), 6 months (T2), and 12 months (T3) after discharge. Covariate-adjusted logistic regression yielded adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS At discharge, 38% of participants had been informed about potential ADRs. For these patients, the incidence of self-reported ADRs was significantly lower at T1 (aOR 0.61, 95% CI 0.50-0.74; p<0.001), T2 (aOR 0.60, 95% CI 0.49-0.74; p<0.001), and T3 (aOR 0.57, 95% CI 0.46-0.71; p<0.001). Those who were not informed reported higher levels of concern about prescribed pharmacotherapy at all measuring points (p<0.001 for all comparisons). Those living alone (aOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.57-0.92; p=0.008), who were female (aOR 0.57, 95% CI 0.44-0.72; p<0.001), and with three or more versus no comorbidities (aOR 0.61, 95% CI 0.44-0.84; p=0.002) were less likely to receive information. CONCLUSION A substantial proportion of patients were not informed about potential ADRs from prescribed pharmacotherapy after PCI. Patients informed about ADRs had lower incidences of self-reported ADRs and fewer concerns about prescribed pharmacotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jan Schjøtt
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Heather Allore
- Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bjørn Bendz
- Department of Cardiology, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Britt Borregaard
- Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
| | - Bengt Fridlund
- Centre of Interprofessional Collaboration within Emergency Care (CICE), Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden
| | | | - Alf Inge Larsen
- Department of Cardiology, Stavanger University Hospital, Stavanger, Norway
| | | | | | - Svein Rotevatn
- Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Irene Valaker
- Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Campus Førde, Norway
| | | | - Tone M Norekvål
- Department of Heart Disease, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
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Landry CA, McCall HC, Beahm JD, Titov N, Dear B, Carleton RN, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Web-Based Mindfulness Meditation as an Adjunct to Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Public Safety Personnel: Mixed Methods Feasibility Evaluation Study. JMIR Form Res 2024; 8:e54132. [PMID: 38289655 PMCID: PMC10865190 DOI: 10.2196/54132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public safety personnel (PSP) are individuals who work to ensure the safety and security of communities (eg, correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers). PSP have a high risk of developing mental disorders and face unique barriers to traditional mental health treatments. The PSP Wellbeing Course is a transdiagnostic, internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) course tailored to assist PSP with symptoms of depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The initial course outcomes are promising, but some clients report some challenges with learning skills and recommend adding additional resources. Mindfulness meditations, which help people to experience the world and their reactions to the world in open and nonjudgmental ways, may complement the existing PSP Wellbeing Course. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine the feasibility of mindfulness meditations in iCBT tailored for PSP. Information was gathered to evaluate engagement and client experiences with mindfulness meditations, symptom change, and the relationship between mindfulness meditation use and symptom change. METHODS A mixed methods study was conducted on PSP enrolled in the PSP Wellbeing Course who were offered 5 mindfulness meditations during the program (ie, 1/lesson). Clients completed questionnaires on depression, anxiety, PTSD, anger, insomnia, resilience, and mindfulness at pretreatment and at 8 weeks; an 8-week treatment satisfaction questionnaire; and brief weekly measures of mindfulness meditation engagement. We used paired sample t tests (2-tailed) to assess changes in outcomes over time and partial correlations to assess whether mindfulness meditation use predicted outcomes at posttreatment. A total of 12 clients were interviewed about their perceptions of the mindfulness meditations, and interviews were analyzed using directed content analysis. RESULTS Among the 40 clients enrolled, 27 (68%) reported using the mindfulness meditations, practicing for an average of 4.8 (SD 8.1) minutes each week. Most interviewees described the mindfulness meditations as beneficial but also reported challenges, such as discomfort while sitting with their feelings. Clients provided suggestions for better integration of mindfulness into iCBT. Overall, clients who completed the PSP Wellbeing Course with mindfulness meditations experienced statistically significant improvements in symptoms of anxiety (P=.001), depression (P=.001), PTSD (P=.001), and anger (P=.001) but not insomnia (P=.02). Clients also experienced improvements in resilience (P=.01) and mindfulness (P=.001). Self-reported time spent meditating was not associated with changes in symptoms over time. CONCLUSIONS This study provides new insight into the integration of mindfulness meditations with iCBT for PSP. It demonstrates the partial feasibility of adding mindfulness meditations to iCBT, revealing that some, but not all, PSP engaged with the meditations and reported benefits. PSP reported using the mindfulness meditations inconsistently and described challenges with the meditations. Improvements can be made to better integrate mindfulness meditation into iCBT, including offering mindfulness meditation as an optional resource, providing more psychoeducation on managing challenges, and offering shorter meditations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caeleigh A Landry
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Hugh C McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Janine D Beahm
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Nickolai Titov
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Blake Dear
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - R Nicholas Carleton
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Heather D Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, Regina, SK, Canada
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, Hill TG, Philipp-Muller AE, Dear B, Titov N. Perceptions of client stories in internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy: A mixed-methods evaluation. Internet Interv 2023; 34:100692. [PMID: 38099092 PMCID: PMC10719527 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2023.100692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Internet-delivered Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (ICBT) aims to support people with mental health concerns using online treatment materials. Client stories (either real or a composite based on many clients) are often used in ICBT to facilitate learning. However, these stories remain understudied in terms of how they are perceived by clients, as well as their relationship to ICBT engagement, satisfaction, and outcomes. Among a sample of 324 clients enrolled in transdiagnostic ICBT targeting symptoms of depression and anxiety, we examined client perceptions of stories through mixed-method qualitative (open-ended) and quantitative (closed-ended) data collection. Specifically, 234 (72.22 %) clients responded to questions about stories at 4 weeks and 221 (68.21 %) responded to questions at 8 weeks. Most clients who responded to questions endorsed reviewing at least some stories (79.06 % at 4 weeks, 71.95 % at 8 weeks). Moreover, they rated stories positively in terms of being relatable, making clients feel less alone, increasing knowledge, providing ideas for how to use skills, and motivating clients to use skills. These perceptions of stories remained stable over the course of treatment. Stories were perceived more positively among those with lower symptom severity at 8 weeks as well as those who were more satisfied with ICBT at 8 weeks. Story perceptions at 4 weeks were predictive of decreased post-treatment anxiety symptom severity but not depression while controlling for baseline scores, age, and education. 26.49 % of clients at 4 weeks who reviewed stories and 33.33 % at 8 weeks provided suggestions about how to improve stories. In a qualitative analysis, we found 5 categories of suggestions including increasing the variety of issues and relatability of stories, ensuring the stories are realistic, refining the formatting, and making the stories shorter. Overall, this study provides insights into how client stories could be improved to play a more significant role in future ICBT programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
- Online Therapy Unit, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
| | - Taylor G. Hill
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Canada
- Healthy Populations Institute, Dalhousie University, Canada
- Online Therapy Unit, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
| | - Aaron E. Philipp-Muller
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
- Online Therapy Unit, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
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Dear BF, Walker J, Karin E, Asrianti L, England J, Feliciano I, Bisby MA, Nielssen O, Kayrouz R, Cross S, Staples LG, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Titov N. Evaluation of a therapist-guided virtual psychological pain management program when provided as routine care: a prospective pragmatic cohort study. Pain Med 2023; 24:1372-1385. [PMID: 37540210 DOI: 10.1093/pm/pnad102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Numerous randomized controlled trials have evaluated the outcomes of internet-delivered psychological pain management programs (PMPs) as a way of increasing access to care for people with chronic pain. However, there are few reports of the effectiveness of these PMPs when provided as part of routine care. METHODS The present study sought to report the clinical and demographic characteristics of users (n = 1367) and examine the effectiveness of an established internet-delivered psychological PMP program in improving several pain-related outcomes, when offered at a national digital mental health service over a 5-year period. It also sought to comprehensively explore predictors of treatment commencement, treatment completion, and clinical improvement. RESULTS Evidence of clinical improvements (% improvement; Hedges g) were found for all outcomes, including pain interference (18.9%; 0.55), depression (26.1%; 0.50), anxiety (23.9%; 0.39), pain intensity (12.8%; 0.41), pain self-efficacy (-23.8%; -0.46) and pain-catastrophizing (26.3%; 0.56). A small proportion of users enrolled but did not commence treatment (13%), however high levels of treatment completion (whole treatment = 63%; majority of the treatment = 75%) and satisfaction (very satisfied = 45%; satisfied = 37%) were observed among those who commenced treatment. There were a number of demographic and clinical factors associated with commencement, completion and improvement, but no decisive or dominant predictors were observed. DISCUSSION These findings highlight the effectiveness and acceptability of internet-delivered psychological PMPs in routine care and point to the need to consider how best to integrate these interventions into the pathways of care for people with chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake F Dear
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Jennie Walker
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Eyal Karin
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Lia Asrianti
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Jonathan England
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Ivy Feliciano
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Madelyne A Bisby
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Olav Nielssen
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Rony Kayrouz
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Shane Cross
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Lauren G Staples
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | | | - Nickolai Titov
- MindSpot, MQ Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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9
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, Reiser SJ, Beahm JD, McCall HC, Dena I, Phillips AR, Scheltgen M, Sekhar S, Cox M, Cramm H, Reid N. Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Spouses and Significant Others of Public Safety Personnel: Formative Evaluation Study. JMIR Form Res 2023; 7:e51088. [PMID: 37756033 PMCID: PMC10568396 DOI: 10.2196/51088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spouses and significant others (SSOs) of public safety personnel (PSP) are affected by the risks and requirements of these occupations. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) provides a convenient and accessible treatment format that can be tailored to the needs of SSOs of PSP. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess the initial use and client perceptions (eg, likes, helpfulness, and areas for improvement) of a self-guided, transdiagnostic ICBT course designed for Canadian SSOs of PSP and identify opportunities to further tailor ICBT for this group. METHODS SSOs were invited to complete a 5-lesson, self-guided, transdiagnostic ICBT course. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of participants. Content analysis was used to analyze the data from open-ended survey responses and interviews to understand their experiences with ICBT. RESULTS Clients (N=118) endorsed various mental health concerns (eg, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and relationship concerns) with a range of severity levels. Most clients identified as White (110/116, 94.8%) and women (108/116, 91.5%), with a mean age of 42.03 (SD 9.36) years. Of the 26 clients who were interviewed, 89% (23/26) reported believing that ICBT is helpful and 92% (24/26) reported finding at least 1 skill helpful. Clients provided suggestions for course improvements. On the basis of this feedback and quantitative data, changes were made to areas such as the delivery of materials, content, case stories, and timelines. Overall, the results indicated that many SSOs of PSP had positive perceptions of ICBT tailored to their needs and found several aspects of the course helpful, supporting the continued delivery of tailored ICBT to this population. However, there remains a need for continued promotion of the course and outreach to diverse groups of SSOs of PSP. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this formative evaluation provide insight into the unique experiences and needs of SSOs of PSP and provide preliminary evidence for the use of tailored ICBT to support the mental health of this group in Canada.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather D Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | | | - Janine D Beahm
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Hugh C McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | | | | | | | | | - Marilyn Cox
- Department of Family Studies & Gerontology, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Heidi Cramm
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada
| | - Nathalie Reid
- Child Trauma Research Centre, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
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McCall H, Dear BF, Landry C, Beahm JD, Gregory J, Titov N, Carleton RN, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for symptoms of PTSD among public safety personnel: Initial outcomes of an open cohort preference trial of transdiagnostic and disorder-specific therapy. Internet Interv 2023; 33:100656. [PMID: 37609530 PMCID: PMC10440509 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2023.100656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Public safety personnel (PSP) face high rates of mental health problems and many barriers to care. Initial outcomes of transdiagnostic internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) tailored for PSP are promising, but prior research has not evaluated outcomes of PTSD-specific ICBT among PSP or PSP's preferences for transdiagnostic or PTSD-specific ICBT. The current paper presents the initial outcomes (N = 150) of a mixed-methods observational study designed to (a) investigate preferences for transdiagnostic or PTSD-specific ICBT among PSP with elevated symptoms of PTSD and/or a primary concern with PTSD symptoms and (b) explore potential differences in client engagement, satisfaction, and symptom changes between the two forms of ICBT. PSP completed questionnaires before and after their preferred ICBT program. Mixed-methods analyses included generalized estimating equations, descriptive statistics, and inductive conventional qualitative content analysis. More clients (n = 85; 57 %) selected transdiagnostic ICBT than PTSD-specific ICBT (n = 65; 43 %), but the difference in the number of clients who selected each course was not statistically significant. Clients in both ICBT programs reported similar and favorable treatment satisfaction (e.g., 98 % would recommend the course to a friend), treatment engagement (i.e., 69 % accessed at least four of the five lessons), and pre-post improvement in symptoms (e.g., Hedges' g = 0.81 for reduction in PTSD symptom). Transdiagnostic ICBT resulted in greater reductions in symptoms of panic disorder than PTSD-specific ICBT. Qualitative analyses showed similarities across the ICBT programs in client feedback. The current study provides further evidence supporting the use and outcomes of ICBT for PSP in both transdiagnostic and disorder-specific formats. Implications for the literatures on PSP mental health and ICBT, as well as practical recommendations, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Blake F. Dear
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
- eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Caeleigh Landry
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Janine D. Beahm
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Julia Gregory
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Nickolai Titov
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
- eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Balaclava Rd, Macquarie Park, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - R. Nicholas Carleton
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment (CIPSRT), 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
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11
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Sapkota RP, Valli E, Wilhelms A, Adlam K, Bourgeault L, Heron V, Dickerson K, Nugent M, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Patient-Oriented Research to Improve Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for People of Diverse Ethnocultural Groups in Routine Practice. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:2135. [PMID: 37570375 PMCID: PMC10418375 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11152135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
There has been limited research on improving Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (ICBT) in routine online therapy clinics that serve people from diverse ethnocultural groups (PDEGs). This article describes a patient-oriented adaptation approach used to address this gap in research. A working group consisting of people with lived experience, community representatives, ICBT clinicians, managers, and researchers was formed. The working group examined archival feedback on ICBT from past patients who self-identified as being from diverse ethnocultural backgrounds (N = 278) and the results of interviews with current patients (N = 16), community representatives (N = 6), and clinicians (N = 3). The archival data and interviews revealed the majority of the patients reported being satisfied with and benefitting from ICBT. Suggestions for improvement were not related to the cognitive-behavioural model and techniques, but rather to making treatment materials more inclusive. Consequently, the ICBT adaptation focused on adding content related to cultural influences on mental health, addressing stigma, diversifying case stories, examples, and imagery, adding audiovisual introductions, and replacing English idioms with more descriptive language. Moreover, further training was offered to clinicians, and efforts were made to improve community outreach. This study demonstrates a process for using patient-oriented research to improve ICBT within routine care serving patients of diverse backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (R.P.S.); (E.V.); (A.W.); (K.A.); (L.B.); (V.H.); (K.D.); (M.N.)
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12
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Landry CA, Beahm JD, McCall HC, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Sustaining and Expanding Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT) for Public Safety Personnel across Canada: A Survey of Stakeholder Perspectives. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:ijerph20085592. [PMID: 37107874 PMCID: PMC10139003 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20085592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Public safety personnel (PSP) experience an elevated risk of mental health problems and face barriers to treatment. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) has been tailored to PSP to improve access to mental health care. In this study, we sought to investigate perceptions of ICBT, particularly among those with and without prior knowledge of ICBT and between PSP leaders and non-leaders. A survey was administered to 524 PSP from across Canada to identify (a) how PSP perceive ICBT, (b) the extent of organizational support for tailored ICBT in PSP organizations, particularly leadership's support, and (c) perceived facilitators and barriers to funding tailored ICBT. The results indicated that PSP perceive ICBT to have more advantages than disadvantages. PSP who had previously heard of tailored ICBT had more positive perceptions. PSP indicated that there is a need for ICBT, and PSP leaders indicated their support for the implementation of tailored ICBT. The study identified that there is a need for increasing awareness of the effectiveness of and need for ICBT in order to facilitate funding of services. Overall, the current study indicates that PSP support ICBT as a valued form of therapy and that policy makers and service providers seeking to provide ICBT to PSP may increase support for ICBT services through more education and awareness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caeleigh A. Landry
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Janine D. Beahm
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Hugh C. McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
- Correspondence:
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13
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Faller YN, Peynenburg V, Tessier E, Thiessen D, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Efficacy of an Online Workplace Mental Health Accommodations Psychoeducational Course: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2023; 20:5317. [PMID: 37047933 PMCID: PMC10094551 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20075317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Workplace accommodations can improve work functioning for employees with mental health concerns, yet few employees receive accommodations. The current study examined the benefits of providing education on workplace accommodations. In total, 89 participants with symptoms of depression and/or anxiety were randomized to an online psychoeducation course or wait-list control (WLC). The course provided education on symptoms, accommodations, tips for requesting accommodations and making disclosures, and coping strategies. Primary outcomes included the impact of the course on requesting and receiving accommodations, accommodation knowledge, self-stigma, and workplace relationships at 8 weeks post-randomization. Additional analyses examined the impact of the course on symptoms, absenteeism, presenteeism, and self-efficacy and whether supervisory leadership and organizational inclusivity impact disclosure and accommodation use. Participants in the course reported improvements in accommodation knowledge, self-efficacy, and presenteeism compared to the WLC. Both groups reported reduced self-stigma and increased disclosures over time. Specifically, partial disclosures were associated with supportive organizations and supervisors. No group differences were found on accommodation use, symptoms, workplace relationships, or comfort with disclosure. Few participants made accommodation requests, therefore a statistical analysis on requesting or receiving accommodations was not performed. Overall, providing psychoeducation has the potential to assist individuals with depression and anxiety who may require workplace accommodations, but further research is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Nichole Faller
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (V.P.); (E.T.); (H.D.H.)
| | - Vanessa Peynenburg
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (V.P.); (E.T.); (H.D.H.)
| | - Eric Tessier
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (V.P.); (E.T.); (H.D.H.)
| | - David Thiessen
- Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada;
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (V.P.); (E.T.); (H.D.H.)
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Bui V, Baumgartner C, Bilevicius E, Single A, Vedelago L, Morris V, Kempe T, Schaub MP, Stewart SH, MacKillop J, Hodgins DC, Wardell JD, O'Connor R, Read J, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Sundström C, Dermody S, Kim AH, Keough MT. Efficacy of a novel online integrated treatment for problem gambling and tobacco smoking: Results of a randomized controlled trial. J Behav Addict 2023; 12:168-181. [PMID: 37000596 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2022.00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractBackground and aimsProblem gambling and tobacco use are highly comorbid among adults. However, there are few treatment frameworks that target both gambling and tobacco use simultaneously (i.e., an integrated approach), while also being accessible and evidence-based. The aim of this two-arm open label RCT was to examine the efficacy of an integrated online treatment for problem gambling and tobacco use.MethodsA sample of 209 participants (Mage = 37.66, SD = 13.81; 62.2% female) from North America were randomized into one of two treatment conditions (integrated [n = 91] or gambling only [n = 118]) that lasted for eight weeks and consisted of seven online modules. Participants completed assessments at baseline, after treatment completion, and at 24-week follow-up.ResultsWhile a priori planned generalized linear mixed models showed no condition differences on primary (gambling days, money spent, time spent) and secondary outcomes, both conditions did appear to significantly reduce problem gambling and smoking behaviours over time. Post hoc analyses showed that reductions in smoking and gambling craving were correlated with reductions in days spent gambling, as well as with gambling disorder symptoms. Relatively high (versus low) nicotine replacement therapy use was associated with greater reductions in gambling behaviours in the integrated treatment condition.Discussion and conclusionsWhile our open label RCT does not support a clear benefit of integrated treatment, findings suggest that changes in smoking and gambling were correlated over time, regardless of treatment condition, suggesting that more research on mechanisms of smoking outcomes in the context of gambling treatment may be relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van Bui
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Canada
| | - Christian Baumgartner
- 2Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Alanna Single
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Vanessa Morris
- 14Department of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Canada
| | - Tyler Kempe
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Canada
| | - Michael P Schaub
- 2Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sherry H Stewart
- 4Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Canada
| | - James MacKillop
- 5Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research McMaster University/St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Canada
| | | | - Jeffrey D Wardell
- 3Department of Psychology, York University, Canada
- 12Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, Canada
- 13Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Jennifer Read
- 8Department of Psychology, University of Buffalo, USA
| | | | | | - Sarah Dermody
- 11Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Canada
| | - Andrew H Kim
- 11Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Canada
| | - Matthew T Keough
- 1Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Canada
- 3Department of Psychology, York University, Canada
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15
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Safstrom E, Arestedt K, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Liljeroos M, Nordgren L, Jaarsma T, Stromberg A. Development and psychometric properties of a short version of the Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire. Health Expect 2023; 26:1137-1148. [PMID: 36797976 PMCID: PMC10154813 DOI: 10.1111/hex.13728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hospitalization due to cardiac conditions is increasing worldwide, and follow-up after hospitalization usually occurs in a different healthcare setting than the one providing treatment during hospitalization. This leads to a risk of fragmented care and increases the need for coordination and continuity of care after hospitalization. Furthermore, international reports highlight the importance of improving continuity of care and state that it is an essential indicator of the quality of care. Patients' perceptions of continuity of care can be evaluated using the Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire (PCCQ). However, the original version is extensive and may prove burdensome to complete; therefore, we aimed to develop and evaluate a short version of the PCCQ. METHODS This was a psychometric validation study. Content validity was evaluated among user groups, including patients (n = 7), healthcare personnel (n = 15), and researchers (n = 7). Based on the results of the content validity and conceptual discussions among the authors, 12 items were included in the short version. Data from patients were collected using a consecutive sampling procedure involving patients 6 weeks after hospitalization due to cardiac conditions. Rasch analysis was used to evaluate the psychometric properties of the short version of the PCCQ. RESULTS A total of 1000 patients were included [mean age 72 (SD = 10), 66% males]. The PCCQ-12 presented a satisfactory overall model fit and a person separation index of 0.79 (Cronbach's α: .91, ordinal α: .94). However, three items presented individual item misfits. No evidence of multidimensionality was found, meaning that a total score can be calculated. A total of four items presented evidence of response dependence but, according to the analysis, this did not seem to affect the measurement properties or reliability of the PCCQ-12. We found that the first two response options were disordered in all items. However, the reliability remained the same when these response options were amended. In future research, the benefits of the four response options could be evaluated. CONCLUSION The PCCQ-12 has sound psychometric properties and is ready to be used in clinical and research settings to measure patients' perceptions of continuity of care after hospitalization. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION Patients, healthcare personnel and researchers were involved in the study because they were invited to select items relevant to the short version of the questionnaire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Safstrom
- Nyköping Hospital, Sörmland County Council, Nyköping, Sweden.,Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Center for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Eskilstuna, Sweden
| | - Kristofer Arestedt
- Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, Kalmar, Sweden.,Department of Research, Region Kalmar County, Kalmar, Sweden
| | | | - Maria Liljeroos
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Center for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Eskilstuna, Sweden
| | - Lena Nordgren
- Center for Clinical Research Sörmland, Uppsala University, Eskilstuna, Sweden.,Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tiny Jaarsma
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Nursing Science, Julius Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anna Stromberg
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Cardiology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Sapkota RP, Peynenburg V, Dear BF, Titov N, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Engagement with homework in an Internet-delivered therapy predicts reduced anxiety and depression symptoms: A latent growth curve analysis. J Consult Clin Psychol 2023; 91:112-117. [PMID: 36395032 DOI: 10.1037/ccp0000775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Assigning homework to patients to facilitate skill development is an essential part of internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT). This study examined if patients' self-ratings of homework engagement, including conceptual (e.g., understandability, difficulty, perceived usefulness) and practical (e.g., effort put into reviewing the lessons, practicing skills, continuity in use of the learned skills) engagement predicts ICBT outcomes for anxiety and depression using a subsample of data from a previously published randomized controlled trial. METHOD Three hundred and one adult patients (74.56% female; 91.29% Caucasians; Mage = 36.33) randomly assigned to complete Homework Reflection Questionnaires (HWRQ) were included in this study. Patients completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) at pretreatment, midtreatment (4 weeks), posttreatment (8 weeks), and at follow-up (12 weeks). HWRQ related to each of five lessons were completed at the beginning of the subsequent lessons or at posttreatment (e.g., Lesson 1 HWRQ completed at start of Lesson 2). Latent growth curve modeling was used to test the effect of engagement with homework activities in reduction of anxiety and depression symptoms over time. RESULTS Patient-rated homework engagement significantly predicted rate of change in depression and anxiety symptom severity but was not significantly associated with initial levels of either outcome. Patients who reported higher engagement with assigned homework activities achieved more symptom reduction over treatment and follow-up at 12 weeks. CONCLUSION The findings provide evidence of the importance of patients' self-rated engagement with homework in ICBT as well psychometric evidence supporting use of homework ratings to assess engagement. Further studies are needed to replicate the association between homework engagement and reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).
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Frohlich JR, Rapinda KK, Schaub MP, Wenger A, Baumgartner C, Johnson EA, Blankers M, Ebert DD, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Mackenzie CS, Wardell JD, Edgerton JD, Keough MT. Examining differential responses to the Take Care of Me trial: A latent class and moderation analysis. Addict Behav Rep 2022; 16:100437. [PMID: 35694108 PMCID: PMC9184289 DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2022.100437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Take Care of Me participants fell into three classes varying in risk. The low-risk class had the lowest pre-treatment symptom severity. The high-risk group had the highest symptom severity and executive dysfunction. Moderate risk individuals experienced the greatest benefits of the program. Future interventions may be tailored based on risk to maximize efficacy.
Given prevalent alcohol misuse-emotional comorbidities among young adults, we developed an internet-based integrated treatment called Take Care of Me. Although the treatment had an impact on several secondary outcomes, effects were not observed for the primary outcome. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to examine heterogeneity in treatment responses. The initial RCT randomized participants to either a treatment or psychoeducational control condition. We conducted an exploratory latent class analysis to distinguish individuals based on pre-treatment risk and then used moderated regressions to examine differential treatment responses based on class membership. We found evidence for three distinct groups. Most participants fell in the “low severity” group (n = 123), followed by the “moderate severity” group (n = 57) who had a higher likelihood of endorsing a previous mental health diagnosis and treatment and higher symptom severity than the low group. The “high severity” group (n = 42) endorsed a family history of alcoholism, and the highest symptom severity and executive dysfunction. Moderated regressions revealed significant class differences in treatment responses. In the treatment condition, high severity (relative to low) participants reported higher alcohol consumption and hazardous drinking and lower quality of life at follow-up, whereas moderate severity (relative to low) individuals had lower alcohol consumption at follow-up, and lower hazardous drinking at end-of-treatment. No class differences were found for participants in the control group. Higher risk individuals in the treatment condition had poorer responses to the program. Tailoring interventions to severity may be important to examine in future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jona R. Frohlich
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
- Corresponding author at: Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, 190 Dysart Rd., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | - Karli K. Rapinda
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Michael P. Schaub
- Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Wenger
- Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Baumgartner
- Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Edward A. Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Matthijs Blankers
- Arkin Mental Health Care, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Trimbos Institute, Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Academic Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - David D. Ebert
- Department of eMental Health, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | | | - Jeffrey D. Wardell
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason D. Edgerton
- Department of Sociology and Criminology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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18
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Sundström C, Peynenburg V, Chadwick C, Thiessen D, Wilhems A, Nugent M, Keough MT, Schaub MP, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Optimizing internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for alcohol misuse—a randomized factorial trial examining effects of a pre-treatment assessment interview and guidance. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2022; 17:37. [PMID: 35871010 PMCID: PMC9308037 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-022-00319-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) for alcohol misuse has potential to radically improve access to evidence-based care, and there is a need to investigate ways to optimize its delivery in clinical settings. Guidance from a clinician has previously been shown to improve drinking outcomes in ICBT, and some studies suggest that pre-treatment assessments may contribute in initiating early change. The objective of this study was to investigate the added and combined effects of a pre-treatment assessment interview and guidance on the outcomes of ICBT for alcohol misuse delivered in an online therapy clinic. Methods A 2X2 factorial randomized controlled trial was conducted where participants received access to an 8-week ICBT program, and either a pre-treatment assessment interview (Factor 1), guidance (Factor 2), a combination of these, or neither of these. Participants were 270 individuals (66.8% female, mean age = 46.5) scoring 8 or more on the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test and consuming 14 standard drinks or more in the preceding week. Primary outcomes were number of drinks consumed and number of heavy drinking days during the preceding week, 3 months post-treatment. Results Large within-group effects were found in terms of alcohol reductions (dw ≥ 0.82, p < 0.001), but neither of the factors significantly improved drinking outcomes. Guidance was associated with greater adherence (i.e. completed modules). Conclusions Neither a pre-treatment assessment interview nor guidance from a clinician appears to improve drinking outcomes resulting from internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for alcohol misuse when delivered in a routine online therapy clinic. Trial registration: NCT03984786. Registered 13 June 2019, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03984786 Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13722-022-00319-0.
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19
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Moskalenko MY, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Katapally TR. The complex association of barriers and interest in internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for depression and anxiety: informing e-health policies through exploratory path analysis. J Ment Health 2022; 31:738-747. [PMID: 32715841 DOI: 10.1080/09638237.2020.1793125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) provides critical remote access to mental health care to at-risk populations. However, to our knowledge, no investigation has been conducted to understand complex pathways through which barriers to care (i.e. structural, attitudinal and technological) correlate with patient interest in ICBT. AIM The objective of this study is to develop and test a pathway analysis framework using structural equation modeling to understand direct and mediating associations of barriers to care with interest in ICBT. METHODS This cross-sectional observational study was conducted among adult (>18 years) urban and rural residents (n = 200) in Saskatchewan, Canada. An online survey assessed interest in ICBT, barriers to ICBT, demographics, and depression and anxiety symptoms. Utilizing structural equation modeling, a path analysis framework was developed. RESULTS Path analysis results showed how associations between complex barriers and demographic variables correlate with interest in ICBT. For instance, the negative association of perceived financial concerns and life chaos on interest in ICBT was mediated by perceived access to care. CONCLUSION The findings identify specific barriers that could be addressed through targeted population health interventions to improve uptake of ICBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryna Y Moskalenko
- Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
| | | | - Tarun R Katapally
- Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina, Regina, Canada.,Community Health and Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada
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20
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Pettersen T, Schjott J, Allore H, Bendz B, Borregaard B, Fridlund B, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Larsen AI, Nordrehaug JE, Rasmussen TB, Rotevatn S, Valaker I, Wentzel-Larsen T, Norekval TM. Informing patients about potential adverse drug reactions after percutaneous coronary intervention reduces the occurrence of self-reported adverse drug reactions. Eur Heart J 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehac544.2736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Healthcare providers are commonly reluctant to inform patients about potential adverse drug reactions (ADRs) from prescribed therapy to avoid increasing the incidence of ADRs through the nocebo effect. However, patients need information on all aspects of prescribed therapy to facilitate informed decision-making and take ownership of their care.
Purpose
To describe wether patients received information about potential ADRs from prescribed therapy before hospital discharge after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Furthermore, to determine whether receiving information about ADRs is associated with incidence of self-reported ADRs.
Methods
CONCARDPCI is a prospective multicentre cohort study including 3417 patients after PCI. The study was conducted between June 2017 and May 2020 at seven large referral PCI centres in Norway and Denmark. Clinical data were collected from patients' medical records. Socio-demographic characteristics were obtained by self-report during index hospitalization after PCI. Two questions from the Heart Continuity of Care Questionnaire were used to determine if information about potential ADRs was received before hospital discharge. De novo created questions were used to determine if patients reported ADRs from prescribed therapy. Questionnaires were distributed two (T1), six (T2), and twelve months (T3) after hospital discharge to assess the incidence of self-reported ADRs in a longitudinal perspective. Logistic regression was utilised to scrutinize the aims, reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
Patients were predominantly men (78%), with a mean age of 66 years (SD 11, range 20–96 years), and married or living with a partner (75%). Stable coronary artery disease was the most frequent cause of admission for PCI (30%). Before hospital discharge, 59% were informed of potential ADRs from prescribed therapy and 50% were informed what to do if ADRs occurred. The incidence of self-reported ADRs were significantly lower for those who were informed of potential ADRs compared to those who were not informed at T1 (OR 0.54, CI: 0.45–0.65, p<0.001), T2 (OR 0.56, CI: 0.46–0.70, p<0.001) and T3 (OR 0.51, CI: 0.42–0.67, p<0.001) (Figure 1). After controlling for socio-demographic and clinical variables, the incidence of self-reported ADRs were similar at T1 (OR 0.58, CI: 0.47–0.71, p<0.001), T2 (OR 0.56, CI: 0.46–0.70, p<0.001) and T3 (OR 0.53, CI: 0.42–0.66, p<0.001). Those less likely to receive information about ADRs were living alone (OR 0.75, CI: 0.59–0.97; p=0.029), women (OR 0.58, CI: 0.45–0.75, p<0.001) and those with three or more comorbidities (OR 0.68, CI: 0.47–0.98, p=0.029) compared to their counterparts.
Conclusion
Our study showed that informing patients about potential ADRs after PCI reduces the occurrence of self-reported ADRs. Information about potential ADRs should be provided regardless of cohabitation status, sex and comorbidities.
Funding Acknowledgement
Type of funding sources: Public hospital(s). Main funding source(s): Western Norway Health Authority
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Affiliation(s)
- T Pettersen
- Haukeland Universityhospital, Department of Heart Disease , Bergen , Norway
| | - J Schjott
- Haukeland University Hospital, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Pharmacology , Bergen , Norway
| | - H Allore
- Yale School of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine , New Haven , United States of America
| | - B Bendz
- Oslo University Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Oslo , Norway
| | - B Borregaard
- Odense University Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Odense , Denmark
| | - B Fridlund
- Linnaeus University, Centre of Interprofessional Cooperation within Emergency care (CICE) , Vaxjo , Sweden
| | | | - A I Larsen
- Stavanger University Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Stavanger , Norway
| | - J E Nordrehaug
- University of Bergen, Department of Clinical Science , Bergen , Norway
| | - T B Rasmussen
- Gentofte University Hospital, Department of Cardiology , Gentofte , Denmark
| | - S Rotevatn
- Haukeland Universityhospital, Department of Heart Disease , Bergen , Norway
| | - I Valaker
- Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences , Førde , Norway
| | - T Wentzel-Larsen
- Haukeland University Hospital, Centre for Clinical Research , Bergen , Norway
| | - T M Norekval
- Haukeland Universityhospital, Department of Heart Disease , Bergen , Norway
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21
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Mehta SH, Nugent M, Peynenburg V, Thiessen D, La Posta G, Titov N, Dear BF, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic health conditions: self-guided versus team-guided. J Behav Med 2022; 45:674-689. [PMID: 35921055 PMCID: PMC9362581 DOI: 10.1007/s10865-022-00346-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
There is growing interest in offering Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) to individuals with chronic health conditions, with this process often being guided by a single clinician. Due to lack of full time personnel, it is sometimes necessary to have multiple clinicians offer guidance or for no guidance to be offered. In this randomized trial, we compared team-guided ICBT (n = 90) to self-guided ICBT (n = 88). Participants completed measures at pre-, post-, and 3-months post-ICBT. Both groups showed similar rates of treatment completion and large improvements on depression and anxiety at post-treatment and follow-up. Unexpectedly, more participants in the self-guided versus team-guided condition showed clinically significant improvement on depression at post-treatment (76.5% vs 49.2%) and follow-up (70% vs 45.6%). Thus, team-guided ICBT may not provide significant benefits compared to self-guided ICBT. However, it may be an alternative approach to consider among a population of high risk individuals that wants or requires closer monitoring of symptoms. Trail registration TRN: NCT03500237; Date: April 18, 2018.
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Affiliation(s)
- S H Mehta
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - M Nugent
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - V Peynenburg
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - D Thiessen
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - G La Posta
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - N Titov
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - B F Dear
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - H D Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK, S4S 0A2, Canada.
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22
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Peynenburg V, Ababei A, Wilhelms A, Edmonds M, Titov N, Dear BF, Kaldo V, Jernelöv S, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Examining the Utility of a Sleep Resource in Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy: An Observational Study. IJERPH 2022; 19:ijerph19159337. [PMID: 35954693 PMCID: PMC9368049 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
Patients seeking transdiagnostic internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (T-ICBT) for anxiety or depression often have sleep difficulties. A brief resource that includes sleep psychoeducation and strategies for improving sleep (e.g., stimulus control and sleep restriction) may address comorbid insomnia without the need for an insomnia-specific ICBT course. This observational study explored patient use and feedback of a brief sleep resource available to all patients (n = 763) enrolled in an 8-week T-ICBT course. Overall, 30.1% of patients (n = 230) reviewed the resource and were older, more engaged with the ICBT course (i.e., more likely to complete the program, more logins, and greater number of days enrolled in the course) and had higher pretreatment insomnia symptoms than those who did not review the resource. Resource reviewers did not report larger improvements in symptoms of insomnia than non-reviewers, even among patients with clinical levels of insomnia, and average insomnia levels remained above the clinical cutoff at posttreatment. While patients were satisfied with the resource and it was beneficial to some patients, more research is needed to further explore how it may be integrated into T-ICBT and how therapists can encourage the use of the resource among patients who may benefit from the resource.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Peynenburg
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (V.P.); (A.A.); (A.W.); (M.E.)
| | - Andreea Ababei
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (V.P.); (A.A.); (A.W.); (M.E.)
| | - Andrew Wilhelms
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (V.P.); (A.A.); (A.W.); (M.E.)
| | - Michael Edmonds
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (V.P.); (A.A.); (A.W.); (M.E.)
| | - Nick Titov
- MindSpot Clinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia;
| | - Blake F. Dear
- eCentreClinic, School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia;
| | - Viktor Kaldo
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, SE 14186 Stockholm, Sweden; (V.K.); (S.J.)
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, SE 35195 Vaxjo, Sweden
| | - Susanna Jernelöv
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, SE 14186 Stockholm, Sweden; (V.K.); (S.J.)
- Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE 17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (V.P.); (A.A.); (A.W.); (M.E.)
- Correspondence:
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23
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, Peynenburg V, Thiessen DL, Nugent M, Karin E, Staples L, Dear BF, Titov N. Utilization, Patient Characteristics, and Longitudinal Improvements among Patients from a Provincially Funded Transdiagnostic Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Program: Observational Study of Trends over 6 Years. Can J Psychiatry 2022; 67:192-206. [PMID: 33840264 PMCID: PMC8935601 DOI: 10.1177/07067437211006873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE There is strong evidence supporting internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (iCBT) and consequently growing demand for iCBT in Canada. Transdiagnostic iCBT that addresses both depression and anxiety is particularly promising as it represents an efficient method of delivering iCBT in routine care. The Online Therapy Unit, funded by the Saskatchewan government, has been offering transdiagnostic iCBT for depression and anxiety since 2013. In this article, to broadly inform implementation efforts, we examined trends in utilization, patient characteristics, and longitudinal improvements for patients receiving transdiagnostic iCBT over 6 years. METHODS Patients who completed telephone screening between November 2013 and December 2019 were included in this observational study. Patients provided demographics and mental health history at screening and completed measures at pre-treatment, post-treatment and at 3- to 4-month follow-up. Treatment engagement and satisfaction were assessed. RESULTS A total of 5,321 telephone screenings were completed and 4,283 of patients were accepted for treatment over the 6-year period (80.5% acceptance). The most common reason for referral to another service was high suicide risk/severe symptoms (47.1%). Examination of trends showed growing use of transdiagnostic iCBT over time (37% increase per year). There was remarkable stability in patient characteristics across years. Most patients were concurrently using medication (57.3%) with 11.9% reporting using iCBT while on a waiting list for face-to-face treatment highlighting the importance of integrating iCBT with other services. Consistent across years, large improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms were found and maintained at 3- to 4-month follow-up. There was strong patient engagement with iCBT and positive ratings of treatment experiences. CONCLUSIONS As there is growing interest in iCBT in Canada, this large observational study provides valuable information for those implementing iCBT in terms of likely user characteristics, patterns of use, and improvements. This information has potential to assist with resource allocation and planning in Canada and elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vanessa Peynenburg
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, 6846University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - David L Thiessen
- Department of Mathematics & Statistics, 6846University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Marcie Nugent
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, 6846University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Eyal Karin
- eCentre Clinic, Department of Psychology, 7788Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lauren Staples
- eCentre Clinic, Department of Psychology, 7788Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Blake F Dear
- eCentre Clinic, Department of Psychology, 7788Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nickolai Titov
- eCentre Clinic, Department of Psychology, 7788Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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24
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Frohlich JR, Rapinda KK, Schaub MP, Wenger A, Baumgartner C, Johnson EA, O'Connor RM, Vincent N, Blankers M, Ebert DD, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Mackenzie CS, Wardell JD, Augsburger M, Goldberg JO, Keough MT. Efficacy of a minimally guided internet treatment for alcohol misuse and emotional problems in young adults: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Addict Behav Rep 2021; 14:100390. [PMID: 34938848 PMCID: PMC8664864 DOI: 10.1016/j.abrep.2021.100390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 10/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing (MI) can be readily adapted for brief, minimally guided, online interventions. Minimally guided online treatment is beneficial for hazardous drinking, mood difficulties, and quality of life in the short-term among young adults. Strategies designed to increase treatment engagement will likely mitigate the risk of attrition in future programs. Future versions of the Take Care of Me program are still needed to determine long-term effects and differential responses to treatment.
Many young adults struggle with comorbid alcohol misuse and emotional problems (i.e., depression and anxiety). However, there is currently a paucity of evidence-based, integrated, accessible treatment options for individuals with these comorbidities. The main goal of this study was to examine efficacy of a novel online, minimally guided, integrated program for comorbid alcohol misuse and emotional problems in young adults. Method: The study was an open-label two-arm RCT. Participants (N = 222, Mage = 24.6, 67.6% female) were randomized to one of two conditions: the Take Care of Me program (an 8-week, online integrated treatment condition consisting of 12 modules), or an online psychoeducational control condition. Intervention modules incorporated content based on principles of cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing. Participants completed assessment data at baseline, at the end of treatment (i.e., 8 weeks), and at follow-up (i.e., 24 weeks). Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models. Results: We observed that participants in the treatment condition showed larger reductions in depression, hazardous drinking, as well as increases in psychological quality of life and confidence at the end of treatment. We did not find group differences on total alcohol use at follow-up, but participants in the treatment group reduced their hazardous drinking and improved their quality of life at 24-week follow-up. Conclusions: Our study provides promising initial evidence for the first iteration of the comorbid alcohol misuse and emotional problems online program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jona R Frohlich
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Karli K Rapinda
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Michael P Schaub
- Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Wenger
- Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Baumgartner
- Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Edward A Johnson
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Roisin M O'Connor
- Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Norah Vincent
- Clinical Health Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Matthijs Blankers
- Arkin Mental Health Care, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Trimbos Institute, Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Utrecht, Netherlands.,Academic Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - David D Ebert
- Department of eMental Health, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Corey S Mackenzie
- Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Jeffrey D Wardell
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Institute for Mental Health Policy Research, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Mareike Augsburger
- Swiss Research Institute for Public Health and Addiction, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joel O Goldberg
- Department of Psychology, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
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25
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Sundström C, Edmonds M, Soucy JN, Titov N, Dear BF, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Alcohol and drug use among clients receiving internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for anxiety and depression in a routine care clinic - Demographics, use patterns, and prediction of treatment completion and outcomes. Internet Interv 2021; 27:100490. [PMID: 34987979 PMCID: PMC8693421 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2021.100490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research shows that alcohol and drug use among mental health clients is common and has the potential to negatively impact treatment outcomes. Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) as a treatment for anxiety and depression is on the rise, but little is known about the prevalence of alcohol and drug use among clients and how this use affects treatment completion and outcomes. OBJECTIVE The objective of the current study was to explore the prevalence of alcohol and drug use among clients in ICBT for depression and anxiety, and to investigate the impact of alcohol and drug use on treatment completion and symptom outcomes. MATERIAL AND METHODS Data was collected from 1155 clients who participated in two randomized ICBT trials for depression and anxiety, conducted in a routine care clinic. Thirty-five individuals reporting severe substance use when applying to the trials were excluded. Demographic variables, and alcohol and drug use were measured at screening, and measures of depression and anxiety were administered at pre- and post-treatment. RESULTS Four out of five clients reported having used alcohol in the past year, while one in five reported having used drugs in the past year. Around a third of clients had reported either problematic alcohol use, drug problems, or both. The analyses showed that drug problems, and combined alcohol and drug problems were negatively associated with treatment completion, but neither alcohol nor drug use had an impact on depression and anxiety outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol and drug problems are likely to be present among a large proportion of patients using ICBT for anxiety and depression. This may not be a barrier to treatment benefit, at least when those with severe alcohol and drug problems have been excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Sundström
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Norra Stationsgatan 69, 113 64, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Corresponding author at: Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Norra Stationsgatan 69, 113 64, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Michael Edmonds
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Joelle N. Soucy
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Nickolai Titov
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Blake F. Dear
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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26
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, Chadwick C, Beck CD, Edmonds M, Sundström C, Edwards W, Ouellette D, Waldrop J, Adlam K, Bourgeault L, Nugent M. Improving internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for alcohol misuse: Patient perspectives following program completion. Internet Interv 2021; 26:100474. [PMID: 34722165 PMCID: PMC8536539 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2021.100474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Although Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) for alcohol misuse is efficacious in research trials, it is not routinely available in practice. Moreover, there is considerable variability in engagement and outcomes of ICBT for alcohol misuse across studies. The Alcohol Change Course (ACC) is an ICBT program that is offered free of charge by an online clinic in Saskatchewan, Canada, which seeks to fill this service gap, while also conducting research to direct future improvements of ICBT. As there is limited qualitative patient-oriented research designed to improve ICBT for alcohol misuse, in this study, we describe patient perceptions of the ACC post-treatment. Specifically, post-treatment feedback was obtained from 191 of 312 patients who enrolled in the ACC. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to examine post-treatment written comments related to what patients liked and disliked about the course, which skills were most helpful for them, and their suggestions for future patients. The majority of patients endorsed being very satisfied or satisfied with the course (n = 133, 69.6%) and 94.2% (n = 180) perceived the course as being worth their time. Worksheets (n = 61, 31.9%) and reflections of others (n = 40, 20.9%) received the most praise. Coping with cravings (n = 63, 33.0%), and identifying and managing risky situations (n = 46, 24.1%) were reported as the most helpful skills. Several suggestions for refining the course were provided with the most frequent recommendation being a desire for increased personal interaction (n = 24, 12.6%) followed by a desire for wanting more information (n = 22, 11.5%). Many patients offered advice for future ACC patients, including suggestions to make a commitment (n = 47, 24.6%), do all of the work (n = 29, 15.2%), and keep a consistent approach to the course (n = 24, 12.6%). The results provide valuable patient-oriented directions for improving ICBT for alcohol misuse.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carly Chadwick
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, SK, Canada
| | - Cynthia D. Beck
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, SK, Canada
| | - Michael Edmonds
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, SK, Canada
| | | | - Wendy Edwards
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, SK, Canada
| | - Dianne Ouellette
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, SK, Canada
| | - Justin Waldrop
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, SK, Canada
| | - Kelly Adlam
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, SK, Canada
| | - Lee Bourgeault
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, SK, Canada
| | - Marcie Nugent
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina S4S 0A2, SK, Canada
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McCall HC, Landry CA, Ogunade A, Carleton RN, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Why Do Public Safety Personnel Seek Tailored Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy? An Observational Study of Treatment-Seekers. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18:ijerph182211972. [PMID: 34831728 PMCID: PMC8619750 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182211972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
First responders and other public safety personnel (PSP) experience elevated rates of mental disorders and face unique barriers to care. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) is an effective and accessible treatment that has demonstrated good treatment outcomes when tailored specifically for PSP. However, little is known about how PSP come to seek ICBT. A deeper understanding of why PSP seek ICBT can inform efforts to tailor and disseminate ICBT and other treatments to PSP. The present study was designed to (1) explore the demographic and clinical characteristics, motivations, and past treatments of PSP seeking ICBT, (2) learn how PSP first learned about ICBT, and (3) understand how PSP perceive ICBT. To address these objectives, we examined responses to online screening questionnaires among PSP (N = 259) who signed up for an ICBT program tailored for PSP. The results indicate that most of our sample experienced clinically significant symptoms of multiple mental disorders, had received prior mental disorder diagnoses and treatments, heard about ICBT from a work-related source, reported positive perceptions of ICBT, and sought ICBT to learn skills to manage their own symptoms of mental disorders. The insights gleaned through this study have important implications for ICBT researchers and others involved in the development, delivery, evaluation, and funding of mental healthcare services for PSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh C. McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (H.C.M.); (C.A.L.); (R.N.C.)
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada;
| | - Caeleigh A. Landry
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (H.C.M.); (C.A.L.); (R.N.C.)
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada;
| | - Adeyemi Ogunade
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada;
| | - R. Nicholas Carleton
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (H.C.M.); (C.A.L.); (R.N.C.)
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada;
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (H.C.M.); (C.A.L.); (R.N.C.)
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada;
- Correspondence:
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Beahm JD, McCall HC, Carleton RN, Titov N, Dear B, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Insights into internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for public safety personnel: Exploration of client experiences during and after treatment. Internet Interv 2021; 26:100481. [PMID: 34815951 PMCID: PMC8593259 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2021.100481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Canadian public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health problems and barriers to receiving care. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) may help reduce barriers to care; however, there is no literature involving qualitative analyses of client feedback to describe PSP experiences with ICBT. Identifying these experiences is important because it can inform future use of ICBT with this group that has unique needs. The current study was designed to explore how clients (N = 82) experienced ICBT that had been tailored to meet their needs; specifically, the study assessed their perceptions of program impacts, what clients found helpful, and client suggestions for improvements. The ICBT course included five core lessons, client stories, and nine initial additional resources, as well as flexible frequencies (optional, once weekly, or twice weekly) and durations (8 to 16 weeks) of therapist support. A qualitative reliability thematic analysis was used to analyze client communications and feedback. Responses to a Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire administered at eight weeks post-enrollment were available for 57 clients. Client emails with therapists were also examined among all clients, including an additional 25 clients who did not complete the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire. Themes identified in the qualitative analyses were related to: reported impacts and hindering events, helpful and challenging course skills and content, helpful aspects of the course, and areas for improvement. Clients who completed the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire and those who did not reported beneficial impacts from the program, with the most commonly endorsed themes being skill development and normalizing mental health issues. Hindering events were experienced by both groups and included timeline challenges, technology challenges, and negative effects. Comments from both groups suggested that clients had more success than challenges when practicing the skills. Thought challenging was the skill most frequently identified as helpful. Clients described many aspects of the program as helpful with the most frequently endorsed themes being the course format and content, the flexible nature of the course, access to additional materials and case stories, and therapist assistance. Clients also provided suggestions for improving the course (e.g., case stories, additional resources, timelines audio and videos). Overall, client communications suggest that ICBT is accepted and perceived as beneficial among PSP. These results informed rapid improvements to the ICBT program tailored for PSP and may inform others seeking to provide digital mental health services to PSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine D. Beahm
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada,PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Hugh C. McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada,PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - R. Nicholas Carleton
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada,PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Nick Titov
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia,eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Blake Dear
- Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia,eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada,PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada,Corresponding author at: PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada.
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, Peynenburg V, Thiessen D, Schneider LH, Nugent M, Wilhelms A, Karin E, Titov N, Dear BF. Five-year observational study of Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural pain management when offered as routine care by an online therapy clinic. Eur J Pain 2021; 26:390-404. [PMID: 34592026 PMCID: PMC9293405 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural pain management programmes (PMPs) are effective, but less is known about their use outside of research trials. Five years of data from offering the Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural PMP in an online therapy clinic was examined to assess effectiveness, acceptability and predictors of outcomes. METHODS Patients (N = 293) were offered a previously validated 8-week Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural PMP and administered measures at pre-treatment, post-treatment and 3 months. RESULTS There was growth in demand for an Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural PMP over time (n = 64 first year to n = 133 fifth year). Moderate-to-large improvements on depression (post-treatment 35% reduction; 3-month 41% reduction) and anxiety (post-treatment 37% reduction; 3-month 41% reduction), and small-to-moderate improvements on disability (post-treatment 19% reduction; 3-month 20% reduction) were found. Lesson completion and satisfaction were high. Lower pain acceptance, lower pain self-efficacy and higher pain intensity were associated with lower improvements on depression, anxiety and disability. CONCLUSIONS This longitudinal observational study provides support for Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural PMPs when offered as routine care by an online therapy clinic. SIGNIFICANCE This 5-year observational study provides support for Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural pain management programs (PMPs) offered as routine care in an online therapy clinic. Interest in the service grew over 5 years. Outcomes, engagement and satisfaction were strong. Higher pain acceptance, pain self-efficacy and lower pain severity were associated with greater post-treatment improvements on depression, anxiety and disability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vanessa Peynenburg
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - David Thiessen
- Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Luke H Schneider
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Marcie Nugent
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Andrew Wilhelms
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Eyal Karin
- Department of Psychology, MindSpot Clinic and eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nickolai Titov
- Department of Psychology, MindSpot Clinic and eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Blake F Dear
- Department of Psychology, MindSpot Clinic and eCentreClinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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McCall HC, Beahm JD, Fournier AK, Burnett JL, Carleton RN, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Stakeholder perspectives on internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for public safety personnel: A qualitative analysis. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement 2021. [DOI: 10.1037/cbs0000242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Furukawa TA, Suganuma A, Ostinelli EG, Andersson G, Beevers CG, Shumake J, Berger T, Boele FW, Buntrock C, Carlbring P, Choi I, Christensen H, Mackinnon A, Dahne J, Huibers MJH, Ebert DD, Farrer L, Forand NR, Strunk DR, Ezawa ID, Forsell E, Kaldo V, Geraedts A, Gilbody S, Littlewood E, Brabyn S, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Schneider LH, Johansson R, Kenter R, Kivi M, Björkelund C, Kleiboer A, Riper H, Klein JP, Schröder J, Meyer B, Moritz S, Bücker L, Lintvedt O, Johansson P, Lundgren J, Milgrom J, Gemmill AW, Mohr DC, Montero-Marin J, Garcia-Campayo J, Nobis S, Zarski AC, O'Moore K, Williams AD, Newby JM, Perini S, Phillips R, Schneider J, Pots W, Pugh NE, Richards D, Rosso IM, Rauch SL, Sheeber LB, Smith J, Spek V, Pop VJ, Ünlü B, van Bastelaar KMP, van Luenen S, Garnefski N, Kraaij V, Vernmark K, Warmerdam L, van Straten A, Zagorscak P, Knaevelsrud C, Heinrich M, Miguel C, Cipriani A, Efthimiou O, Karyotaki E, Cuijpers P. Dismantling, optimising, and personalising internet cognitive behavioural therapy for depression: a systematic review and component network meta-analysis using individual participant data. Lancet Psychiatry 2021; 8:500-511. [PMID: 33957075 PMCID: PMC8838916 DOI: 10.1016/s2215-0366(21)00077-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Internet cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) is a viable delivery format of CBT for depression. However, iCBT programmes include training in a wide array of cognitive and behavioural skills via different delivery methods, and it remains unclear which of these components are more efficacious and for whom. METHODS We did a systematic review and individual participant data component network meta-analysis (cNMA) of iCBT trials for depression. We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Library for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published from database inception to Jan 1, 2019, that compared any form of iCBT against another or a control condition in the acute treatment of adults (aged ≥18 years) with depression. Studies with inpatients or patients with bipolar depression were excluded. We sought individual participant data from the original authors. When these data were unavailable, we used aggregate data. Two independent researchers identified the included components. The primary outcome was depression severity, expressed as incremental mean difference (iMD) in the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores when a component is added to a treatment. We developed a web app that estimates relative efficacies between any two combinations of components, given baseline patient characteristics. This study is registered in PROSPERO, CRD42018104683. FINDINGS We identified 76 RCTs, including 48 trials contributing individual participant data (11 704 participants) and 28 trials with aggregate data (6474 participants). The participants' weighted mean age was 42·0 years and 12 406 (71%) of 17 521 reported were women. There was suggestive evidence that behavioural activation might be beneficial (iMD -1·83 [95% credible interval (CrI) -2·90 to -0·80]) and that relaxation might be harmful (1·20 [95% CrI 0·17 to 2·27]). Baseline severity emerged as the strongest prognostic factor for endpoint depression. Combining human and automated encouragement reduced dropouts from treatment (incremental odds ratio, 0·32 [95% CrI 0·13 to 0·93]). The risk of bias was low for the randomisation process, missing outcome data, or selection of reported results in most of the included studies, uncertain for deviation from intended interventions, and high for measurement of outcomes. There was moderate to high heterogeneity among the studies and their components. INTERPRETATION The individual patient data cNMA revealed potentially helpful, less helpful, or harmful components and delivery formats for iCBT packages. iCBT packages aiming to be effective and efficient might choose to include beneficial components and exclude ones that are potentially detrimental. Our web app can facilitate shared decision making by therapist and patient in choosing their preferred iCBT package. FUNDING Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshi A Furukawa
- Department of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine/School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan.
| | - Aya Suganuma
- Department of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine/School of Public Health, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Edoardo G Ostinelli
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gerhard Andersson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Christopher G Beevers
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Mental Health Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Jason Shumake
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Mental Health Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Thomas Berger
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Florien Willemijn Boele
- Patient Centred Outcomes Research Group, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Claudia Buntrock
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Per Carlbring
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Isabella Choi
- Central Clinical School, Brain and Mind Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Helen Christensen
- Black Dog Institute and University of New South Wales, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Andrew Mackinnon
- Black Dog Institute and University of New South Wales, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jennifer Dahne
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Marcus J H Huibers
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - David D Ebert
- Department for Sport and Health Sciences, Chair for Psychology & Digital Mental Health Care, Technical University Munich, Germany
| | - Louise Farrer
- Centre for Mental Health Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Nicholas R Forand
- Department of Psychiatry, The Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY, USA
| | - Daniel R Strunk
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Iony D Ezawa
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Erik Forsell
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Viktor Kaldo
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet and Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden
| | | | - Simon Gilbody
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
| | | | - Sally Brabyn
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
| | | | - Luke H Schneider
- Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic, St Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Robert Johansson
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robin Kenter
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Marie Kivi
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Björkelund
- Primary Health Care, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Institute of Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Annet Kleiboer
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Heleen Riper
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jan Philipp Klein
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Luebeck University, Luebeck, Germany
| | - Johanna Schröder
- Institute for Sex Research, Sexual Medicine and Forensic Psychiatry, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Björn Meyer
- Research Department, GAIA AG, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Steffen Moritz
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lara Bücker
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ove Lintvedt
- Norwegian Center for E-health research, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Peter Johansson
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden
| | - Johan Lundgren
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden
| | - Jeannette Milgrom
- Parent-Infant Research Institute and Austin Health, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alan W Gemmill
- Parent-Infant Research Institute and Austin Health, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - David C Mohr
- Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Jesus Montero-Marin
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Javier Garcia-Campayo
- Aragon Institute for Health Research, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Zaragoza, Spain; Primary Care Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network, RedIAPP, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Anna-Carlotta Zarski
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kathleen O'Moore
- Black Dog Institute and University of New South Wales, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alishia D Williams
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jill M Newby
- School of Psychology, University of New South Wales at the Black Dog Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Sarah Perini
- Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rachel Phillips
- Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Justine Schneider
- School of Sociology & Social Policy and Institute of Mental Health, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Wendy Pots
- Department of Psychology, Health & Technology, University of Twente, Enschede, Netherlands
| | | | - Derek Richards
- University of Dublin, Trinity College, School of Psychology, E-mental Health Research Group, Dublin, Ireland; SilverCloud Health, Clinical Research & Innovation, Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | | | - Jessica Smith
- Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Viola Spek
- School of Applied Psychology, Fontys University of Applied Science, Eindhoven, Netherlands
| | - Victor J Pop
- Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands
| | | | | | - Sanne van Luenen
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Nadia Garnefski
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Vivian Kraaij
- Department of Clinical Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Kristofer Vernmark
- Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | | | - Annemieke van Straten
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Pavle Zagorscak
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Manuel Heinrich
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Clara Miguel
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Andrea Cipriani
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Orestis Efthimiou
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Eirini Karyotaki
- Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Pim Cuijpers
- Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, McCall HC, Thiessen DL, Huang Z, Carleton RN, Dear BF, Titov N. Initial Outcomes of Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Tailored to Public Safety Personnel: Longitudinal Observational Study. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e27610. [PMID: 33949959 PMCID: PMC8135031 DOI: 10.2196/27610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Canadian public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health disorders and face many barriers to treatment. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) overcomes many such barriers, and is effective for treating depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Objective This study was designed to fill a gap in the literature regarding the use of ICBT tailored specifically for PSP. We examined the effectiveness of a tailored ICBT program for treating depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms among PSP in the province of Saskatchewan. Methods We employed a longitudinal single-group open-trial design (N=83) with outcome measures administered at screening and at 8 weeks posttreatment. Data were collected between December 5, 2019 and September 11, 2020. Primary outcomes included changes in depression, anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Secondary outcomes included changes in functional impairment; symptoms of panic, social anxiety, and anger; as well as treatment satisfaction, working alliance, and program usage patterns. Results Clients reported large symptom reductions on measures of depression and anxiety, as well as moderate reductions on measures of PTSD and secondary symptoms, except for social anxiety. Most clients who reported symptoms above clinical cut-offs on measures of depression, anxiety, and PTSD during screening experienced clinically significant symptom reductions. Results suggested good engagement, treatment satisfaction, and working alliance. Conclusions Tailored, transdiagnostic ICBT demonstrated promising outcomes as a treatment for depression, anxiety, and PTSD among Saskatchewan PSP and warrants further investigation. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04127032; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04127032
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hugh C McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - David L Thiessen
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Ziyin Huang
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - R Nicholas Carleton
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.,PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Blake F Dear
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nickolai Titov
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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McCall HC, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Sundström CRF. Exploring the Role of Persuasive Design in Unguided Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression and Anxiety Among Adults: Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, and Meta-regression. J Med Internet Res 2021; 23:e26939. [PMID: 33913811 PMCID: PMC8120424 DOI: 10.2196/26939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) is an effective treatment that can overcome barriers to mental health care. Various research groups have suggested that unguided ICBT (ie, ICBT without therapist support) and other eHealth interventions can be designed to enhance user engagement and thus outcomes. The persuasive systems design framework captures most design recommendations for eHealth interventions, but there is little empirical evidence that persuasive design is related to clinical outcomes in unguided ICBT. OBJECTIVE This study aims to provide an updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of unguided ICBT for depression and anxiety, describe the frequency with which various persuasive design principles are used in such interventions, and use meta-regression to explore whether a greater number of persuasive design elements predicts efficacy in unguided ICBT for depression and anxiety. METHODS We conducted a systematic review of 5 databases to identify randomized controlled trials of unguided ICBT for depression and anxiety. We conducted separate random effects meta-analyses and separate meta-regressions for depression and anxiety interventions. Each meta-regression included 2 steps. The first step included, as a predictor, whether each intervention was transdiagnostic. For the meta-regression of ICBT for depression, the first step also included the type of control condition. The number of persuasive design principles identified for each intervention was added as a predictor in the second step to reveal the additional variance in effect sizes explained by persuasive design. RESULTS Of the 4471 articles we identified in our search, 46 (1.03%) were eligible for inclusion in our analyses. Our meta-analyses showed effect sizes (Hedges g) ranging from 0.22 to 0.31 for depression interventions, depending on the measures taken to account for bias in the results. We found a mean effect size of 0.45 (95% CI 0.33-0.56) for anxiety interventions, with no evidence that the results were inflated by bias. Included interventions were identified as using between 1 and 13 persuasive design principles, with an average of 4.95 (SD 2.85). The meta-regressions showed that a greater number of persuasive design principles predicted greater efficacy in ICBT for depression (R2 change=0.27; B=0.04; P=.02) but not anxiety (R2 change=0.05; B=0.03; P=.17). CONCLUSIONS These findings show wide variability in the use of persuasive design in unguided ICBT for depression and anxiety and provide preliminary support for the proposition that more persuasively designed interventions are more efficacious, at least in the treatment of depression. Further research is needed to clarify the role of persuasive design in ICBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh C McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Heather D Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
- PSPNET, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Christopher Richard Francis Sundström
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
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Soucy JN, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Karin E, Dear BF, Titov N. Brief online motivational interviewing pre-treatment intervention for enhancing internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy: A randomized controlled trial. Internet Interv 2021; 25:100394. [PMID: 33996510 PMCID: PMC8099490 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2021.100394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
While the efficacy of therapist-guided internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (iCBT) for anxiety and depression is well-established, a significant proportion of clients show little to no improvement with this approach. Given that motivational interviewing (MI) is found to enhance face-to-face treatment of anxiety, the current trial examined potential benefits of a brief online MI intervention prior to therapist-guided iCBT. Clients applying to transdiagnostic therapist-guided iCBT in routine care were randomly assigned to receive iCBT with (n = 231) or without (n = 249) the online MI pre-treatment. Clients rated motivation at screening and pre-iCBT and anxiety and depression at pre- and post-treatment and at 13- and 25-week follow-up after enrollment. Clients in the MI plus iCBT group made more motivational statements in their emails and were enrolled in the course for a greater number of days compared to clients who received iCBT only, but did not demonstrate higher motivation after completing the MI intervention or have higher course completion. Clients in both groups, at screening and pre-iCBT, reported high levels of motivation. No statistically significant group differences were found in the rate of primary symptom change over time, with both groups reporting large reductions in anxiety and depression pre- to post-treatment (Hedges' g range = 0.96-1.11). During follow-up, clients in the iCBT only group reported additional small reductions in anxiety, whereas clients in the MI plus iCBT group did not. The MI plus iCBT group also showed small increases in depression during follow-up, whereas improvement was sustained for the iCBT only group. It is concluded that online MI does not appear to enhance client outcomes when motivation at pre-treatment is high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joelle N. Soucy
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Canada,Corresponding author at: 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada.
| | - Eyal Karin
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Blake F. Dear
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nickolai Titov
- MindSpot Clinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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Stelnicki AM, Jamshidi L, Angehrn A, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Carleton RN. Associations Between Burnout and Mental Disorder Symptoms Among Nurses in Canada. Can J Nurs Res 2020; 53:254-263. [PMID: 33283544 DOI: 10.1177/0844562120974194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nurses appear to be at a greater risk of burnout compared to other medical professionals. Higher levels of burnout are significantly associated with higher levels of anxiety, stress, and depression symptoms. PURPOSE The current study was designed to estimate levels of burnout among Canadian nurses, examine the association between burnout and mental disorder symptoms, and identify characteristics that may increase the risk for reporting symptoms of burnout. METHOD Canadian nurses (n = 3257; 94.3% women) were surveyed online in both English and French. The survey assessed current symptoms of burnout and mental disorders (i.e., Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder). RESULTS Most nurses (63.2%) reported at least some symptoms of burnout and many (29.3%) reported clinically significant levels of burnout. Age and years of service were the only demographic variables that explained burnout rates. Participants reporting clinically significant levels of burnout were significantly more likely than participants with no burnout to screen positive for all mental disorders, but particularly for Major Depressive Disorder. CONCLUSIONS Monitoring burnout may be an effective way to identify nurses at risk of developing symptoms of mental disorders. Younger and early-career nurses are an important group to target for prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea M Stelnicki
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
| | - Laleh Jamshidi
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina, Regina, Canada
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Titov N, Dear BF, Nielssen O, Wootton B, Kayrouz R, Karin E, Genest B, Bennett-Levy J, Purtell C, Bezuidenhout G, Tan R, Minissale C, Thadhani P, Webb N, Willcock S, Andersson G, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Mohr DC, Kavanagh DJ, Cross S, Staples LG. User characteristics and outcomes from a national digital mental health service: an observational study of registrants of the Australian MindSpot Clinic. Lancet Digit Health 2020; 2:e582-e593. [PMID: 33103097 PMCID: PMC7571905 DOI: 10.1016/s2589-7500(20)30224-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Background Interest is growing in digital and telehealth delivery of mental health services, but data are scarce on outcomes in routine care. The federally funded Australian MindSpot Clinic provides online and telephone psychological assessment and treatment services to Australian adults. We aimed to summarise demographic characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients registered with MindSpot over the first 7 years of clinic operation. Methods We used an observational design to review all patients who registered for assessment with the MindSpot Clinic between Jan 1, 2013, and Dec 31, 2019. We descriptively analysed the demographics, service preferences, and baseline symptoms of patients. Among patients enrolled in a digital treatment course, we evaluated scales of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-Item Scale [GAD-7]), as primary measures of treatment outcome, from the screening assessment to post-treatment and a 3 month follow-up. The Kessler Psychological Distress 10-Item Plus Scale was also used to assess changes in general distress and disability, and course satisfaction was measured post-treatment. Outcomes A total of 121 652 screening assessments were started, of which 96 018 (78·9%) were completed. The mean age of patients was 35·7 years (SD 13·8) and 88 702 (72·9%) were women. Based on available assessment data, 36 866 (34·5%) of 106 811 participants had never previously spoken to a health professional about their symptoms, and most people self-reported symptoms of anxiety (88 879 [81·9%] of 108 494) or depression (78 803 [72·6%] of 108 494), either alone or in combination, at baseline. 21 745 patients started treatment in a therapist-guided online course, of whom 14 503 (66·7%) completed treatment (≥four of five lessons). Key trends in service use included an increase in the proportion of people using MindSpot primarily for assessment and information, from 52·6% in 2013 to 66·7% in 2019, while the proportion primarily seeking online treatment decreased, from 42·6% in 2013 to 26·7% in 2019. Effect sizes and percentage changes were large for estimated mean scores on the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 from assessment to post-treatment (PHQ-9, Cohen's d effect size 1·40 [95% CI 1·37–1·43]; and GAD-7, 1·45 [1·42–1·47]) and the 3 month follow-up (PHQ-9, 1·36 [1·34–1·38]; and GAD-7, 1·42 [1·40–1·44]); proportions of patients with reliable symptom deterioration (score increase of ≥6 points [PHQ-9] or ≥5 points [GAD-7]) were low post-treatment (of 13 058 respondents, 184 [1·4%] had symptom deterioration on the PHQ-9 and 282 [2·2%] on the GAD-7); and patient satisfaction rates were high (12 452 [96·6%] of 12 895 respondents would recommend the course and 12 433 [96·7%] of 12 860 reported the course worthwhile). We also observed small improvements in disability following treatment as measured by days out of role. Interpretation Our findings indicate improvement in psychological symptoms and positive reception among patients receiving online mental health treatment. These results support the addition of digital services such as MindSpot as a component in contemporary national mental health systems. Funding None.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nickolai Titov
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Blake F Dear
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Olav Nielssen
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bethany Wootton
- Discipline of Clinical Psychology, Graduate School of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Rony Kayrouz
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Eyal Karin
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ben Genest
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - James Bennett-Levy
- University Centre for Rural Health, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Carol Purtell
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | | | - Rheza Tan
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Casey Minissale
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Priti Thadhani
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Nick Webb
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon Willcock
- Macquarie University Health Sciences Centre, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gerhard Andersson
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - David C Mohr
- Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - David J Kavanagh
- Centre for Children's Health Research and School of Psychology and Counselling, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Shane Cross
- MindSpot Clinic, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Edmonds MR, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Gullickson KM, Asmundson AJ, Dear BF, Titov N. Understanding Problems With Sleep, Sexual Functioning, Energy, and Appetite Among Patients Who Access Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression: Qualitative Exploratory Study. JMIR Form Res 2020; 4:e15037. [PMID: 33048054 PMCID: PMC7592064 DOI: 10.2196/15037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transdiagnostic internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (T-ICBT) is an effective treatment for anxiety and depression, and nowadays, there is interest in exploring ways to optimize T-ICBT in routine care. T-ICBT programs are designed to address the primary cognitive-affective and behavioral symptoms of anxiety and depression (eg, low mood, worry, anhedonia, and avoidance). Treatment also has the potential to resolve other symptom concerns (eg, sleep disruption, sexual dysfunction, lack of energy, and appetite or weight changes). Having additional information regarding the extent of these concerns and how concerns change over time could prove beneficial for further development of T-ICBT in routine care. Objective This exploratory formative study aims to better understand sleep, sexual functioning, energy, and appetite concerns among T-ICBT clients seeking treatment for depression and anxiety. A qualitative analytic approach was used to identify themes in the symptom concerns reported by patients in the areas of sleep, sexual functioning, energy, and appetite at the time of enrollment. Patient responses to related items from screening measures for anxiety and depression were also examined pre- and posttreatment. Methods Patients in routine care who applied for a T-ICBT program for depression and anxiety over a 1-year period were included in this study. As part of the application and screening process, participants completed depression and anxiety symptom measures (ie, 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire and 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale). These same measures were administered posttreatment. Subsequently, they were asked if they were experiencing any problems with sleep, sexual activity, energy, or appetite (yes or no). If their response was yes, they were presented with an open-ended comment box that asked them to describe the problems they had experienced in those areas. Results A total of 462 patients were admitted to T-ICBT during the study period, of which 438 endorsed having some problems with sleep, sexual activity, energy, or appetite. The analysis of open-ended responses indicated that 73.4% (339/462) of patients reported sleep problems (eg, difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep), 69.3% (320/462) of patients reported problems with energy or motivation (eg, tiredness and low motivation), 57.4% (265/462) of patients reported appetite or body weight concerns (eg, changes in appetite and weight loss or gain), and 30.1% (139/462) of patients described concerns with sexual functioning (eg, loss of interest in sex and difficulty with arousal). Item analysis of symptom measures demonstrated that T-ICBT produced improvements in sleep, energy, and appetite in 8 weeks. Sexual dysfunction and weight changes were not represented in the screening measures, so it remains unclear what effect T-ICBT has on these symptoms. Conclusions Sleep disruption, lack of energy, appetite or weight changes, and sexual dysfunction are common concerns reported by clients enrolled in T-ICBT in routine practice and may deserve greater attention in T-ICBT program development and administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Edmonds
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | | | - Kirsten M Gullickson
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Aleiia Jn Asmundson
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Blake F Dear
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nickolai Titov
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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McCall HC, Sison AP, Burnett JL, Beahm JD, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Exploring Perceptions of Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy among Public Safety Personnel: Informing Dissemination Efforts. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2020; 17:ijerph17176026. [PMID: 32824994 PMCID: PMC7503620 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Background Public safety personnel (PSP) experience high rates of mental health disorders but have limited access to treatment. To improve treatment access, there is a growing interest in offering internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) to PSP. As attitudes towards ICBT can both impact and inform ICBT implementation efforts, this study examines perceptions of ICBT among PSP who viewed a poster (a commonly used method of advertising ICBT) or a poster supplemented with a story of a PSP who benefitted from ICBT. Methods Participants (N = 132) from various PSP sectors were randomly assigned to view a poster or a poster and a story. Participants then completed an online survey assessing their perceptions of ICBT using both qualitative and quantitative questions. We used a mixed-methods approach to analyze the data. Results No differences in perceptions of ICBT were identified between the conditions. Ratings of credibility, treatment expectancy, anticipated treatment adherence, and acceptability suggested that PSP had positive perceptions of ICBT. Most participants (93%) reported that they would access ICBT if they needed help with mental health concerns. Participants ranked therapist-guided ICBT as their second most preferred treatment, with psychologists ranked first. Female participants found ICBT more credible than male participants. More experienced PSP reported lower acceptability and anticipated adherence to ICBT. Conclusions The findings suggest that many PSP are likely to be receptive to ICBT even when a simple poster is used as a method of informing PSP of this treatment option. Further attention to improving the perceptions of ICBT among certain groups may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh C. McCall
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (H.C.M.); (A.P.S.); (J.L.B.); (J.D.B.)
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Angelo P. Sison
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (H.C.M.); (A.P.S.); (J.L.B.); (J.D.B.)
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Jody L. Burnett
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (H.C.M.); (A.P.S.); (J.L.B.); (J.D.B.)
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Janine D. Beahm
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (H.C.M.); (A.P.S.); (J.L.B.); (J.D.B.)
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Pkwy, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada; (H.C.M.); (A.P.S.); (J.L.B.); (J.D.B.)
- PSPNET, University of Regina, 2 Research Drive, Regina, SK S4T 2P7, Canada
- Correspondence:
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Peynenburg VA, Mehta S, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Postsecondary student perceptions and preferences for the treatment of depression and anxiety: Comparison of internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy to face-to-face cognitive behaviour therapy and medication. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement 2020. [DOI: 10.1037/cbs0000165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Moskalenko MY, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Katapally TR. Barriers to patient interest in internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy: Informing e-health policies through quantitative analysis. Health Policy and Technology 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.hlpt.2020.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, Williams J, Adlam K, Spice K, Nugent M, Owens KM, Sundström C, Dear BF, Titov N. Audit and feedback of therapist-assisted internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy within routine care: A quality improvement case study. Internet Interv 2020; 20:100309. [PMID: 32071887 PMCID: PMC7011000 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2020.100309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
With the growing use of ICBT in routine care clinics there is a need for literature on how to monitor and improve the quality of therapist behaviours in clinical practice. In this paper, we first provide background literature on Audit and Feedback (A&F), a common quality improvement technique, and then present a case study regarding the use of A&F to improve quality of therapist behaviours in emails sent to patients provided with ICBT in routine care. The A&F measure used was derived from previous research on therapist's email behaviours in ICBT. Fifteen undesirable therapist behaviours (e.g., Did Not Message, Unresponsive to Symptom Increase, Does Not Address Patient Concern) were audited in 1840 emails sent from eight therapists to 198 randomly selected patients, representing 18% of 1114 patients who started between one and five lessons of ICBT in the previous year and did not formally withdraw from treatment (n = 31 patients). The therapists who were audited were provided feedback four times over a one-year period from October 2018 to September 2019. Overall, in all audit periods, we found a low percentage of undesirable therapist behaviours (i.e., therapists displayed the behaviour in 12% or less of the total emails sent). For most therapist behaviours, we saw a trend towards improvement across the four audit cycles. Three therapist behaviours (i.e., Failure to Ask One Question to the Patient, Poor Instructions, Not Linking Email to Course Content) did not follow this pattern and were flagged for clinical discussion to determine why behaviours were elevated and whether these behaviours represented unrealistic expectations. The process was valuable for monitoring and improving therapist behaviours and highlights the need for future research on standards for therapist behaviours (e.g., which behaviours to focus on, setting acceptable levels of undesirable behaviour).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jaime Williams
- Mental Health Clinic, Saskatchewan Health Authority, 2110 Hamilton Street, Regina, SK S4P 2E3, Canada
| | - Kelly Adlam
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Kerry Spice
- MindSpot Clinic and eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Marcie Nugent
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Katherine M.B. Owens
- Mental Health Clinic, Saskatchewan Health Authority, 2110 Hamilton Street, Regina, SK S4P 2E3, Canada
| | - Christopher Sundström
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Blake F. Dear
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Nickolai Titov
- MindSpot Clinic and eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, Gullickson KM, Adrian-Taylor S, Wilhelms A, Sundström C, Nugent M. Stakeholder Perceptions of Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy as a Treatment Option for Alcohol Misuse: Qualitative Analysis. JMIR Ment Health 2020; 7:e14698. [PMID: 32130151 PMCID: PMC7078623 DOI: 10.2196/14698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) has been found to be effective for treating alcohol misuse in research trials, but it is not available as part of routine care in Canada. Recent recommendations in the literature highlight the importance of integrating perspectives from both patient and health care stakeholders when ICBT is being implemented in routine practice settings. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to gain an understanding of how ICBT is perceived as a treatment option for alcohol misuse by interviewing diverse stakeholders. Specifically, the objectives were to (1) learn about the perceived advantages and disadvantages of ICBT for alcohol misuse and (2) elicit recommendations to inform implementation efforts in routine practice. METHODS A total of 30 participants representing six stakeholder groups (ie, patients, family members, academic experts, frontline managers, service providers, and health care decision makers) participated in semistructured interviews. To be included in the study, stakeholders had to reside in Saskatchewan, Canada, and have personal or professional experience with alcohol misuse. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, anonymized, and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Stakeholders identified numerous advantages of ICBT for alcohol misuse (eg, accessibility, convenience, privacy, relevance to technology-based culture, and fit with stepped care) and several disadvantages (eg, lack of internet access and technological literacy, isolation, less accountability, and unfamiliarity with ICBT). Stakeholders also provided valuable insight into factors to consider when implementing ICBT for alcohol misuse in routine practice. In terms of intervention design, stakeholders recommended a 6- to 8-week guided program that uses Web-based advertising, point-of-sale marketing, and large-scale captive audiences to recruit participants. With regard to treatment content, stakeholders recommended that the program focus on harm reduction rather than abstinence; be evidence based; appeal to the diverse residents of Saskatchewan; and use language that is simple, encouraging, and nonjudgmental. Finally, in terms of population characteristics, stakeholders felt that several features of the alcohol misuse population, such as psychiatric comorbidity, readiness for change, and stigma, should be considered when developing an ICBT program for alcohol misuse. CONCLUSIONS Stakeholders' insights will help maximize the acceptability, appropriateness, and adoption of ICBT for alcohol misuse and in turn contribute to implementation success. The methodology and findings from this study could be of benefit to others who are seeking to implement ICBT in routine practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kirsten M Gullickson
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Shelley Adrian-Taylor
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Andrew Wilhelms
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Christopher Sundström
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marcie Nugent
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
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Beck CD, Soucy JN, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Mixed-method evaluation of an online motivational intervention as a pre-treatment to internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy: Immediate benefits and user feedback. Internet Interv 2020; 20:100311. [PMID: 32154118 PMCID: PMC7052510 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2020.100311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
•An online MI intervention was recently developed to complement ICBT.•Intervention consists of videos, exercises, feedback to better simulate face-to-face MI.•Study evaluated intervention impact on motivation and perceptions of MI.•Ratings of motivation and MI perceptions significantly increased from pre- to post-MI.•Future research should explore longer term impact of online MI on ICBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia D. Beck
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Joelle N. Soucy
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, Peynenburg V, Mehta S, Adlam K, Nugent M, Gullickson KM, Titov N, Dear B. An Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression and Anxiety Among Clients Referred and Funded by Insurance Companies Compared With Those Who Are Publicly Funded: Longitudinal Observational Study. JMIR Ment Health 2020; 7:e16005. [PMID: 32014840 PMCID: PMC7058169 DOI: 10.2196/16005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anxiety and depression are leading causes of disability but are often undertreated. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) improves access to treatment by overcoming barriers to obtaining care. ICBT has been found to be efficacious in research trials and routine care, but there is limited research of ICBT when it is recommended and funded by insurance companies for clients on or recently in receipt of disability benefits or accommodations. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine ICBT engagement, treatment satisfaction, and effectiveness among individuals involved with 2 insurance companies. The 2 samples were benchmarked against published outcomes from a publicly funded (PF) ICBT clinic. METHODS Individuals who were on or recently in receipt of disability benefits and were either insurance company (IC) employees (n=21) or IC plan members (n=19) were referred to ICBT funded by the respective insurance companies. Outcomes were benchmarked against outcomes of ICBT obtained in a PF ICBT clinic, with clients in the clinic divided into those who reported no involvement with insurance companies (n=414) and those who were on short-term disability (n=44). All clients received the same 8-week, therapist-assisted, transdiagnostic ICBT course targeting anxiety and depression. Engagement was assessed using completion rates, log-ins, and emails exchanged. Treatment satisfaction was assessed posttreatment. Depression, anxiety, and disability measures were administered pretreatment, posttreatment, and at 3 months. RESULTS All samples showed high levels of ICBT engagement and treatment satisfaction. IC employees experienced significant improvement at posttreatment (depression d=0.77; anxiety d=1.13; and disability d=0.91) with outcomes maintained at 3 months. IC plan members, who notably had greater pretreatment disability than the other samples, experienced significant moderate effects at posttreatment (depression d=0.58; anxiety d=0.54; and disability d=0.60), but gains were not maintained at 3 months. Effect sizes at posttreatment in both IC samples were significantly smaller than in the PF sample who reported no insurance benefits (depression d=1.14 and anxiety d=1.30) and the PF sample who reported having short-term disability benefits (depression d=0.95 and anxiety d=1.07). No difference was seen in effect sizes among IC employees and the PF samples on disability. However, IC plan members experienced significantly smaller effects on disability d=0.60) compared with the PF sample with no disability benefits d=0.90) and those on short-term disability benefits d=0.94). CONCLUSIONS Many clients referred and funded by insurance companies were engaged with ICBT and found it acceptable and effective. Results, however, were not maintained among those with very high levels of pretreatment disability. Small sample sizes in the IC groups are a limitation. Directions for research related to ICBT funded by insurance companies have been described.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Swati Mehta
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Kelly Adlam
- Online Therapy Unit, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Marcie Nugent
- Online Therapy Unit, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | | | - Nickolai Titov
- MindSpot, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Blake Dear
- MindSpot, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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Edmonds M, McCall H, Dear BF, Titov N, Hadjistavropoulos HD. Does concurrent medication usage affect patient response to internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and anxiety? Internet Interv 2019; 19:100302. [PMID: 32071886 PMCID: PMC7016234 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2019.100302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is growing interest in Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) as an alternative to face-to-face therapy for anxiety and depression because it reduces barriers to accessing traditional treatment (e.g., travel distance, cost, stigma). Extensive research has demonstrated that ICBT is an effective treatment for anxiety and depression and that it produces effect sizes comparable to medication and face-to-face therapy. In routine practice, however, ICBT patients commonly receive simultaneous pharmacological treatment, and few studies have examined how medication affects patient outcomes. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to explore whether use of psychotropic medications predicts outcomes or adherence among patients receiving ICBT for depression and anxiety in a large community sample. METHODS This study used data from 1201 patients who received an 8-week course of ICBT for anxiety and depression that included weekly therapist support as part of routine care. Patients reported medication usage and completed measures of depression and anxiety before treatment, after treatment, and at three-month follow-up. RESULTS 60% of patients at pre-treatment reported regularly taking psychotropic medication. Common classes of medication reported included: (i) selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (34%); (ii) anxiolytics (15%); (iii) serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (14%); (iv) antipsychotics (8%); and (v) norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (7%). At post-treatment and three-month follow-up, overall medication usage reduced slightly to 55%, with the greatest reduction seen in anxiolytics. Logistic regression revealed that none of the classes of medication commonly reported at pre-treatment were associated with study completion rates. A recursive partitioning algorithm found that usage of tetracyclic medication was related to smaller pre-to-post reductions in anxiety symptoms and did not identify any medication types that were related to differences in depressive symptom change. Patients on medication tended to report higher levels of anxiety symptoms at intake and experienced somewhat more modest symptom reductions than patients not taking medications; nevertheless, they still experienced large reductions in depression and anxiety over the course of treatment. CONCLUSIONS These results show that medication usage is very common in a diverse community sample of patients seeking ICBT for anxiety and depression. Patients reporting medication usage at intake are likely to benefit from treatment approximately as much as patients not taking medication. These results support the continued referral of patients receiving psychotropic medication to ICBT programs for anxiety and depression. Program designers might also consider providing information about the common medications (SSRIs, SNRIs, anxiolytics) used by this population alongside CBT materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Edmonds
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Hugh McCall
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada
| | - Blake F. Dear
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nickolai Titov
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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McCall HC, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Loutzenhiser L. Reconsidering the ethics of exclusion criteria in research on digital mental health interventions. Ethics & Behavior 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/10508422.2019.1684295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Hadjistavropoulos HD, Mehta S, Wilhelms A, Keough MT, Sundström C. A systematic review of internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for alcohol misuse: study characteristics, program content and outcomes. Cogn Behav Ther 2019; 49:327-346. [PMID: 31599198 DOI: 10.1080/16506073.2019.1663258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alcohol misuse is a common, disabling and costly issue worldwide. Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) has the potential to reduce the harms of alcohol misuse, particularly for individuals who are unable or unwilling to access face-to-face therapy. A systematic review was conducted using Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases for all relevant articles published from 1980 to January 2019. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included if (i) an ICBT intervention targeting alcohol misuse was delivered; (ii) participants were aged 18 years or older; and (iii) primary outcomes were quantity of drinking. A qualitative analysis was conducted on the content of the ICBT programs. Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies included participants from the general population, while studies conducted within clinic settings with diagnosed individuals were rare. The programs were similar in terms of included modules. Small effects were seen in studies on self-guided ICBT, while therapist-guided ICBT rendered small to large effects. The current review indicates that ICBT has a significant effect in reducing alcohol consumption. Larger studies evaluating ICBT compared to active control groups especially within clinic settings are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Swati Mehta
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Western University , London, Ontario, Canada.,Parkwood Institute Research, Lawson Health Research Institute , London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew Wilhelms
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina , Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Matthew T Keough
- Department of Psychology, York University , Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christopher Sundström
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina , Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Psychiatric Research, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm, Sweden
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Gullickson KM, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Dear BF, Titov N. Negative effects associated with internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy: An analysis of client emails. Internet Interv 2019; 18:100278. [PMID: 31890627 PMCID: PMC6926340 DOI: 10.1016/j.invent.2019.100278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 08/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) is an efficacious form of treatment for anxiety and depression, yet it is still possible for clients to experience negative effects associated with treatment. In the ICBT literature, the term negative effects is broadly used to refer to all potentially adverse or unwanted events or experiences that are perceived as undesirable by the client and may or may not be associated with long-term symptoms or distress. Previous ICBT studies have asked clients to retrospectively describe negative effects at post-treatment; however, no research has examined the content of clients' emails to their therapist to see whether clients are reporting negative effects as they arise. In the current study, 96 clients (80 completers; 16 non-completers) were randomly selected from a published ICBT trial and directed content analysis was used to examine client emails for mention of negative effects. In addition, correlational analyses were used to examine the relationship between negative effects and: 1) demographic characteristics; 2) treatment engagement; 3) treatment satisfaction; 4) working alliance; and 5) symptom outcomes among completers. The results indicated that 61.5% of clients experienced at least one negative effect during treatment, although total number of negative effects was not significantly correlated with client demographic characteristics, lessons completed, working alliance, treatment satisfaction, or symptom outcomes. Among completers, technical difficulties, implementation problems, and negative emotional states were the most commonly reported negative effects, whereas dropout was the most commonly reported negative effect by non-completers. Negative effects that have been identified in previous research, such as symptom deterioration, novel symptoms, and severe adverse events, were not identified in client emails. The high incidence of negative effects in the current study suggests there may be value in systematically monitoring client emails for negative effects throughout treatment as a supplement to retrospective post-treatment reports. This will give therapists the opportunity to intervene as negative effects occur and potentially mitigate any impact they have on treatment outcomes. Future research, both qualitative and quantitative, is needed to gain a more nuanced understanding of negative effects associated with ICBT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten M. Gullickson
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, 3737 Wascana Parkway, Regina, SK S4S 0A2, Canada,Corresponding author.
| | - Blake F. Dear
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Nickolai Titov
- MindSpot Clinic and eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
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Titov N, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Nielssen O, Mohr DC, Andersson G, Dear BF. From Research to Practice: Ten Lessons in Delivering Digital Mental Health Services. J Clin Med 2019; 8:E1239. [PMID: 31426460 PMCID: PMC6722769 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8081239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 08/10/2019] [Accepted: 08/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a large body of research showing that psychological treatment can be effectively delivered via the internet, and Digital Mental Health Services (DMHS) are now delivering those interventions in routine care. However, not all attempts to translate these research outcomes into routine care have been successful. This paper draws on the experience of successful DMHS in Australia and Canada to describe ten lessons learned while establishing and delivering internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) and other mental health services as part of routine care. These lessons include learnings at four levels of analysis, including lessons learned working with (1) consumers, (2) therapists, (3) when operating DMHS, and (4) working within healthcare systems. Key themes include recognising that DMHS should provide not only treatment but also information and assessment services, that DMHS require robust systems for training and supervising therapists, that specialist skills are required to operate DMHS, and that the outcome data from DMHS can inform future mental health policy. We also confirm that operating such clinics is particularly challenging in the evolving funding, policy, and regulatory context, as well as increasing expectations from consumers about DMHS. Notwithstanding the difficulties of delivering DMHS, we conclude that the benefits of such services for the broader community significantly outweigh the challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nickolai Titov
- MindSpot Clinic and Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Heather D Hadjistavropoulos
- Online Therapy Unit, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, SK S4S 0A2, Canada
| | - Olav Nielssen
- MindSpot Clinic and Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - David C Mohr
- Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Gerhard Andersson
- Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping SE-581 83, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm 171 77, Sweden
| | - Blake F Dear
- MindSpot Clinic and Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
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Mehta S, Hadjistavropoulos HD, Earis D, Titov N, Dear BF. Patient perspectives of Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for psychosocial issues post spinal cord injury. Rehabil Psychol 2019; 64:351-359. [PMID: 30958020 DOI: 10.1037/rep0000276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Many individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) report significant symptoms of depression and/or anxiety post-SCI; however, access to mental health services can be limited. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient perspectives on the acceptability of an 8-week guided Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) course (Chronic Conditions Course) for people with SCI. In particular, we sought to understand patient perceptions of facilitators and barriers of engaging in ICBT and strengths and weaknesses of ICBT program content. METHOD Semistructured interviews were conducted with 8 SCI patients after completion of the ICBT course. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and examined by means of thematic analysis by 2 coders. RESULTS Eight participants (mean age = 53.2 years; males = 50%; paraplegia = 67.5%) were interviewed. Four major themes emerged when examining facilitators to completing the program: accessibility, flexibility, motivation, and guided support. Barriers to completing the program included course timeframe and physical health. Strengths of the course included effective skill development and mental health prioritization. Suggested changes to the course included improved breadth of case stories, development of extra resources, adjusting the course timeframe to account for the SCI, and more support from the guide. CONCLUSIONS ICBT was overall highlighted as an acceptable method of receiving care for people with SCI. The study provides direction for improving delivery of ICBT to ensure this method of treatment meets the needs of individuals with SCI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Blake F Dear
- eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University
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