%0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 6 %P e13230 %T Teens Using Screens for Help: Impact of Suicidal Ideation, Anxiety, and Depression Levels on Youth Preferences for Telemental Health Resources %A Toscos,Tammy %A Coupe,Amanda %A Flanagan,Mindy %A Drouin,Michelle %A Carpenter,Maria %A Reining,Lauren %A Roebuck,Amelia %A Mirro,Michael J %+ Parkview Research Center, Parkview Health, 10622 Parkview Plaza Drive, Fort Wayne, IN, 46845, United States, 1 260 266 5586, tammy.toscos@parkview.com %K adolescent %K students %K telemedicine %K mental health %K suicidal ideation %K depression %K anxiety %K health resources %K online social networking %K mental health services %K help-seeking behavior %D 2019 %7 21.6.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: High rates of mental illness, stress, and suicidality among teens constitute a major public health concern in the United States. However, treatment rates remain low, partially because of barriers that could be mitigated with tech-based telemental health (TMH) resources, separate from or in addition to traditional care. Objective: This study aimed to analyze TMH resource usage by high school students to establish current user characteristics and provide a framework for future development. Methods: A total of 2789 students were surveyed regarding demographics, recent anxiety and depression symptoms, suicidality, and stress; people with whom they could openly and honestly discuss stress or problems, and prior TMH use. Logistic regression models and a general linear model were used to test relationships between variables. Results: Overall, 30.58% (853/2789) and 22.91% (639/2789) of students reported moderate to severe anxiety and depression symptoms, respectively, in the past 2 weeks; 16.24% (414/2550) had seriously considered suicide in the past year, consistent with national averages. Meanwhile, 16.03% (447/2789) of students had previously used at least 1 of 4 types of TMH resources (ie, self-help, anonymous chat, online counselor, or crisis text line). Teens reporting depression symptoms, higher stress, or suicidality were less likely to talk to a parent about stress or problems and more likely to tell no one. Suicidality was related to the use of all 4 types of TMH resources. Depression symptoms were related to the use of anonymous chat and crisis text line, and those with higher stress were more likely to have used an online counselor. Those reporting anxiety symptoms were less likely to have no one to talk to and more likely to have used a self-help resource. Conclusions: Youth struggling with mental health symptoms, some of whom lack real-life confidants, are using existing TMH support, with resource preferences related to symptoms. Future research should consider these preferences and assist in the creation of specialized, evidence-based TMH resources. %M 31228179 %R 10.2196/13230 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2019/6/e13230/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/13230 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31228179 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 6 %P e13500 %T Comparing Treatment Acceptability and 12-Month Cessation Rates in Response to Web-Based Smoking Interventions Among Smokers Who Do and Do Not Screen Positive for Affective Disorders: Secondary Analysis %A Watson,Noreen L %A Heffner,Jaimee L %A Mull,Kristin E %A McClure,Jennifer B %A Bricker,Jonathan B %+ Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Ave N, M3-B232, Seattle, WA,, United States, 1 206 667 2942, nlwatson@fredhutch.org %K smoking %K smoking cessation %K affective disorders %K anxiety %K depression %K eHealth %K Web intervention %K co-occurring disorders %D 2019 %7 19.06.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Web-based cessation programs are now common for intervening with smokers. However, it remains unclear how acceptable or effective these interventions are among people with affective disorders and symptoms (ADS; eg, depression and anxiety). Research examining this is extremely limited, with mixed results on cessation rates. Additional large studies are needed to more fully understand whether Web-based interventions are similarly used and equally effective among people with and without affective disorder symptomology. If not, more targeted Web-based interventions may be required. Objective: The goal of the research was to compare Web-based treatment acceptability (defined by satisfaction and use) and 12-month cessation outcomes between smokers with and without ADS. Methods: Participants (N=2512) were adult smokers enrolled in a randomized, comparative effectiveness trial of two Web-based smoking interventions designed for the general population of smokers. At baseline, participants reported demographic and smoking characteristics and completed measures assessing ADS. Participants were then classified into subgroups based on their self-reported ADS—either into a no ADS group or into six nonmutually exclusive subgroups: depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder (PD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and more than one ADS. Surveys at 12 months postrandomization included subjective ratings of treatment acceptability and self-reported smoking cessation. Treatment use (ie, number of log-ins and total duration of exposure) was assessed via automated records. Results: Relative to the no ADS group, all six ADS subgroups reported significantly greater satisfaction with their assigned Web treatment program, but they spent less time logged in than those with no ADS. For number of log-ins, a treatment arm by ADS group interaction was observed across all ADS subgroups except GAD, suggesting that relative to the no ADS group, they logged in less to one website but not the other. At the 12-month follow-up, abstinence rates in the no ADS group (153/520, 29.42%) were significantly higher than for participants who screened positive for depression (306/1267, 24.15%; P=.03), PTSD (294/1215, 24.19%; P=.03), PD (229/1003, 23.83%; P=.009), and two or more ADS (323/1332, 24.25%; P=.03). Post hoc analyses suggest the lower quit rates may be associated with differences in baseline nicotine dependence and levels of commitment to resist smoking in difficult situations. Website use did not explain the differential abstinence rates. Conclusions: Despite reporting higher levels of treatment satisfaction, most smokers with ADS used their assigned intervention less often and had lower quit rates than smokers with no ADS at treatment onset. The results support the need for developing more targeted interventions for smokers with ADS. Trial registration: Clinical Trials.gov NCT01812278; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01812278 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/78L9cNdG4) %M 31219052 %R 10.2196/13500 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/6/e13500/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/13500 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31219052 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 6 %P e11701 %T Addressing Depression Comorbid With Diabetes or Hypertension in Resource-Poor Settings: A Qualitative Study About User Perception of a Nurse-Supported Smartphone App in Peru %A Brandt,Lena R %A Hidalgo,Liliana %A Diez-Canseco,Francisco %A Araya,Ricardo %A Mohr,David C %A Menezes,Paulo R %A Miranda,J Jaime %+ CRONICAS Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Avenida Armendariz 497, Miraflores, Lima, Peru, 51 12416978, fdiezcanseco@gmail.com %K mental health %K depression %K noncommunicable diseases %K mHealth %K smartphone %K developing countries %D 2019 %7 18.06.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Smartphone apps could constitute a cost-effective strategy to overcome health care system access barriers to mental health services for people in low- and middle-income countries. Objective: The aim of this paper was to explore the patients’ perspectives of CONEMO (Emotional Control, in Spanish: Control Emocional), a technology-driven, psychoeducational, and nurse-supported intervention delivered via a smartphone app aimed at reducing depressive symptoms in people with diabetes, hypertension or both who attend public health care centers, as well as the nurses’ feedback about their role and its feasibility to be scaled up. Methods: This study combines data from 2 pilot studies performed in Lima, Peru, between 2015 and 2016, to test the feasibility of CONEMO. Interviews were conducted with 29 patients with diabetes, hypertension or both with comorbid depressive symptoms who used CONEMO and 6 staff nurses who accompanied the intervention. Using a content analysis approach, interview notes from patient interviews were transferred to a digital format, coded, and categorized into 6 main domains: the perceived health benefit, usability, adherence, user satisfaction with the app, nurse’s support, and suggestions to improve the intervention. Interviews with nurses were analyzed by the same approach and categorized into 4 domains: general feedback, evaluation of training, evaluation of study activities, and feasibility of implementing this intervention within the existing structures of health system. Results: Patients perceived improvement in their emotional health because of CONEMO, whereas some also reported better physical health. Many encountered some difficulties with using CONEMO, but resolved them with time and practice. However, the interactive elements of the app, such as short message service, android notifications, and pop-up messages were mostly perceived as challenging. Satisfaction with CONEMO was high, as was the self-reported adherence. Overall, patients evaluated the nurse accompaniment positively, but they suggested improvements in the technological training and an increase in the amount of contact. Nurses reported some difficulties in completing their tasks and explained that the CONEMO intervention activities competed with their everyday work routine. Conclusions: Using a nurse-supported smartphone app to reduce depressive symptoms among people with chronic diseases is possible and mostly perceived beneficial by the patients, but it requires context-specific adaptations regarding the implementation of a task shifting approach within the public health care system. These results provide valuable information about user feedback for those building mobile health interventions for depression. %M 31215511 %R 10.2196/11701 %U https://mental.jmir.org/2019/6/e11701/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11701 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31215511 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 6 %P e12554 %T Early Detection of Depression: Social Network Analysis and Random Forest Techniques %A Cacheda,Fidel %A Fernandez,Diego %A Novoa,Francisco J %A Carneiro,Victor %+ Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Computer Science, University of A Coruna, Campus de Elvina, A Coruna, 15071, Spain, 34 881011213, diego.fernandez@udc.es %K depression %K major depressive disorder %K social media %K artificial intelligence %K machine learning %D 2019 %7 10.6.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) or depression is among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders, affecting more than 300 million people globally. Early detection is critical for rapid intervention, which can potentially reduce the escalation of the disorder. Objective: This study used data from social media networks to explore various methods of early detection of MDDs based on machine learning. We performed a thorough analysis of the dataset to characterize the subjects’ behavior based on different aspects of their writings: textual spreading, time gap, and time span. Methods: We proposed 2 different approaches based on machine learning singleton and dual. The former uses 1 random forest (RF) classifier with 2 threshold functions, whereas the latter uses 2 independent RF classifiers, one to detect depressed subjects and another to identify nondepressed individuals. In both cases, features are defined from textual, semantic, and writing similarities. Results: The evaluation follows a time-aware approach that rewards early detections and penalizes late detections. The results show how a dual model performs significantly better than the singleton model and is able to improve current state-of-the-art detection models by more than 10%. Conclusions: Given the results, we consider that this study can help in the development of new solutions to deal with the early detection of depression on social networks. %M 31199323 %R 10.2196/12554 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/6/e12554/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12554 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31199323 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 6 %P e12556 %T Guided Self-Help Works: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial of Pacifica, a Mobile App Integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness for Stress, Anxiety, and Depression %A Moberg,Christine %A Niles,Andrea %A Beermann,Dale %+ Pacifica Labs, Inc, 150 S 5th Street, Suite 825, Minneapolis, MN, 55402, United States, 1 6083470325, christine.moberg@gmail.com %K mHealth %K anxiety %K depression %K stress %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K smartphone app %D 2019 %7 8.6.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Despite substantial improvements in technology and the increased demand for technology-enabled behavioral health tools among consumers, little progress has been made in easing the burden of mental illness. This may be because of the inherent challenges of conducting traditional clinical trials in a rapidly evolving technology landscape. Objective: This study sought to validate the effectiveness of Pacifica, a popular commercially available app for the self-management of mild-to-moderate stress, anxiety, and depression. Methods: A total of 500 adults with mild-to-moderate anxiety or depression were recruited from in-app onboarding to participate in a randomized waitlist controlled trial of Pacifica. We conducted an all-virtual study, recruiting, screening, and randomizing participants through a Web-based participant portal. Study participants used the app for 1 month, with no level of use required, closely mimicking real-world app usage. Participants in the waitlist group were given access to the app after 1 month. Measurements included self-reported symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, and self-efficacy. We performed an intent-to-treat analysis to examine the interactive effects of time and condition. Results: We found significant interactions between time and group. Participants in the active condition demonstrated significantly greater decreases in depression, anxiety, and stress and increases in self-efficacy. Although we did not find a relationship between overall engagement with the app and symptom improvement, participants who completed relatively more thought record exercises sustained improvements in their symptoms through the 2-month follow-up to a greater degree than those who completed fewer. In addition, we found that participants who reported concomitantly taking psychiatric medications during the trial benefitted less from the app, as measured by the symptoms of anxiety and stress. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that Pacifica, a popular commercially available self-help app, is effective in reducing self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress, particularly among individuals who utilize thought records and are not taking psychiatric medication. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03333707; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03333707 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/78YE07ADB) %M 31199319 %R 10.2196/12556 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/6/e12556/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12556 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31199319 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 6 %P e13172 %T Optional Web-Based Videoconferencing Added to Office-Based Care for Women Receiving Psychotherapy During the Postpartum Period: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial %A Yang,Rebecca %A Vigod,Simone N %A Hensel,Jennifer M %+ Women's College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care, Women's College Hospital, 76 Grenville Street, 6th Floor, Toronto, ON, M5S 1B2, Canada, 1 416 323 6400 ext 5989, rebecca.yang@wchospital.ca %K mental health %K psychotherapy %K postpartum period %K videoconferencing %D 2019 %7 20.5.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression and anxiety during the postpartum period are common, with psychotherapy often being the preferred method of treatment. However, psychological, physical, and social barriers prevent women from receiving appropriate and timely psychotherapy. The option of receiving psychotherapy through videoconferencing (VC) during the postpartum period presents an opportunity for more accessible and flexible care. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of optional VC added to usual office-based psychotherapy, with a psychotherapist during the postpartum period. Methods: We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial with 1:1 randomization to office-based care (treatment as usual; TAU) or office-based care with the option of VC (treatment as usual plus videoconferencing; TAU-VC) for psychotherapy during the postpartum period. We assessed the ability to recruit and retain postpartum women into the study from an urban perinatal mental health program offering postpartum psychotherapy, and we evaluated the uptake, acceptability, and satisfaction with VC as an addition to in-person psychotherapy. We also compared therapy attendance using therapist logs and symptoms between treatment groups. Symptoms were assessed at baseline and 3 months postrandomization with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item, and Parental Stress Scale. Furthermore, 3-month scores were compared between groups with intention-to-treat linear mixed-effects models controlling for baseline score. Results: We enrolled 38 participants into the study, with 19 participants in each treatment group. Attendance data were available for all participants, with follow-up symptom measures available for 25 out of 38 participants (66%). Among the 19 TAU-VC participants, 14 participants (74%) utilized VC at least once. Most participants were highly satisfied with the VC option, and they reported average savings of Can $26 and 2.5 hours in travel and childcare expenses and time per appointment. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups for psychotherapy attendance or symptoms. Conclusions: The option of VC appears to be an acceptable method of receiving psychotherapy for postpartum women, with benefits described in costs and time savings. On the basis of this small pilot sample, there were no significant differences in outcomes between office-based care with or without the option of VC. This study has demonstrated the feasibility of such a program in an urban center, which suggests that a larger study would be beneficial to provide evidence that is more conclusive. %M 31199291 %R 10.2196/13172 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/6/e13172/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/13172 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31199291 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 6 %P e10838 %T A Web-Based Mental Health Platform for Individuals Seeking Specialized Mental Health Care Services: Multicenter Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial %A Hensel,Jennifer M %A Shaw,James %A Ivers,Noah M %A Desveaux,Laura %A Vigod,Simone N %A Cohen,Ashley %A Onabajo,Nike %A Agarwal,Payal %A Mukerji,Geetha %A Yang,Rebecca %A Nguyen,Megan %A Bouck,Zachary %A Wong,Ivy %A Jeffs,Lianne %A Jamieson,Trevor %A Bhatia,R Sacha %+ Women's College Institute for Health Systems Solutions and Virtual Care, 76 Grenville St, Toronto, ON, M5S 1B2, Canada, 1 416 323 6400 ext 5126, jennifer.hensel@wchospital.ca %K internet %K mental health %K anxiety %K depression %D 2019 %7 04.06.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Web-based self-directed mental health applications are rapidly emerging to address health service gaps and unmet needs for information and support. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine if a multicomponent, moderated Web-based mental health application could benefit individuals with mental health symptoms severe enough to warrant specialized mental health care. Methods: A multicenter, pragmatic randomized controlled trial was conducted across several outpatient mental health programs affiliated with 3 hospital programs in Ontario, Canada. Individuals referred to or receiving treatment, aged 16 years or older, with access to the internet and an email address, and having the ability to navigate a Web-based mental health application were eligible. A total of 812 participants were randomized 2:1 to receive immediate (immediate treatment group, ITG) or delayed (delayed treatment group, DTG) access for 3 months to the Big White Wall (BWW), a multicomponent Web-based mental health intervention based in the United Kingdom and New Zealand. The primary outcome was the total score on the Recovery Assessment Scale, revised (RAS-r) which measures mental health recovery. Secondary outcomes were total scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item (PHQ-9), the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 item (GAD-7), the EuroQOL 5-dimension quality of life questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L), and the Community Integration Questionnaire. An exploratory analysis examined the association between actual BWW use (categorized into quartiles) and outcomes among study completers. Results: Intervention participants achieved small, statistically significant increases in adjusted RAS-r score (4.97 points, 95% CI 2.90 to 7.05), and decreases in PHQ-9 score (−1.83 points, 95% CI −2.85 to −0.82) and GAD-7 score (−1.55 points, 95% CI −2.42 to −0.70). Follow-up was achieved for 55% (446/812) at 3 months, 48% (260/542) of ITG participants and 69% (186/270) of DTG participants. Only 58% (312/542) of ITG participants logged on more than once. Some higher BWW user groups had significantly greater improvements in PHQ-9 and GAD-7 relative to the lowest use group. Conclusions: The Web-based application may be beneficial; however, many participants did not engage in an ongoing way. This has implications for patient selection and engagement as well as delivery and funding structures for similar Web-based interventions. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02896894; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02896894 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/78LIpnuRO) %M 31165710 %R 10.2196/10838 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/6/e10838/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10838 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31165710 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 6 %P e13689 %T The Effectiveness of an App-Based Nurse-Moderated Program for New Mothers With Depression and Parenting Problems (eMums Plus): Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial %A Sawyer,Alyssa %A Kaim,Amy %A Le,Huynh-Nhu %A McDonald,Denise %A Mittinty,Murthy %A Lynch,John %A Sawyer,Michael %+ School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide Health & Medical Sciences Building, 57 North Terrace, Mail Drop DX 650 550, Adelaide, 5005, Australia, 61 8 81617207, alyssa.sawyer@adelaide.edu.au %K mobile phone %K infant %K mother-child relations %K postnatal depression %K randomized controlled trial %D 2019 %7 04.06.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Postnatal depression and caregiving difficulties adversely affect mothers, infants, and later childhood development. In many countries, resources to help mothers and infants are limited. Online group–based nurse-led interventions have the potential to help address this problem by providing large numbers of mothers with access to professional and peer support during the postnatal period. Objective: This study tested the effectiveness of a 4-month online group–based nurse-led intervention delivered when infants were aged 2 to 6 months as compared with standard care outcomes. Methods: The study was a block randomized control trial. Mothers were recruited at the time they were contacted for the postnatal health check offered to all mothers in South Australia. Those who agreed to participate were randomly assigned to the intervention or standard care. The overall response rate was 63.3% (133/210). Primary outcomes were the level of maternal depressive symptoms assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and quality of maternal caregiving assessed using the Parenting Stress Index (PSI; competence and attachment subscales), the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale (PSCS), and the Nursing Child Assessment Satellite Training Scale. Assessments were completed at baseline (mean child age 4.9 weeks [SD 1.4]) and again when infants were aged 8 and 12 months. Results: Outcomes were evaluated using linear generalized estimating equations adjusting for postrandomization group differences in demographic characteristics and the outcome score at baseline. There were no significant differences in the intervention and standard care groups in scores on the PSI competence subscale (P=.69) nor in the PSCS (P=.11). Although the group by time interaction suggested there were differences over time between the EPDS and PSI attachment subscale scores in the intervention and standard care groups (P=.001 and P=.04, respectively), these arose largely because the intervention group had stable scores over time whereas the standard care group showed some improvements between baseline and 12 months. Mothers engaged well with the intervention with at least 60% (43/72) of mothers logging-in once per week during the first 11 weeks of the intervention. The majority of mothers also rated the intervention as helpful and user-friendly. Conclusions: Mothers reported that the intervention was helpful, and the app was described as easy to use. As such, it appears that support for mothers during the postnatal period, provided using mobile phone technology, has the potential to be an important addition to existing services. Possible explanations for the lack of differences in outcomes for the 2 groups in this study are the failure of many mothers to use key components of the intervention and residual differences between the intervention and standard care groups post randomization. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616001732471; http://www.ANZCTR.org.au/ACTRN12616001732471.aspx (archived on WebCite as http://www.webcitation.org/77zo30GDw) %M 31165715 %R 10.2196/13689 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/6/e13689/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/13689 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31165715 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 5 %P e10778 %T A Group-Based Online Intervention to Prevent Postpartum Depression (Sunnyside): Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial %A Duffecy,Jennifer %A Grekin,Rebecca %A Hinkel,Hannah %A Gallivan,Nicholas %A Nelson,Graham %A O'Hara,Michael W %+ Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 912 S Wood, Chicago, IL, 60612, United States, 1 3124131225, jduffecy@gmail.com %K postpartum depression %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K internet %K social support %D 2019 %7 28.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) has a 20% 3-month prevalence rate. The consequences of PPD are significant for the mother, infant, and the family. There is a need for preventive interventions for PPD, which are effective and accessible; however, many barriers exist for women who attempt to access perinatal depression prevention programs. Internet interventions for the treatment and prevention of depression are widely accepted as efficacious and may overcome some of the issues pertaining to access to treatment barriers perinatal women face. However, internet interventions offered without any human support tend to have low adherence but positive outcomes for those who do complete treatment. Internet support groups often have high levels of adherence but minimal data supporting efficacy as a treatment for depression. Taken together, these findings suggest that combining the treatment components of individual interventions with the support provided by an internet support group might create an intervention with the scalability and cost-effectiveness of an individual intervention and the better outcomes typically found in supported interventions. Objectives: This study aimed to describe the development of a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) internet intervention with peer support to prevent PPD and examine preliminary depression and site usage outcomes. Methods: User-centered design groups were used to develop the internet intervention. Once the intervention was developed, women who were 20 to 28 weeks pregnant with symptoms of depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-8 scores of 5-14) but who had no major depression diagnosis were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to compare 8 weeks of a CBT-based internet intervention with peer support to an individual internet intervention designed to prevent PPD. Assessments took place at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks (end of treatment), and then 4 weeks and 6 weeks postpartum. Results: A total of 25 women were randomized. Of these, 24 women completed the RCT. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 scores at 6 weeks postpartum remained below the clinical threshold for referral for treatment in both groups, with depression measures showing a decrease in symptoms from baseline to postpartum. At 6 weeks postpartum, only 4% (1/24) met the criteria for PPD. There was no difference between groups in adherence to the intervention, with an average of 14.55 log-ins over the course of treatment. Conclusions: Results suggest women were responsive to both peer support and individual internet interventions to prevent PPD and that peer support may be a useful feature to keep participants adherent. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02121015; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02121015 (archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/765a7qBKy) %M 31140443 %R 10.2196/10778 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2019/5/e10778/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10778 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31140443 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 5 %P e12793 %T Recruiting to a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Program for People With Type 2 Diabetes and Depression: Lessons Learned at the Intersection of e-Mental Health and Primary Care %A Fletcher,Susan %A Clarke,Janine %A Sanatkar,Samineh %A Baldwin,Peter %A Gunn,Jane %A Zwar,Nick %A Campbell,Lesley %A Wilhelm,Kay %A Harris,Mark %A Lapsley,Helen %A Hadzi-Pavlovic,Dusan %A Proudfoot,Judy %+ Department of General Practice, University of Melbourne, Ground Floor, 200 Berkeley Street, Carlton, 3052, Australia, 61 390354872, susanlf@unimelb.edu.au %K e-mental health %K primary care %K patient recruitment %K depression %K type 2 diabetes %K learning %D 2019 %7 24.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: E-mental health (eMH) interventions are now widely available and they have the potential to revolutionize the way that health care is delivered. As most health care is currently delivered by primary care, there is enormous potential for eMH interventions to support, or in some cases substitute, services currently delivered face to face in the community setting. However, randomized trials of eMH interventions have tended to recruit participants using online recruitment methods. Consequently, it is difficult to know whether participants who are recruited online differ from those who attend primary care. Objective: This paper aimed to document the experience of recruiting to an eMH trial through primary care and compare the characteristics of participants recruited through this and other recruitment methods. Methods: Recruitment to the SpringboarD randomized controlled trial was initially focused on general practices in 2 states of Australia. Over 15 months, we employed a comprehensive approach to engaging practice staff and supporting them to recruit patients, including face-to-face site visits, regular contact via telephone and trial newsletters, and development of a Web-based patient registration portal. Nevertheless, it became apparent that these efforts would not yield the required sample size, and we therefore supplemented recruitment through national online advertising and promoted the study through existing networks. Baseline characteristics of participants recruited to the trial through general practice, online, or other sources were compared using the analysis of variance and chi square tests. Results: Between November 2015 and October 2017, 780 people enrolled in SpringboarD, of whom 740 provided information on the recruitment source. Of these, only 24 were recruited through general practice, whereas 520 were recruited online and 196 through existing networks. Key barriers to general practice recruitment included perceived mismatch between trial design and diabetes population, prioritization of acute health issues, and disruptions posed by events at the practice and community level. Participants recruited through the 3 different approaches differed in age, gender, employment status, depressive symptoms, and diabetes distress, with online participants being distinguished from those recruited through general practice or other sources. However, most differences reached only a small effect size and are unlikely to be of clinical importance. Conclusions: Time, labor, and cost-intensive efforts did not translate into successful recruitment through general practice in this instance, with barriers identified at several different levels. Online recruitment yielded more participants, who were broadly similar to those recruited via general practice. %M 31127718 %R 10.2196/12793 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/5/e12793/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12793 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31127718 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 5 %P e12246 %T A Web-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy Intervention to Improve Social and Occupational Functioning in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes (The SpringboarD Trial): Randomized Controlled Trial %A Clarke,Janine %A Sanatkar,Samineh %A Baldwin,Peter Andrew %A Fletcher,Susan %A Gunn,Jane %A Wilhelm,Kay %A Campbell,Lesley %A Zwar,Nicholas %A Harris,Mark %A Lapsley,Helen %A Hadzi-Pavlovic,Dusan %A Christensen,Helen %A Proudfoot,Judy %+ Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, Sydney,, Australia, 61 0293824521, p.baldwin@unsw.edu.au %K type 2 diabetes %K depression %K internet %D 2019 %7 21.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depressive symptoms are common in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Effective depression treatments exist; however, access to psychological support is characteristically low. Web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is accessible, nonstigmatizing, and may help address substantial personal and public health impact of comorbid T2DM and depression. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the Web-based CBT program, myCompass, for improving social and occupational functioning in adults with T2DM and mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms. myCompass is a fully automated, self-guided public health treatment program for common mental health problems. The impact of treatment on depressive symptoms, diabetes-related distress, anxiety symptoms, and self-care behavior was also examined. Methods: Participants with T2DM and mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms (N=780) were recruited online via Google and Facebook advertisements targeting adults with T2DM and via community and general practice settings. Screening, consent, and self-report scales were all self-administered online. Participants were randomized using double-blind computerized block randomization to either myCompass (n=391) for 8 weeks plus a 4-week tailing-off period or an active placebo intervention (n=379). At baseline and postintervention (3 months), participants completed the Work and Social Adjustment Scale, the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item, Diabetes Distress Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-7 item, and items from the Self-Management Profile for Type 2 Diabetes. Results: myCompass users logged in an average of 6 times and completed an average of .29 modules. Healthy Lifestyles users logged in an average of 4 times and completed an average of 1.37 modules. At baseline, mean scores on several outcome measures, including the primary outcome of work and social functioning, were near to the normal range, despite an extensive recruitment process. Approximately 61.6% (473/780) of participants completed the postintervention assessment. Intention-to-treat analyses revealed improvement in functioning, depression, anxiety, diabetes distress, and healthy eating over time in both groups. Except for blood glucose monitoring and medication adherence, there were no specific between-group effects. Follow-up analyses suggested the outcomes did not depend on age, morbidity, or treatment engagement. Conclusions: Improvement in social and occupational functioning and the secondary outcomes was generally no greater for myCompass users than for users of the control program at 3 months postintervention. These findings should be interpreted in light of near-normal mean baseline scores on several variables, the self-selected study sample, and sample attrition. Further attention to factors influencing uptake and engagement with mental health treatments by people with T2DM, and the impact of illness comorbidity on patient conceptualization and experience of mental health symptoms, is essential to reduce the burden of T2DM. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000931572; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=368109&isReview=true (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/7850eg8pi) %M 31115345 %R 10.2196/12246 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/5/e12246/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12246 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31115345 %0 Journal Article %@ 2152-7202 %I JMIR Publications %V 11 %N 2 %P e11167 %T Patient Perspective of Cognitive Symptoms in Major Depressive Disorder: Retrospective Database and Prospective Survey Analyses %A Chiauzzi,Emil %A Drahos,Jennifer %A Sarkey,Sara %A Curran,Christopher %A Wang,Victor %A Tomori,Dapo %+ PatientsLikeMe, 160 Second Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142, United States, 1 617 499 4003, echiauzzi@patientslikeme.com %K cognition %K cognitive function %K depression %K major depressive disorder %K patient-centered care %K patient preference %K relapse %K remission %K symptoms %D 2019 %7 16.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Participat Med %G English %X Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common and burdensome condition. The clinical understanding of MDD is shaped by current research, which lacks insight into the patient perspective. Objective: This two-part study aimed to generate data from PatientsLikeMe, an online patient network, on the perception of cognitive symptoms and their prioritization in MDD. Methods: A retrospective data analysis (study 1) was used to analyze data from the PatientsLikeMe community with self-reported MDD. Information on patient demographics, comorbidities, self-rated severity of MDD, treatment effectiveness, and specific symptoms of MDD was analyzed. A prospective electronic survey (study 2) was emailed to longstanding and recently active members of the PatientsLikeMe MDD community. Study 1 analysis informed the objectives of the study 2 survey, which were to determine symptom perception and prioritization, cognitive symptoms of MDD, residual symptoms, and medication effectiveness. Results: In study 1 (N=17,166), cognitive symptoms were frequently reported, including “severe” difficulty in concentrating (28%). Difficulty in concentrating was reported even among patients with no/mild depression (80%) and those who considered their treatment successful (17%). In study 2 (N=2525), 23% (118/508) of patients cited cognitive symptoms as a treatment priority. Cognitive symptoms correlated with depression severity, including difficulty in making decisions, concentrating, and thinking clearly (rs=0.32, 0.36, and 0.34, respectively). Cognitive symptoms interfered with meaningful relationships and daily life tasks and had a profound impact on patients’ ability to work and recover from depression. Conclusions: Patients acknowledge that cognitive dysfunction in MDD limits their ability to recover fully and return to a normal level of social and occupational functioning. Further clinical understanding and characterization of MDD for symptom prioritization and relapse risk due to residual cognitive impairment are required to help patients return to normal cognitive function and aid their overall recovery. %R 10.2196/11167 %U https://jopm.jmir.org/2019/2/e11167/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11167 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 5 %P e12794 %T Using Smartphone-Based Psychoeducation to Reduce Postnatal Depression Among First-Time Mothers: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Chan,Ko Ling %A Leung,Wing Cheong %A Tiwari,Agnes %A Or,Ka Lun %A Ip,Patrick %+ Department of Applied Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong,, China (Hong Kong), 852 2766 5709, koling.chan@polyu.edu.hk %K smartphone technology %K postnatal depression %K psychoeducation %K randomized controlled trial %D 2019 %7 14.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Smartphone-based psychoeducation interventions may be a low-cost, user-friendly alternative to resource-consuming, face-to-face antenatal classes to educate expectant mothers. Objective: This study aimed to empirically examine whether such an intervention would lead to reduced postnatal depression, anxiety, or stress and result in a better health-related quality of life. Methods: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in Hong Kong. All first-time expectant mothers with less than 24 weeks of gestation remaining and attending the antenatal clinic at a public hospital were included. Participants were assigned to the intervention group or the control group by drawing lots. The lots, presented in sealed opaque envelopes, were randomly designated as “intervention” or “control” by stratified randomization. The intervention, a psychoeducational mobile app, was provided in addition to the treatment as usual (TAU) services from the hospital. Follow up with participants took place at 4 weeks postpartum. The primary outcome was the difference in the levels of antenatal and postnatal depression, assessed by the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The intention-to-treat approach was employed in the analyses. Results: The final sample was 660 expectant mothers (nintervention=330 and ncontrol=330). The mean difference in EPDS scores between the two groups was −0.65 (95% CI −1.29 to 0.00; P=.049) after adjusting for confounding factors. Associations were found between participation in the intervention and reduced depression, and attendance in TAU classes and increased stress levels. Conclusions: The smartphone-based intervention plus TAU services was effective in reducing postnatal depression at 4 weeks postpartum compared with a control condition of TAU only, making this a cost-effective alternative to TAU education for expectant mothers. Limitations of the study included the short postpartum period after which the follow-up assessment was conducted and the inclusion of first-time mothers rather than all mothers. Trial Registration: HKU Clinical Trials Registry HKUCTR-2024; http://www.hkuctr.com/Study/Show/ 34f62a2f6d594273a290491827206384 %M 31094354 %R 10.2196/12794 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2019/5/e12794/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12794 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31094354 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 5 %P e11349 %T Reducing Stress and Preventing Depression (RESPOND): Randomized Controlled Trial of Web-Based Rumination-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for High-Ruminating University Students %A Cook,Lorna %A Mostazir,Mohammod %A Watkins,Edward %+ SMART Lab, Mood Disorders Centre, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Sir Henry Wellcome Building for Mood Disorders Research, Queens Drive, Exeter, EX4 4QG, United Kingdom, 44 (0) 139272 ext 4692, E.R.Watkins@exeter.ac.uk %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K depression %K prevention %K rumination, cognitive %K stress, psychological %K student health services %D 2019 %7 13.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Prevention of depression is a priority to reduce its global disease burden. Targeting specific risk factors, such as rumination, may improve prevention. Rumination-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RFCBT) was developed to specifically target depressive rumination. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to test whether guided Web-based RFCBT (i-RFCBT) would prevent the incidence of major depression relative to usual care in UK university students. The secondary objective was to test the feasibility and estimated effect sizes of unguided i-RFCBT. Methods: To address the primary objective, a phase III randomized controlled trial was designed and powered to compare high risk university students (N=235), selected with elevated worry/rumination, recruited via an open access website in response to circulars within universities and internet advertisements, randomized to receive either guided i-RFCBT (interactive Web-based RFCBT, supported by asynchronous written Web-based support from qualified therapists) or usual care control. To address the secondary objective, participants were also randomized to an adjunct arm of unguided (self-administered) i-RFCBT. The primary outcome was the onset of a major depressive episode over 15 months, assessed with structured diagnostic interviews at 3 (postintervention), 6, and 15 months post randomization, conducted by telephone, blind to the condition. Secondary outcomes of symptoms of depression and anxiety and levels of worry and rumination were self-assessed through questionnaires at baseline and the same follow-up intervals. Results: Participants were randomized to guided i-RFCBT (n=82), unguided i-RFCBT (n=76), or usual care (n=77). Guided i-RFCBT reduced the risk of depression by 34% relative to usual care (hazard ratio [HR] 0.66, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.25; P=.20). Participants with higher levels of baseline stress benefited most from the intervention (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.87; P=.02). Significant improvements in rumination, worry, and depressive symptoms were found in the short-to-medium term. Of the 6 modules, guided participants completed a mean of 3.46 modules (SD 2.25), with 46% (38/82) being compliant (completing ≥4 modules). Similar effect sizes and compliance rates were found for unguided i-RFCBT. Conclusions: Guided i-RFCBT can reduce the onset of depression in high-risk young people reporting high levels of worry/rumination and stress. The feasibility study argues for formally testing unguided i-RFCBT for prevention: if the observed effect sizes are robustly replicated in a phase III trial, it has potential as a scalable prevention intervention. Trial Registration: ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN12683436; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN12683436 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/77fqycyBX) International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.1186/s13063-015-1128-9 %M 31094331 %R 10.2196/11349 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/5/e11349/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11349 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31094331 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 5 %P e11705 %T Proactive Suicide Prevention Online (PSPO): Machine Identification and Crisis Management for Chinese Social Media Users With Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors %A Liu,Xingyun %A Liu,Xiaoqian %A Sun,Jiumo %A Yu,Nancy Xiaonan %A Sun,Bingli %A Li,Qing %A Zhu,Tingshao %+ Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.16, Lincui Road, Beijing,, China, 86 150 1096 5509, tszhu@psych.ac.cn %K suicide identification %K crisis management %K machine learning %K microblog direct message %K social network %K Chinese young people %D 2019 %7 08.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Suicide is a great public health challenge. Two hundred million people attempt suicide in China annually. Existing suicide prevention programs require the help-seeking initiative of suicidal individuals, but many of them have a low motivation to seek the required help. We propose that a proactive and targeted suicide prevention strategy can prompt more people with suicidal thoughts and behaviors to seek help. Objective: The goal of the research was to test the feasibility and acceptability of Proactive Suicide Prevention Online (PSPO), a new approach based on social media that combines proactive identification of suicide-prone individuals with specialized crisis management. Methods: We first located a microblog group online. Their comments on a suicide note were analyzed by experts to provide a training set for the machine learning models for suicide identification. The best-performing model was used to automatically identify posts that suggested suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Next, a microblog direct message containing crisis management information, including measures that covered suicide-related issues, depression, help-seeking behavior and an acceptability test, was sent to users who had been identified by the model to be at risk of suicide. For those who replied to the message, trained counselors provided tailored crisis management. The Simplified Chinese Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count was also used to analyze the users’ psycholinguistic texts in 1-month time slots prior to and postconsultation. Results: A total of 27,007 comments made in April 2017 were analyzed. Among these, 2786 (10.32%) were classified as indicative of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The performance of the detection model was good, with high precision (.86), recall (.78), F-measure (.86), and accuracy (.88). Between July 3, 2017, and July 3, 2018, we sent out a total of 24,727 direct messages to 12,486 social media users, and 5542 (44.39%) responded. Over one-third of the users who were contacted completed the questionnaires included in the direct message. Of the valid responses, 89.73% (1259/1403) reported suicidal ideation, but more than half (725/1403, 51.67%) reported that they had not sought help. The 9-Item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) mean score was 17.40 (SD 5.98). More than two-thirds of the participants (968/1403, 69.00%) thought the PSPO approach was acceptable. Moreover, 2321 users replied to the direct message. In a comparison of the frequency of word usage in their microblog posts 1-month before and after the consultation, we found that the frequency of death-oriented words significantly declined while the frequency of future-oriented words significantly increased. Conclusions: The PSPO model is suitable for identifying populations that are at risk of suicide. When followed up with proactive crisis management, it may be a useful supplement to existing prevention programs because it has the potential to increase the accessibility of antisuicide information to people with suicidal thoughts and behaviors but a low motivation to seek help. %R 10.2196/11705 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/5/e11705/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11705 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 5 %P e9766 %T An Approach for Data Mining of Electronic Health Record Data for Suicide Risk Management: Database Analysis for Clinical Decision Support %A Berrouiguet,Sofian %A Billot,Romain %A Larsen,Mark Erik %A Lopez-Castroman,Jorge %A Jaussent,Isabelle %A Walter,Michel %A Lenca,Philippe %A Baca-García,Enrique %A Courtet,Philippe %+ Adult Psychiatry, Brest Medical University Hospital at Bohars, Route de Ploudalmezeau, Brest, 29200, France, 33 668204178, sofian.berrouiguet@gmail.com %K clinical decision support system %K data mining %K electronic health %K mobile phone %K prevention %K suicide %K suicide attempts %D 2019 %7 07.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: In an electronic health context, combining traditional structured clinical assessment methods and routine electronic health–based data capture may be a reliable method to build a dynamic clinical decision-support system (CDSS) for suicide prevention. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the data mining module of a Web-based CDSS and to identify suicide repetition risk in a sample of suicide attempters. Methods: We analyzed a database of 2802 suicide attempters. Clustering methods were used to identify groups of similar patients, and regression trees were applied to estimate the number of suicide attempts among these patients. Results: We identified 3 groups of patients using clustering methods. In addition, relevant risk factors explaining the number of suicide attempts were highlighted by regression trees. Conclusions: Data mining techniques can help to identify different groups of patients at risk of suicide reattempt. The findings of this study can be combined with Web-based and smartphone-based data to improve dynamic decision making for clinicians. %M 31066693 %R 10.2196/mental.9766 %U https://mental.jmir.org/2019/5/e9766/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9766 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31066693 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 5 %P e11860 %T Effects, Adherence, and Therapists’ Perceptions of Web- and Mobile-Supported Group Therapy for Depression: Mixed-Methods Study %A Schuster,Raphael %A Kalthoff,Inanna %A Walther,Alexandra %A Köhldorfer,Lena %A Partinger,Edith %A Berger,Thomas %A Laireiter,Anton-Rupert %+ Center for Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, Salzburg, 5020, Austria, 43 6644156146, raphael.schuster@stud.sbg.ac.at %K eHealth %K mobile phone %K computer-assisted therapy %K monitoring %K group therapy %K depression %K professional-patient relations %D 2019 %7 06.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Blended group therapy (bGT) has been investigated a several times for anxiety and depression, but information on patients’ adherence to and therapists’ perception of the novel format is nonexistent. Furthermore, many studies investigated mainly female and highly educated populations, limiting the validity of previous findings. Objective: This study aimed to reduce the gaps and limitations of the previous findings by evaluating an integrated internet- and mobile-supported bGT format. Methods: A total of 27 patients diagnosed with major depression (14/27, 52% female and 7/27, 25.9% compulsory education) participated in a 7-week treatment at a university outpatient clinic. Furthermore, 8 novice therapists participated in semistructured interviews and a subsequent cross-validation survey. Results: Primary symptom reduction was high (d=1.31 to 1.51) and remained stable for the follow-up period. Therapists identified advantages (eg, patient engagement, treatment intensification, and improved therapeutic relation) and disadvantages (eg, increased workload, data issues, and undesired effects) of bGT. The required online guidance time was 10.3 min per patient and week, including guidance on exercises (67% or 6.9 min) and intimate communication (33% or 3.4 min). Concerning patients’ adherence to bGT, tracked completion of all Web-based and mobile tasks was high and comparable with group attendance. Conclusions: Results suggest high feasibility of bGT in a gender-balanced, moderately educated sample. bGT provides group therapists with tools for individual care, resulting in an optimization of the therapy process, and high completion rates of the implemented bGT elements. The limited work experience of the involved therapists restricts the study findings, and potential drawbacks need to be regarded in the development of future bGT interventions. %M 31066700 %R 10.2196/11860 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/5/e11860/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11860 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31066700 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 5 %P e13183 %T Development and Evaluation of a Web-Based Resource for Suicidal Thoughts: NowMattersNow.org %A Whiteside,Ursula %A Richards,Julie %A Huh,David %A Hidalgo,Rianna %A Nordhauser,Rebecca %A Wong,Albert J %A Zhang,Xiaoshan %A Luxton,David D %A Ellsworth,Michael %A Lezine,DeQuincy %+ NowMattersNow.org, 2331 E Madison St, Seattle, WA, 98112, United States, 1 206 679 6349, ursulawhiteside@gmail.com %K dialectical behavior therapy %K suicide %K internet %K help-seeking behavior %K behavior therapy %K crisis intervention %K primary care %K integrated health care systems %D 2019 %7 02.05.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Nearly half of people who die by suicide see a health care provider in the month before their death. With the release of new care guidelines, detection of suicidal patients will likely increase. Providers need access to suicide-specific resources that can be used as part of immediate, brief interventions with a suicidal patient. Web-based suicide prevention resources have the potential to address this need. Objective: This study aimed to describe the development of the NowMattersNow.org website as a resource for individuals with suicidal thoughts and to evaluate the utility of the site via user experience surveys. Methods: NowMattersNow.org is an online video-based free public resource that provides evidence-based teachings, examples, and resources for managing suicidal thoughts and intense emotions focused largely around skills from dialectical behavior therapy. Developed with assistance from mental health consumers, it is intended to address gaps in access to services for suicidal patients in health care systems. Visitors stay an average of a minute and a half on the website. From March 2015 to December 2017, a user experience survey measured self-reported changes on a 1 (not at all) to 5 (completely overwhelming) scale regarding intensity of suicidal thoughts and negative emotions while on the website. Longitudinal regression analyses using generalized estimating equations evaluated the magnitude and statistical significance of user-reported changes in suicidal ideation and negative emotion. In secondary analyses, user-reported changes specific to subgroups, including men aged 36 to 64 years, mental health care providers, and other health care providers were evaluated. Results: During the period of analysis, there were 138,386 unique website visitors. We analyzed surveys (N=3670) collected during that time. Subsamples included men aged 36 to 64 years (n=512), mental health providers (n=460), and other health care providers (n=308). A total of 28% (1028/3670) of survey completers rated their suicidal thoughts as a 5 or “completely overwhelming” when they entered the website. We observed significant reductions in self-reported intensity of suicidal thoughts (–0.21, P<.001) and negative emotions (–0.32, P<.001), including decreases for users with the most severe suicidal thoughts (–6.4%, P<.001), most severe negative emotions (–10.9%, P<.001), and for middle-aged men (–0.13, P<001). Results remained significant after controlling for length of visit to website (before the survey) and technology type (mobile, desktop, and tablet). Conclusions: Survey respondents reported measurable reductions in intensity of suicidal thoughts and emotions, including those rating their suicidal thoughts as completely or almost completely overwhelming and among middle-aged men. Although results from this user-experience survey administered at one point in time to a convenience sample of users must be interpreted with caution, results provide preliminary support for the potential effectiveness of the NowMattersNow.org website as a tool for short-term management of suicidal thoughts and negative emotions. %M 31045498 %R 10.2196/13183 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/5/e13183/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/13183 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31045498 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 4 %P e11800 %T Expanding Access to Depression Treatment in Kenya Through Automated Psychological Support: Protocol for a Single-Case Experimental Design Pilot Study %A Green,Eric P %A Pearson,Nicholas %A Rajasekharan,Sathyanath %A Rauws,Michiel %A Joerin,Angela %A Kwobah,Edith %A Musyimi,Christine %A Bhat,Chaya %A Jones,Rachel M %A Lai,Yihuan %+ Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Box 90519, Durham, NC, 27708, United States, 1 919 681 7289, eric.green@duke.edu %K telemedicine %K mental health %K depression %K artificial intelligence %K Kenya %K text messaging %K chatbot %K conversational agent %D 2019 %7 29.04.2019 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Depression during pregnancy and in the postpartum period is associated with a number of poor outcomes for women and their children. Although effective interventions exist for common mental disorders that occur during pregnancy and the postpartum period, most cases in low- and middle-income countries go untreated because of a lack of trained professionals. Task-sharing models such as the Thinking Healthy Program have shown great potential in feasibility and efficacy trials as a strategy for expanding access to treatment in low-resource settings, but there are significant barriers to scale-up. We are addressing this gap by adapting Thinking Healthy for automated delivery via a mobile phone. This new intervention, Healthy Moms, uses an existing artificial intelligence system called Tess (Zuri in Kenya) to drive conversations with users. Objective: The objective of this pilot study is to test the Healthy Moms perinatal depression intervention using a single-case experimental design with pregnant women and new mothers recruited from public hospitals outside of Nairobi, Kenya. Methods: We will invite patients to complete a brief, automated screening delivered via text messages to determine their eligibility. Enrolled participants will be randomized to a 1- or 2-week baseline period and then invited to begin using Zuri. Participants will be prompted to rate their mood via short message service every 3 days during the baseline and intervention periods. We will review system logs and conduct in-depth interviews with participants to study engagement with the intervention, feasibility, and acceptability. We will use visual inspection, in-depth interviews, and Bayesian estimation to generate preliminary data about the potential response to treatment. Results: Our team adapted the intervention content in April and May 2018 and completed an initial prepilot round of formative testing with 10 women from a private maternity hospital in May and June. In preparation for this pilot study, we used feedback from these users to revise the structure and content of the intervention. Recruitment for this protocol began in early 2019. Results are expected toward the end of 2019. Conclusions: The main limitation of this pilot study is that we will recruit women who live in urban and periurban centers in one part of Kenya. The results of this study may not generalize to the broader population of Kenyan women, but that is not an objective of this phase of work. Our primary objective is to gather preliminary data to know how to build and test a more robust service. We are working toward a larger study with a more diverse population. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/11800 %M 31033448 %R 10.2196/11800 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2019/4/e11800/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11800 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31033448 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 4 %P e11698 %T Use of a Mobile Phone App to Treat Depression Comorbid With Hypertension or Diabetes: A Pilot Study in Brazil and Peru %A Menezes,Paulo %A Quayle,Julieta %A Garcia Claro,Heloísa %A da Silva,Simone %A Brandt,Lena R %A Diez-Canseco,Francisco %A Miranda,J Jaime %A Price,LeShawndra N %A Mohr,David C %A Araya,Ricardo %+ Department of Preventive Medicine, University of São Paulo, Rua Doutor Arnaldo 455, Cerqueira César, São Paulo, 01246903, Brazil, 55 1130617093, pmenezes@usp.br %K depression %K mHealth %K pilot study %K feasibility study %K PHQ-9 %D 2019 %7 26.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Depression is underdiagnosed and undertreated in primary health care. When associated with chronic physical disorders, it worsens outcomes. There is a clear gap in the treatment of depression in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where specialists and funds are scarce. Interventions supported by mobile health (mHealth) technologies may help to reduce this gap. Mobile phones are widely used in LMICs, offering potentially feasible and affordable alternatives for the management of depression among individuals with chronic disorders. Objective: This study aimed to explore the potential effectiveness of an mHealth intervention to help people with depressive symptoms and comorbid hypertension or diabetes and explore the feasibility of conducting large randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: Emotional Control (CONEMO) is a low-intensity psychoeducational 6-week intervention delivered via mobile phones and assisted by a nurse for reducing depressive symptoms among individuals with diabetes or hypertension. CONEMO was tested in 3 pilot studies, 1 in São Paulo, Brazil, and 2 in Lima, Peru. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) at enrollment and at 6-week follow-up. Results: The 3 pilot studies included a total of 66 people. Most participants were females aged between 41 and 60 years. There was a reduction in depressive symptoms as measured by PHQ-9 in all pilot studies. In total, 58% (38/66) of the participants reached treatment success rate (PHQ-9 <10), with 62% (13/21) from São Paulo, 62% (13/21) from the first Lima pilot, and 50% (12/24) from the second Lima pilot study. The intervention, the app, and the support offered by the nurse and nurse assistants were well received by participants in both settings. Conclusions: The intervention was feasible in both settings. Clinical data suggested that CONEMO may help in decreasing participants’ depressive symptoms. The findings also indicated that it was possible to conduct RCTs in these settings. %M 31025949 %R 10.2196/11698 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2019/4/e11698/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11698 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31025949 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 4 %P e11410 %T Improving Moderator Responsiveness in Online Peer Support Through Automated Triage %A Milne,David N %A McCabe,Kathryn L %A Calvo,Rafael A %+ School of Information, Systems and Modelling, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology, Sydney, PO Box 123, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia, 61 (02) 9514 3171, david.milne@uts.edu.au %K social support %K triage %K classification %K natural language processing %D 2019 %7 26.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Online peer support forums require oversight to ensure they remain safe and therapeutic. As online communities grow, they place a greater burden on their human moderators, which increases the likelihood that people at risk may be overlooked. This study evaluated the potential for machine learning to assist online peer support by directing moderators’ attention where it is most needed. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of an automated triage system and the extent to which it influences moderator behavior. Methods: A machine learning classifier was trained to prioritize forum messages as green, amber, red, or crisis depending on how urgently they require attention from a moderator. This was then launched as a set of widgets injected into a popular online peer support forum hosted by ReachOut.com, an Australian Web-based youth mental health service that aims to intervene early in the onset of mental health problems in young people. The accuracy of the system was evaluated using a holdout test set of manually prioritized messages. The impact on moderator behavior was measured as response ratio and response latency, that is, the proportion of messages that receive at least one reply from a moderator and how long it took for these replies to be made. These measures were compared across 3 periods: before launch, after an informal launch, and after a formal launch accompanied by training. Results: The algorithm achieved 84% f-measure in identifying content that required a moderator response. Between prelaunch and post-training periods, response ratios increased by 0.9, 4.4, and 10.5 percentage points for messages labelled as crisis, red, and green, respectively, but decreased by 5.0 percentage points for amber messages. Logistic regression indicated that the triage system was a significant contributor to response ratios for green, amber, and red messages, but not for crisis messages. Response latency was significantly reduced (P<.001), between the same periods, by factors of 80%, 80%, 77%, and 12% for crisis, red, amber, and green messages, respectively. Regression analysis indicated that the triage system made a significant and unique contribution to reducing the time taken to respond to green, amber, and red messages, but not to crisis messages, after accounting for moderator and community activity. Conclusions: The triage system was generally accurate, and moderators were largely in agreement with how messages were prioritized. It had a modest effect on response ratios, primarily because moderators were already more likely to respond to high priority content before the introduction of triage. However, it significantly and substantially reduced the time taken for moderators to respond to prioritized content. Further evaluations are needed to assess the impact of mistakes made by the triage algorithm and how changes to moderator responsiveness impact the well-being of forum members. %M 31025945 %R 10.2196/11410 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/4/e11410/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11410 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31025945 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 4 %P e11401 %T Evaluating the Feasibility of an Innovative Self-Confidence Webinar Intervention for Depression in the Workplace: A Proof-of-Concept Study %A Wan Mohd Yunus,Wan Mohd Azam %A Musiat,Peter %A Brown,June SL %+ Department of Psychology, School of Human Resource Development and Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, UTM Johor Bahru, Skudai, Johor, 81310, Malaysia, 60 176136163, azam.yunus@kcl.ac.uk %K online %K videoconferencing %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K depression %K workplace %D 2019 %7 26.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Depression in the workplace is a very common problem that exacerbates employees’ functioning and consequently influences the productivity of organizations. Despite the commonness of the problem and the currently available interventions, a high proportion of employees do not seek help. A new intervention, a webinar (Web-based seminar), was developed, which integrated the use of technology and the traditional guided therapist support to provide accessible help for the problem of depression in the workplace. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the feasibility, preliminary outcome, and acceptability of the webinar intervention conducted in organizations. Methods: In total, 2 organizations were invited to participate, and 33 employees participated in this proof-of-concept study. The webinar intervention consisted of 6 1-hour sessions conducted via the Adobe Connect platform, developed by Adobe Inc. The intervention was developed based on a systematic review, focus group studies, and face-to-face self-confidence workshops that utilized cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). The final webinar intervention used CBT and the coping flexibility approach. The structure of the intervention included PowerPoint presentations, animation videos, utilization of chat panels, and whiteboard features. The intervention was conducted live and guided by a consultant psychologist assisted by a moderator. Study outcomes were self-assessed using self-reported Web surveys. The acceptability of the intervention was assessed using self-reported user experience Web surveys and open-ended questions. Results: The findings showed: (1) evidence of feasibility of the intervention: the webinar intervention was successfully conducted in 3 groups, with 6 1-hour sessions for each group, with 82% (23/28) participants completing all 6 sessions; (2) positive improvements in depression: the linear mixed effects modeling analysis recorded a significant overall effect of time primarily for depression (F2, 48.813=31.524; P<.001) with a Hedge g effect size of 0.522 at 1-month follow-up. Individually, 8 subjects showed significant reliable and clinically significant changes, with 3 subjects showing clinically significant change only; and (3) encouraging evidence regarding the acceptability of the webinar intervention among the employees: the user experience score was above average for 4 out of 6 domains measured (perspicuity mean 1.198 [95% CI 0.832-1.564], efficiency mean 1.000 [95% CI 0.571-1.429], dependability mean 1.208 [95% CI 0.899-1.517], and stimulation mean 1.323 [95% CI 0.987-1.659]). The open-ended questions also yielded 52% (47/91) of the responses that reported facilitators, whereas only 12% (11/91) of the responses reported barriers. Conclusions: The self-confidence webinar intervention appears to be a potentially feasible, effective, and acceptable intervention for depression in the workplace that merits further investigation. %M 31025943 %R 10.2196/11401 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2019/4/e11401/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11401 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31025943 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 4 %P e11081 %T How Confidence in Prior Attitudes, Social Tag Popularity, and Source Credibility Shape Confirmation Bias Toward Antidepressants and Psychotherapy in a Representative German Sample: Randomized Controlled Web-Based Study %A Schweiger,Stefan %A Cress,Ulrike %+ Knowledge Construction Lab, Knowledge Media Research Center, Leibniz-Institut für Wissensmedien, Schleichstrasse 6, Tuebingen, 72076, Germany, 49 6702023838, schw.stefan@gmail.com %K attitude %K psychotherapy %K antidepressive agents %K culture %K Germany %K health literacy %K professional competence %K information systems %K consumer health information %K information dissemination %D 2019 %7 23.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: In health-related, Web-based information search, people should select information in line with expert (vs nonexpert) information, independent of their prior attitudes and consequent confirmation bias. Objective: This study aimed to investigate confirmation bias in mental health–related information search, particularly (1) if high confidence worsens confirmation bias, (2) if social tags eliminate the influence of prior attitudes, and (3) if people successfully distinguish high and low source credibility. Methods: In total, 520 participants of a representative sample of the German Web-based population were recruited via a panel company. Among them, 48.1% (250/520) participants completed the fully automated study. Participants provided prior attitudes about antidepressants and psychotherapy. We manipulated (1) confidence in prior attitudes when participants searched for blog posts about the treatment of depression, (2) tag popularity —either psychotherapy or antidepressant tags were more popular, and (3) source credibility with banners indicating high or low expertise of the tagging community. We measured tag and blog post selection, and treatmentefficacy ratings after navigation. Results: Tag popularity predicted the proportion of selected antidepressant tags (beta=.44, SE 0.11; P<.001) and blog posts (beta=.46, SE 0.11; P<.001). When confidence was low (−1 SD), participants selected more blog posts consistent with prior attitudes (beta=−.26, SE 0.05; P<.001). Moreover, when confidence was low (−1 SD) and source credibility was high (+1 SD), the efficacy ratings of attitude-consistent treatments increased (beta=.34, SE 0.13; P=.01). Conclusions: We found correlational support for defense motivation account underlying confirmation bias in the mental health–related search context. That is, participants tended to select information that supported their prior attitudes, which is not in line with the current scientific evidence. Implications for presenting persuasive Web-based information are also discussed. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03899168; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03899168 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/77Nyot3Do) %M 31012865 %R 10.2196/11081 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/4/e11081/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11081 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31012865 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 4 %P e11706 %T Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders in Open Community Versus Clinical Service Recruitment: Meta-Analysis %A Romijn,Geke %A Batelaan,Neeltje %A Kok,Robin %A Koning,Jeroen %A van Balkom,Anton %A Titov,Nickolai %A Riper,Heleen %+ Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Van der Boechorstraat 7, Amsterdam,, Netherlands, 31 20 59 89009, g.a.romijn@vu.nl %K anxiety disorders %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K internet %K recruitment method %K efficacy %K effectiveness %D 2019 %7 17.04.2019 %9 Review %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Ample studies have shown the effectiveness of internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for anxiety disorders. These studies recruited their participants mainly from the community and, to a lesser extent, from within routine care services. Little is known about whether different recruitment strategies lead to different treatment effects. Objective: This meta-analysis compared clinical results obtained in trials with recruitment from the community versus results obtained in trials with clinical service recruitment and explored factors that may mediate differences in treatment outcome. Methods: We included randomized controlled trials in which the clinical effects of iCBT for anxiety disorders were compared with a control condition (waitlist controls or face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy). We classified trials as open recruitment trials (recruitment from the community) or clinical service recruitment trials (recruitment through outpatient clinics). Pooled effect sizes based on measures examining anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and quality of life were computed for each type of trial. Subgroup analyses examined whether clinical results from open recruitment trials differed from those obtained in clinical service recruitment trials. Additional analyses explored which demographic, clinical, and treatment-related factors contributed to differences in effect sizes of open recruitment versus clinical service recruitment trials. Results: We included 42 studies with 53 comparisons (43 open recruitment comparisons and 10 clinical recruitment comparisons). Analyses of anxiety measures revealed, first, that iCBT open recruitment studies with waitlist control comparators showed a significantly higher effect size for decrease in anxiety symptoms than did those with clinical recruitment (Q=10.09; P=.001). This association between recruitment method and effect size was no longer significant in a multivariate metaregression with treatment adherence and exclusion of patients with depressive symptoms entered as additional predictors of effect size. Second, effect size for decrease in anxiety symptoms did not differ significantly between clinical recruitment and open recruitment studies with face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy comparators. The effects of open recruitment trials and clinical recruitment trials did not differ significantly for the secondary outcomes, compared with face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy and waitlist controls. Conclusions: iCBT was effective in samples recruited in clinical practice, but effect sizes were smaller than those found in trials with an open recruitment method for studies with waitlist control comparators. Hence, for patients with anxiety disorders in routine care, the impact of iCBT may not be as positive as for study participants recruited from the community. The difference between open recruitment trials and clinical service recruitment trials might be partly explained by patients’ greater therapy adherence in open recruitment trials and the stricter exclusion of patients with severe depressive symptoms in these studies. Since most trials in this meta-analysis applied an open recruitment method, more studies with routine care populations are needed to further validate these findings. %M 30994462 %R 10.2196/11706 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/4/e11706/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11706 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30994462 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 4 %P e11029 %T Mood Prediction of Patients With Mood Disorders by Machine Learning Using Passive Digital Phenotypes Based on the Circadian Rhythm: Prospective Observational Cohort Study %A Cho,Chul-Hyun %A Lee,Taek %A Kim,Min-Gwan %A In,Hoh Peter %A Kim,Leen %A Lee,Heon-Jeong %+ Korea University College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Anam Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul,, Republic of Korea, 82 029205815, leehjeong@korea.ac.kr %K mood disorder %K circadian rhythm %K projections and predictions %K machine learning %K digital phenotype %K wearable device %D 2019 %7 17.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Virtually, all organisms on Earth have their own circadian rhythm, and humans are no exception. Circadian rhythms are associated with various human states, especially mood disorders, and disturbance of the circadian rhythm is known to be very closely related. Attempts have also been made to derive clinical implications associated with mood disorders using the vast amounts of digital log that is acquired by digital technologies develop and using computational analysis techniques. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the mood state or episode, activity, sleep, light exposure, and heart rate during a period of about 2 years by acquiring various digital log data through wearable devices and smartphone apps as well as conventional clinical assessments. We investigated a mood prediction algorithm developed with machine learning using passive data phenotypes based on circadian rhythms. Methods: We performed a prospective observational cohort study on 55 patients with mood disorders (major depressive disorder [MDD] and bipolar disorder type 1 [BD I] and 2 [BD II]) for 2 years. A smartphone app for self-recording daily mood scores and detecting light exposure (using the installed sensor) were provided. From daily worn activity trackers, digital log data of activity, sleep, and heart rate were collected. Passive digital phenotypes were processed into 130 features based on circadian rhythms, and a mood prediction algorithm was developed by random forest. Results: The mood state prediction accuracies for the next 3 days in all patients, MDD patients, BD I patients, and BD II patients were 65%, 65%, 64%, and 65% with 0.7, 0.69, 0.67, and 0.67 area under the curve (AUC) values, respectively. The accuracies of all patients for no episode (NE), depressive episode (DE), manic episode (ME), and hypomanic episode (HME) were 85.3%, 87%, 94%, and 91.2% with 0.87, 0.87, 0.958, and 0.912 AUC values, respectively. The prediction accuracy in BD II patients was distinctively balanced as high showing 82.6%, 74.4%, and 87.5% of accuracy (with generally good sensitivity and specificity) with 0.919, 0.868, and 0.949 AUC values for NE, DE, and HME, respectively. Conclusions: On the basis of the theoretical basis of chronobiology, this study proposed a good model for future research by developing a mood prediction algorithm using machine learning by processing and reclassifying digital log data. In addition to academic value, it is expected that this study will be of practical help to improve the prognosis of patients with mood disorders by making it possible to apply actual clinical application owing to the rapid expansion of digital technology. %M 30994461 %R 10.2196/11029 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/4/e11029/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11029 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30994461 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 4 %P e11965 %T User Involvement in Developing the MYPLAN Mobile Phone Safety Plan App for People in Suicidal Crisis: Case Study %A Buus,Niels %A Juel,Anette %A Haskelberg,Hila %A Frandsen,Hanne %A Larsen,Jette Louise Skovgaard %A River,Jo %A Andreasson,Kate %A Nordentoft,Merete %A Davenport,Tracey %A Erlangsen,Annette %+ Susan Wakil School of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, 88, Mallett St, Camperdown, 2050, Australia, 61 0429835019, niels.buus@sydney.edu.au %K mobile apps %K patient participation %K primary prevention %K self-injurious behavior %K suicide, attempted %D 2019 %7 16.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: The effect of safety planning for people in suicidal crisis is not yet determined, but using safety plans to mitigate acute psychological crisis is regarded as best practice. Between 2016 and 2017, Australian and Danish stakeholders were involved in revising and updating the Danish MYPLAN mobile phone safety plan and translating the app into a culturally appropriate version for Australia. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the negotiation of stakeholders’ suggestions and contributions to the design, function, and content of the MYPLAN app and to characterize significant developments in the emerging user-involving processes. Methods: We utilized a case study design where 4 focus groups and 5 user-involving workshops in Denmark and Australia were subjected to thematic analysis. Results: The analyses identified 3 consecutive phases in the extensive development of the app: from phase 1, Suggesting core functions, through phase 2, Refining functions, to phase 3, Negotiating the finish. The user-involving processes continued to prevent closure and challenged researchers and software developers to repeatedly reconsider the app’s basic user interface and functionality. It was a limitation that the analysis did not include potentially determinative backstage dimensions of the decision-making process. Conclusions: The extended user involvement prolonged the development process, but it also allowed for an extensive exploration of different user perspectives and needs. %M 30990456 %R 10.2196/11965 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2019/4/e11965/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11965 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30990456 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 4 %P e13202 %T Transdiagnostic Mobile Health: Smartphone Intervention Reduces Depressive Symptoms in People With Mood and Psychotic Disorders %A Ben-Zeev,Dror %A Buck,Benjamin %A Chu,Phuonguyen Vu %A Razzano,Lisa %A Pashka,Nicole %A Hallgren,Kevin A %+ Behavioral Research In Technology and Engineering Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States, 1 206 685 9655, dbenzeev@uw.edu %K mHealth %K schizophrenia %K bipolar disorder %K depression %K illness management %K symptoms %K transdiagnostic %D 2019 %7 12.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Depression is the most prevalent mental health problem. The need for effective treatments for depression far outstrips the availability of trained mental health professionals. Smartphones and other widely available technologies are increasingly being leveraged to deliver treatments for depression. Whether there are patient characteristics that affect the potency of smartphone interventions for depression is not well understood. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether patient characteristics including clinical diagnosis, depression severity, psychosis status, and current use of antidepressant medications impact the effects of an evidence-based smartphone intervention on depressive symptoms. Methods: Data were collected as part of a 2-arm randomized controlled trial comparing a multimodal smartphone intervention called FOCUS with a clinic-based intervention. Here, we report on 82 participants assigned to 12 weeks of FOCUS treatment. We conducted assessments of depressive symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory-second edition (BDI-II) at baseline, postintervention (3 months), and follow-up (6 months). We tested for differences in the amount of improvement in BDI-II scores from baseline to posttreatment and 6-month follow-up between each of the following patient subgroups using 2 (group) × 2 (time) mixed effects models: diagnosis (ie, schizophrenia spectrum disorder vs bipolar disorder vs major depressive disorder), depression severity (ie, minimal-mild vs moderate-severe depression), psychosis status (ie, presence vs absence of psychotic symptoms), and antidepressant use (ie, taking antidepressants vs not taking antidepressants). Results: The majority of participants were male (60%, 49/82), African American (65%, 53/82), and middle-aged (mean age 49 years), with a high school education or lower (62%, 51/82). There were no differences in patient demographics across the variables that were used to stratify the analyses. There was a significant group × time interaction for baseline depression severity (F1,76.8=5.26, P=.02 [posttreatment] and F1,77.4=6.56, P=.01 [6-month follow-up]). Participants with moderate or severe depression had significant improvements (t42=3.20, P=.003 [posttreatment] and t42=4.20, P<.001 [6-month follow-up]), but participants with minimal or mild depression did not (t31=0.20, P=.84 [posttreatment] and t30=0.43, P=.67 [6-month follow-up]). There were no significant group × time interactions for diagnosis, psychosis status, or antidepressant medication use. Participants with minimal or mild depression had negligible nonsignificant improvements (<1 point on the BDI-II). Reduction in depression in all other groups was larger (range 1.7-6.5 points on the BDI-II). Conclusions: Our results suggest that FOCUS can be deployed to treat moderate to severe depressive symptoms among people with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, and major depressive disorder, in concert with antidepressant medications or without them, in both people with and without active psychotic symptoms. The study results are consistent with research on transdiagnostic models in psychotherapy and extend our knowledge about the potential of transdiagnostic mobile health. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02421965; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02421965 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/76pyDlvAS) %M 30977736 %R 10.2196/13202 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2019/4/e13202/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/13202 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30977736 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 4 %P e12578 %T The Role of Data Type and Recipient in Individuals’ Perspectives on Sharing Passively Collected Smartphone Data for Mental Health: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study %A Nicholas,Jennifer %A Shilton,Katie %A Schueller,Stephen M %A Gray,Elizabeth L %A Kwasny,Mary J %A Mohr,David C %+ Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, 750 N Lake Shore Drive, 10th Floor, CBITs, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States, 1 3125034156, j.nicholas@northwestern.edu %K mHealth %K privacy %K personal sensing %K digital mental health %K depression %K anxiety %K mobile phone %D 2019 %7 05.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: The growing field of personal sensing harnesses sensor data collected from individuals’ smartphones to understand their behaviors and experiences. Such data could be a powerful tool within mental health care. However, it is important to note that the nature of these data differs from the information usually available to, or discussed with, health care professionals. To design digital mental health tools that are acceptable to users, understanding how personal sensing data can be used and shared is critical. Objective: This study aimed to investigate individuals’ perspectives about sharing different types of sensor data beyond the research context, specifically with doctors, electronic health record (EHR) systems, and family members. Methods: A questionnaire assessed participants’ comfort with sharing six types of sensed data: physical activity, mood, sleep, communication logs, location, and social activity. Participants were asked about their comfort with sharing these data with three different recipients: doctors, EHR systems, and family members. A series of principal component analyses (one for each data recipient) was performed to identify clusters of sensor data types according to participants’ comfort with sharing them. Relationships between recipients and sensor clusters were then explored using generalized estimating equation logistic regression models. Results: A total of 211 participants completed the questionnaire. The majority were female (171/211, 81.0%), and the mean age was 38 years (SD 10.32). Principal component analyses consistently identified two clusters of sensed data across the three data recipients: “health information,” including sleep, mood, and physical activity, and “personal data,” including communication logs, location, and social activity. Overall, participants were significantly more comfortable sharing any type of sensed data with their doctor than with the EHR system or family members (P<.001) and more comfortable sharing “health information” than “personal data” (P<.001). Participant characteristics such as age or presence of depression or anxiety did not influence participants’ comfort with sharing sensed data. Conclusions: The comfort level in sharing sensed data was dependent on both data type and recipient, but not individual characteristics. Given the identified differences in comfort with sensed data sharing, contextual factors of data type and recipient appear to be critically important as we design systems that harness sensor data for mental health treatment and support. %M 30950799 %R 10.2196/12578 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2019/4/e12578/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12578 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30950799 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 4 %P e11387 %T Identification of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms in Patients With Cancer: Comparison Between Short and Long Web-Based Questionnaires %A Mattsson,Susanne %A Olsson,Erik Martin Gustaf %A Carlsson,Maria %A Johansson,Birgitta Beda Kristina %+ Lifestyle and Rehabilitation in long term illness, Public Health and Caring Sciences, Uppsala University, Box 564, Uppsala, 75122, Sweden, 46 184710000 ext 6637, susanne.mattsson@pubcare.uu.se %K screening %K cancer %K depression %K anxiety %K internet %K eHealth %D 2019 %7 05.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Physicians and nurses in cancer care easily fail to detect symptoms of psychological distress because of barriers such as lack of time, training on screening methods, and knowledge about how to diagnose anxiety and depression. National guidelines in several countries recommend routine screening for emotional distress in patients with cancer, but in many clinics, this is not implemented. By inventing screening methods that are time-efficient, such as digitalized and automatized screenings with short instruments, we can alleviate the burden on patients and staff. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare Web-based versions of the ultrashort electronic Visual Analogue Scale (eVAS) anxiety and eVAS depression and the short Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) with Web-based versions of the longer Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale-Self-report (MADRS-S) and the State Trait Anxiety Inventory- State (STAI-S) with regard to their ability to identify symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with cancer. Methods: Data were obtained from a consecutive sample of patients with newly diagnosed (<6 months) breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer or with recurrence of colorectal cancer (N=558). The patients were recruited at 4 hospitals in Sweden between April 2013 and September 2015, as part of an intervention study administered via the internet. All questionnaires were completed on the Web at the baseline assessment in the intervention study. Results: The ultrashort and short Web-based-delivered eVAS anxiety, eVAS depression and HADS were found to have an excellent ability to discriminate between persons with and without clinical levels of symptoms of anxiety and depression compared with recommended cutoffs of the longer instruments MADRS-S and STAI-S (area under the curve: 0.88-0.94). Cutoffs of >6 on HADS anxiety and >7 hundredths (hs) on eVAS anxiety identified patients with anxiety symptoms with high accuracy. For HADS depression, at a cutoff of >5 and eVAS depression at a cutoff of >7 hs, the accuracy was very high likewise. Conclusions: The use of the short and ultrashort tools, eVAS and HADS, may be a suitable initial method of Web-based screening in busy clinical settings. However, there are still a proportion of patients who lack access to the internet or the ability to use it. There is a need to find solutions for this group to find all the patients with psychological distress. %M 30950804 %R 10.2196/11387 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/4/e11387/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11387 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30950804 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 4 %P e13239 %T Effectiveness of a Web- and Mobile-Guided Psychological Intervention for Depressive Symptoms in Turkey: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Ünlü Ince,Burçin %A Gökçay,Didem %A Riper,Heleen %A Cuijpers,Pim %+ Department of Medical Informatics / Informatics Institute, Middle East Technical University, Üniversiteler Mahallesi, Çankaya, Ankara, 06800, Turkey, 90 312 2103741, unlu_burcin@outlook.com %K randomized controlled trial %K depressive symptoms %K mobile app %K psychotherapy %K telemedicine %K depression %D 2019 %7 05.04.2019 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: In Turkey, there are serious deficiencies in mental health care. Although depression is highly prevalent, only a small number of people seek professional help. Innovative solutions are needed to overcome this treatment gap. Web-based problem-solving therapy (PST) is an intervention proven to be effective in the treatment of depression, although little is known about its clinical effects in Turkey. Objective: This study aims to test the clinical effects of a Web and mobile app of an adapted PST for depressive symptoms among the general population in Turkey. Methods: Participants will be recruited through announcements in social media and the Middle East Technical University. Adults (18-55 years) with mild to moderate depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II] score between 10-29) will be included in the study. Participants with a medium-to-high suicidal risk (according to the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview) will be excluded. A 3-armed randomized controlled trial with a waiting control group will be utilized. A sample size of 444 participants will be randomized across 3 groups. The first experimental group will receive direct access to the Web version of the intervention; the second experimental group will receive direct access to the mobile app of the intervention as well as automated supportive short message service text messages based on PST. The control group consists of a wait-list and will gain access to the intervention 4 months after the baseline. The intervention is based on an existing PST for the Turkish population, Her Şey Kontrol Altında (HŞKA), consisting of 5 modules each with a duration of 1 week and is guided by a clinical psychologist. The primary outcome is change in depressive symptoms measured by the BDI-II. Secondary outcomes include symptoms of anxiety, stress, worry, self-efficacy, and quality of life. Furthermore, satisfaction with, usability and acceptability of the intervention are important features that will be evaluated. All outcomes will take place online through self-assessment at posttest (6-8 weeks after baseline) and at follow-up (4 months after baseline). Results: We will recruit a total of 444 participants with mild to moderate depressive symptoms from March 2018 to February 2019 or until the recruitment is complete. We expect the final trial results to be available by the end of May 2019. This trial is funded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (National Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Programme 2016/1). Conclusions: Results from this study will reveal more information about the clinical effects of HŞKA as well as its applicability in a Turkish setting through the Web and mobile platforms. On the basis of the results, a guided Web- and mobile-based PST intervention might become an appropriate alternative for treating mild to moderate depressive symptoms. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03754829; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03754829 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/74HugwLo7). International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/13239 %M 30950802 %R 10.2196/13239 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2019/4/e13239/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/13239 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30950802 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 4 %P e11671 %T Utilization of Patient-Generated Data Collected Through Mobile Devices: Insights From a Survey on Attitudes Toward Mobile Self-Monitoring and Self-Management Apps for Depression %A Hartmann,Ralf %A Sander,Christian %A Lorenz,Noah %A Böttger,Daniel %A Hegerl,Ulrich %+ Research Center of the German Depression Foundation, Semmelweisstraße 10, Leipzig, 04103, Germany, 49 3419724506, ralf.hartmann@medizin.uni-leipzig.de %K mHealth %K depression %K adherence %K mobile applications, self-management %D 2019 %7 03.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Depression is a severe psychiatric disease with high prevalence and an elevated risk for recurrence and chronicity. A substantial proportion of individuals with a diagnosis of unipolar depressive disorder do not receive treatment as advised by national guidelines. Consequently, self-monitoring and self-management become increasingly important. New mobile technologies create unique opportunities to obtain and utilize patient-generated data. As common adherence rates to mobile technologies are scarce, a profound knowledge of user behavior and attitudes and preferences is important throughout any developmental process of mobile technologies and apps. Objective: The aim of this survey was to provide descriptive data upon usage and anticipated usage of self-monitoring and self-management of depression and preferences of potential users in terms of documented parameters and data-sharing options. Methods: A Web-based survey comprising 55 questions was conducted to obtain data on the usage of mobile devices, app usage, and participant’s attitudes and preferences toward mobile health apps for the self-monitoring and self-management of depression. Results: A total of 825 participants provided information. Moreover, two-thirds of the sample self-reported to be affected by depressive symptoms, but only 12.1% (81/668) of those affected by depression have ever used any mobile self-monitoring or self-management app. Analysis showed that people want personally relevant information and feedback but also focus on handling sensitive data. Conclusions: New mobile technologies and smartphone apps, especially in combination with mobile sensor systems, offer unique opportunities to overcome challenges in the treatment of depression by utilizing the potential of patient-generated data. Focus on patient-relevant information, security and safe handling of sensitive personal data, as well as options to share data with self-selected third parties should be considered mandatory throughout any development process. %M 30942693 %R 10.2196/11671 %U https://mental.jmir.org/2019/4/e11671/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11671 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30942693 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 4 %P e11521 %T Service Use History of Individuals Enrolling in a Web-Based Suicidal Ideation Treatment Trial: Analysis of Baseline Data %A Wong,Quincy JJ %A Werner-Seidler,Aliza %A Torok,Michelle %A van Spijker,Bregje %A Calear,Alison L %A Christensen,Helen %+ School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University, Kingswood Campus, Sydney,, Australia, 61 2 4736 0080, q.wong@westernsydney.edu.au %K internet %K treatment %K service use %K health service %K suicidal ideation %K suicide, attempted %K suicide %K facilities and services utilization %K telehealth %D 2019 %7 02.04.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: A significant recent innovation is the development of internet-based psychological treatments for suicidal thinking. However, we know very little about individuals experiencing suicidal ideation who seek help through Web-based services and, in particular, their previous health service use patterns. Objective: We aimed to examine service use history and its correlates among adults experiencing suicidal ideation who enrolled in a Web-based suicidal ideation treatment trial. Methods: We used baseline data of 418 individuals seeking Web-based treatment for their suicidal ideation recruited into a randomized controlled trial of a 6-week Web-based self-help program. Participants at preintervention reported demographic information, clinical characteristics, and health service use over the previous 6 months. Results: Participants had a high rate of service use in the 6 months before enrolling in the treatment trial (404/418, 96.7% of participants had contact with services). The two most common contact points were general practitioners (385/418, 92.1% of participants) and mental health professionals (295/418, 70.6% of participants). Notably, those with a previous single suicide attempt had lower odds of contact with any service than those with no attempt (odds ratio [OR] 0.21, 95% CI 0.05-0.86; P=.03). Those living in rural or remote areas had lower odds of contacting general practitioners (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.13-0.91; P=.03) or mental health professionals (OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.23-0.83; P=.01) than those living in metropolitan areas. Conclusions: Individuals enrolling in an electronic health intervention trial have often received treatment from general practitioners or mental health professionals. These services can therefore play an important role in preventing the escalation of suicidal thinking. Enrollment in our Web-based treatment trial suggested, though, that face-to-face health services may not be enough. Our study also highlighted the need to improve the provision of coordinated and assertive care after a suicide attempt, as well as health service availability and utilization for those living in rural and remote areas. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000410752; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=364016 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6vK5FvQXy); Universal Trial Number U1111-1141-6595 %M 30938686 %R 10.2196/11521 %U https://mental.jmir.org/2019/4/e11521/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11521 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30938686 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 4 %P e11215 %T Methodological Strategies for Ecological Momentary Assessment to Evaluate Mood and Stress in Adult Patients Using Mobile Phones: Systematic Review %A Yang,Yong Sook %A Ryu,Gi Wook %A Choi,Mona %+ Mo-Im Kim Nursing Research Institute, College of Nursing, Yonsei University, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea, 82 2 2228 3341, monachoi@yuhs.ac %K review %K experience sampling method %K ecological momentary assessment %K mobile apps %K mood %K stress %D 2019 %7 01.04.2019 %9 Review %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) has utility for measuring psychological properties in daily life. EMA has also allowed researchers to collect data on diverse experiences and symptoms from various subjects. Objective: The aim of this study was to review methodological strategies and useful related information for EMA using mobile phones to capture changes of mood and stress in adult patients seeking health care. Methods: We searched PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Embase, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, and Web of Science. This review included studies published in peer-reviewed journals in English between January 2008 and November 2017 that used basic- or advanced-feature mobile phones to measure momentary mood or stress in adult patients seeking health care in outpatient departments. We excluded studies of smoking and substance addictions and studies of mental disorder patients who had been diagnosed by physicians. Results: We reviewed 12 selected articles that used EMA via mobile phones to measure momentary mood and stress and other related variables from various patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, breast cancer, migraine, HIV, tinnitus, temporomandibular disorder, end-stage kidney disease, and traumatic brain injury. Most of the selected studies (11/12, 92%) used signal contingency and in 8 of the 12 studies (67%) alarms were sent at random or semirandom intervals to prompt the momentary measurement. Out of 12 studies, 7 (58%) used specific apps directly installed on mobile phones, 3 (25%) used mobile phones to link to Web-based survey programs, and 2 (17%) used an interactive voice-response system. Conclusions: This study provides researchers with useful information regarding methodological details for utilizing EMA to measure mood and stress in adult patients. This review shows that EMA methods could be effective and reasonable for measuring momentary mood and stress, given that basic- and advanced-feature mobile phones are ubiquitous, familiar, and easy to approach. Therefore, researchers could adopt and utilize EMA methods using mobile phones to measure psychological health outcomes, such as mood and stress, in adult patients. %M 30932866 %R 10.2196/11215 %U https://mhealth.jmir.org/2019/4/e11215/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11215 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30932866 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 3 %P e12392 %T Screening Depression and Related Conditions via Text Messaging Versus Interview Assessment: Protocol for a Randomized Study %A Jin,Haomiao %A Wu,Shinyi %+ Department of Adult Mental Health and Wellness, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 1149 South Hill Street, Suite 360, Los Angeles, CA, 90015, United States, 1 213 821 9361, haomiaoj@usc.edu %K depression %K diabetes %K comorbidity %K screening %K primary care %K health information technology %K information and communication technology %K text messaging %K patient-reported outcome measures %D 2019 %7 29.03.2019 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Depression is an often underdiagnosed and, therefore, untreated comorbidity for low-income, racially or ethnically diverse patients with a chronic illness such as diabetes. Recent updates from the US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines in 2016 recommend depression screening for every adult but does not suggest the mode of assessment. Short message service (SMS) text messaging is an inexpensive, private, and scalable approach to provide depression screening and monitoring; it can also alleviate many barriers, such as transportation, childcare, and clinical visit time faced by the low-income population, in receiving a diagnosis of depression. Current evidence is inconsistent in comparing technology-mediated assessment versus interviewer (INTW) assessment in collecting sensitive health information, as some studies suggest that technology encourages self-disclosure while the other studies show the opposite effect. Objective: The proposed study will test the use of SMS text messaging to assess depression and its related conditions, including functional disability, pain, and anxiety, in low-income, culturally diverse, safety-net primary care populations with diabetes. The study will examine the concordance between SMS text message and interviewer assessments and evaluate test-retest reliability. Methods: The proposed study will adopt a randomized design with 200 patients assigned to four study groups: SMS/INTW, INTW/SMS, SMS/SMS, and INTW/INTW. The first two groups will be used to examine the concordance between SMS text message and interviewer assessments. The third and fourth groups will be used to evaluate test-retest reliability. Participants of the study will be recruited from the participants of the prior Diabetes-Depression Care-management Adoption Trial, a large comparative effectiveness research trial in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. Test-retest reliability and concordance between SMS text message and interviewer assessments will be evaluated by the interclass correlation coefficient and the kappa statistic. Missing data patterns will be explored to understand whether participants are willing to self-disclose information related to depression in SMS text message assessments. Results: Recruitment of participants was conducted from June 2017 to November 2017. A total of 206 participants were enrolled: 52 (25.2%) in SMS/INTW, 53 (25.7%) in SMS/SMS, 49 (23.8%) in INTW/SMS, and 52 (25.2%) in INTW/INTW. The average age of the participants was 57.1 years (SD 9.2). A total of 57.8% (119/206) of participants were female, 93.2% (192/206) were Latino, and 77.7% (160/206) chose Spanish as their preferred language. Analysis of the SMS text message assessment shows the cost of distributing the 16 questions is about US $0.50 per person per assessment. Full results of the study will be reported elsewhere. Conclusions: This study is anticipated to establish the feasibility of using SMS text messaging to assess depression and its related conditions in low-income, culturally diverse, safety-net primary care populations with diabetes. We also expect to generate knowledge about whether patients in the targeted population are willing to reply and self-disclose sensitive information about depression and its related conditions through SMS text message assessments. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/12392 %M 30924787 %R 10.2196/12392 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2019/3/e12392/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12392 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30924787 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 3 %P e12613 %T Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Mood: Ecological Momentary Assessment Study %A Triantafillou,Sofia %A Saeb,Sohrab %A Lattie,Emily G %A Mohr,David C %A Kording,Konrad Paul %+ Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, , Philadelphia, PA,, United States, 1 412 624 7198, sof.triantafillou@gmail.com %K sleep %K affect %K ecological momentary assessment %K smartphone %K depression %K causality %D 2019 %7 27.03.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Sleep disturbances play an important role in everyday affect and vice versa. However, the causal day-to-day interaction between sleep and mood has not been thoroughly explored, partly because of the lack of daily assessment data. Mobile phones enable us to collect ecological momentary assessment data on a daily basis in a noninvasive manner. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-reported daily mood and sleep quality. Methods: A total of 208 adult participants were recruited to report mood and sleep patterns daily via their mobile phones for 6 consecutive weeks. Participants were recruited in 4 roughly equal groups: depressed and anxious, depressed only, anxious only, and controls. The effect of daily mood on sleep quality and vice versa were assessed using mixed effects models and propensity score matching. Results: All methods showed a significant effect of sleep quality on mood and vice versa. However, within individuals, the effect of sleep quality on next-day mood was much larger than the effect of previous-day mood on sleep quality. We did not find these effects to be confounded by the participants’ past mood and sleep quality or other variables such as stress, physical activity, and weather conditions. Conclusions: We found that daily sleep quality and mood are related, with the effect of sleep quality on mood being significantly larger than the reverse. Correcting for participant fixed effects dramatically affected results. Causal analysis suggests that environmental factors included in the study and sleep and mood history do not mediate the relationship. %M 30916663 %R 10.2196/12613 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2019/3/e12613/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12613 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30916663 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 3 %P e12235 %T Do Search Engine Helpline Notices Aid in Preventing Suicide? Analysis of Archival Data %A Cheng,Qijin %A Yom-Tov,Elad %+ Microsoft Research, 13 Shenkar Street, Herzeliya, 46733, Israel, 972 747111359, eladyt@yahoo.com %K search engines %K suicide %D 2019 %7 26.03.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Search engines display helpline notices when people query for suicide-related information. Objective: In this study, we aimed to examine if these notices and other information displayed in response to suicide-related queries are correlated with subsequent searches for suicide prevention rather than harmful information. Methods: Anonymous suicide-related searches made on Bing and Google in the United States, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, and Taiwan in a span of 10 months were extracted. Descriptive analyses and regression models were fit to the data to assess the correlation with observed behaviors. Results: Display of helpline notices was not associated with an observed change in the likelihood of or future suicide searches (P=.42). No statistically significant differences were observed in the likelihood of people making future suicide queries (both generally and specific types of suicide queries) when comparing search engines in locations that display helpline notices versus ones that do not. Pages with higher rank, being neutral to suicide, and those shown among more antisuicide pages were more likely to be clicked on. Having more antisuicide Web pages displayed was the only factor associated with further searches for suicide prevention information (hazard=1.18, P=.002). Conclusions: Helpline notices are not associated with harm. If they cause positive change in search behavior, it is small. This is possibly because of the variability in intent of users seeking suicide-related information. Nonetheless, helpline notice should be displayed, but more efforts should be made to improve the visibility and ranking of suicide prevention Web pages. %M 30912753 %R 10.2196/12235 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/3/e12235/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12235 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30912753 %0 Journal Article %@ 2561-7605 %I JMIR Publications %V 2 %N 1 %P e12850 %T Mentalizing Imagery Therapy Mobile App to Enhance the Mood of Family Dementia Caregivers: Feasibility and Limited Efficacy Testing %A Sikder,Abu Taher %A Yang,Francis Cheng %A Schafer,Rhiana %A Dowling,Glenna A %A Traeger,Lara %A Jain,Felipe Ananda %+ Depression Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, One Bowdoin Square, 6th Floor, Boston, MA, 02114, United States, 1 617 643 4682, felipe.jain@post.harvard.edu %K family caregivers %K mindfulness %K depression %K mobile apps %K psychotherapy %D 2019 %7 21.03.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Aging %G English %X Background: Family caregivers of patients with Alzheimer disease and related dementias (AD and ADRD) often experience high stress and are at high risk for depression. Technologically delivered therapy is attractive for AD and ADRD caregivers because of the time demands associated with in-person participation. Objective: We aimed to study the feasibility and conduct limited efficacy testing of a mobile app intervention delivering mentalizing imagery therapy (MIT) for family caregivers. Methods: A 4-week trial of the MIT app for family AD and ADRD caregivers was conducted to assess the feasibility of use and investigate changes in depression symptoms, mood, and caregiving experience. Semistructured interviews were conducted to characterize participants’ perceived feasibility and benefits. Results: A total of 17 of the 21 (80%) consented participants (mean age 67 years, range 54-79) utilized the app at least once and were further analyzed. Average usage of audio recordings was on 14 (SD 10) days out of 28 possible and comprised 29 (SD 28) individual sessions. There were improvements in depression with a large effect size for those who used the app at least moderately (P=.008), increases in positive mood postintervention (P<.05), and acute increases in mood following daily guided imagery practice (Stretching and Breathing, P<.001; Eye in the Center, P<.001; Nesting Doll, P=.002; Situation Solver, P=.003; and Life Globe, P=.006). Semistructured interviews revealed perceived benefits such as greater ability to remain “centered” despite caregiving challenges and positive reframing of the caregiver experience. Conclusions: App delivery of MIT is feasible for family AD and ADRD caregivers, including aging seniors. Results showed moderate to high usage of the app for a majority of users. Limited efficacy testing provides justification for studying the MIT app for AD and ADRD caregivers to improve mood and reduce depression in larger, controlled trials. %R 10.2196/12850 %U http://aging.jmir.org/2019/1/e12850/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12850 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 3 %P e11572 %T Exploring the Use of Multiple Mental Health Apps Within a Platform: Secondary Analysis of the IntelliCare Field Trial %A Kwasny,Mary J %A Schueller,Stephen M %A Lattie,Emily %A Gray,Elizabeth L %A Mohr,David C %+ Division of Biostatistics, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Suite 1400, 680 N Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States, 1 3125032294, m-kwasny@northwestern.edu %K mobile apps %K depression %K anxiety %K mobile phone %D 2019 %7 21.03.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: IntelliCare is a mental health app platform with 14 apps that are elemental, simple and brief to use, and eclectic. Although a variety of apps may improve engagement, leading to better outcomes, they may require navigation aids such as recommender systems that can quickly direct a person to a useful app. Objective: As the first step toward developing navigation and recommender tools, this study explored app-use patterns across the IntelliCare platform and their relationship with depression and anxiety outcomes. Methods: This is a secondary analysis of the IntelliCare Field Trial, which recruited people with depression or anxiety. Participants of the trial received 8 weeks of coaching, primarily by text, and weekly random recommendations for apps. App-use metrics included frequency and lifetime use. Depression and anxiety, measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, respectively, were assessed at baseline and end of treatment. Cluster analysis was utilized to determine patterns of app use; ordinal logistic regression models and log-rank tests were used to determine if these use metrics alone, or in combination, predicted improvement or remission in depression or anxiety. Results: The analysis included 96 people who generally followed recommendations to download and try new apps each week. Apps were clustered into 5 groups: Thinking (apps that targeted or relied on thinking), Calming (relaxation and insomnia), Checklists (apps that used checklists), Activity (behavioral activation and activity), and Other. Both overall frequency of use and lifetime use predicted response for depression and anxiety. The Thinking, Calming, and Checklist clusters were associated with improvement in depression and anxiety, and the Activity cluster was associated with improvement in Anxiety only. However, the use of clusters was less strongly associated with improvement than individual app use. Conclusions: Participants in the field trial remained engaged with a suite of apps for the full 8 weeks of the trial. App-use patterns did fall into clusters, suggesting that some knowledge about the use of one app may be useful in selecting another app that the person is more likely to use and may help suggest apps based on baseline symptomology and personal preference. %M 30896433 %R 10.2196/11572 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2019/3/e11572/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11572 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30896433 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 3 %P e11224 %T Health-Related Internet Usage and Design Feature Preference for E-Mental Health Programs Among Men and Women %A Smail-Crevier,Rachel %A Powers,Gabrielle %A Noel,Chelsea %A Wang,JianLi %+ Work & Mental Health Research Unit, The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research, University of Ottawa, 1145 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K1Z 7K4, Canada, 1 613 722 6521 ext 6057, jianli.wang@theroyal.ca %K occupational health %K workplace %K mental health %K preventive health program %K depression %K internet %D 2019 %7 18.03.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Major depressive episodes (MDEs) are prevalent in the workplace and affect workers’ health and productivity. Therefore, there is a pressing need for innovation in the prevention of MDEs in the workplace. Electronic mental (e-mental) health programs are a cost-effective approach toward the self-management of stress and emotional issues. E-mental health dropout rate, MDE prevalence, and symptoms greatly vary by sex and age. Thus, the development and implementation of e-mental health programs for the prevention of MDEs need to be examined through a sex and age lens to enhance program use and effectiveness. Objective: This study aimed to examine design feature preferences based on sex and age for an e-mental health program targeted toward depression prevention. Methods: Household residents across Canada were contacted using the random digit dialing method. 500 women and 511 men who were 18 years and older and who were at high risk of having MDEs were interviewed. Internet use was assessed using questions from the 2012 Canadian Internet Use Survey conducted by Statistics Canada, and preferred design features of e-mental health program questions were developed by the BroMatters team members. The proportions of likely use of specific features of e-mental health programs in women were estimated and compared with those in men using chi-square tests. The comparisons were made overall and by age groups. Results: Men (181/511, 35.4%) and women (211/500, 42.2%) differed significantly in their likelihood of using an e-mental health program. Compared with men (307/489, 62.8%), women (408/479, 85.2%) were more likely to use the internet for medical or health-related information. Women were more likely to use the following design features: practices and exercises to help reduce symptoms of stress and depression (350/500, 70.7%), a self-help interactive program that provides information about stress and work problems (302/500, 61.8%), the ability to ask questions and receive answers from mental health professionals via email or text message (294/500, 59.9%), and to receive printed materials by mail (215/500, 43.4%). Men preferred to receive information in a video game format (156/511, 30.7%). Younger men (46/73, 63%) and younger women (49/60, 81%) were more likely to access a program through a mobile phone or an app, and younger men preferred having access to information in a video game format. Conclusions: Factors such as sex and age influenced design feature preferences for an e-mental health program. Working women who are at high risk for MDEs preferred interactive programs incorporating practice and exercise for reducing stress, quality information about work stress, and some guidance from professionals. This suggests that sex and age should be taken into account when designing e-mental health programs to meet the needs of individuals seeking help via Web-based mental health programs and to enhance their use. %M 30882361 %R 10.2196/11224 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/3/e11224/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11224 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30882361 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 3 %P e11255 %T A Game-Based School Program for Mental Health Literacy and Stigma Regarding Depression (Moving Stories): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Tuijnman,Anouk %A Kleinjan,Marloes %A Hoogendoorn,Evert %A Granic,Isabela %A Engels,Rutger CME %+ Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Montessorilaan 3, Nijmegen, 6525 HR, Netherlands, 31 24 3612076, a.tuijnman@pwo.ru.nl %K depression %K help-seeking behavior %K helping behavior %K health literacy %K stigma %K video games %K adolescence %K secondary schools %D 2019 %7 14.03.2019 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: The prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms among youth in most western societies is high. Yet, most adolescents who are experiencing depressive symptoms do not seek help. Low mental health literacy, high stigma, and low social support have been shown to hinder help-seeking. A small number of interventions has been developed to target mental health literacy and stigma, but few focus on actual help-seeking and first aid behavior. We have developed a game-based school program called Moving Stories that targets mental health literacy, including knowledge and behavior, and stigma among adolescents, in regard to depression specifically. Objective: Our aim is to describe the protocol for a study that will test the effectiveness of the program Moving Stories in a Dutch adolescent sample. We hypothesize that adolescents who participate in the program Moving Stories will have better mental health literacy and less stigma regarding depression compared to adolescents in the nonintervention control group at posttest and at 3- and 6-months follow-up. We also expect a positive change in actual help-seeking and first aid behavior at 3- and 6-months follow-up. Methods: Moving Stories has been developed by a professional game design company in collaboration with researchers and relevant stakeholders. The effectiveness of Moving Stories will be tested through a randomized controlled trial with two conditions: Moving Stories versus control. Participants will fill in questionnaires at pretest, posttest, and 3- and 6-months follow-up. Our power analysis showed a required sample size of 180 adolescents. Results: Four high schools have agreed to participate with a total of 10 classes. A total of 185 adolescents filled in the pretest questionnaire. The last of the follow-up data was collected in December 2018. Conclusions: If Moving Stories proves to be effective, it could be implemented as a school-based program to target mental health literacy and stigma regarding depression; this could, in turn, improve early help-seeking in adolescents suffering from depression. Trial Registration: Nederlands Trial Register NTR7033; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/6855 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/11255 %M 30869652 %R 10.2196/11255 %U https://www.researchprotocols.org/2019/3/e11255/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11255 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30869652 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 2 %P e11711 %T How Do Adolescents Use Electronic Diaries? A Mixed-Methods Study Among Adolescents With Depressive Symptoms %A Metsäranta,Kiki %A Kurki,Marjo %A Valimaki,Maritta %A Anttila,Minna %+ Department of Nursing Science, University of Turku, Hoitotieteen laitos, Joukahaisenkatu 3-5, Turun yliopisto, 20014, Finland, 358 456716156, kianme@utu.fi %K adolescent %K depression %K electronic diary %K mental health %K mobile phone %K outpatient care %D 2019 %7 20.02.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression in adolescence is common. Less than half of the adolescents with depression receive mental health care; furthermore, treatment tends to be suspended, and its success rates are low. There is a need for these adolescents to have a safe place to share their thoughts. Studies have shown that writing may be a useful treatment method for people with mental health problems. Objective: This study aims to describe the use of an electronic diary (e-diary) among adolescents with depressive symptoms. Methods: This paper describes a substudy of a randomized controlled trial. We used a mixed-methods approach to understand the way in which e-diaries were used by participants in the intervention under the randomized controlled trial. Data were collected during 2008-2010 at 2 university hospitals in Finland. Study participants (N=89) were 15-17-year-old adolescents who had been referred to an adolescent outpatient psychiatric clinic due to depressive symptoms. Participants were instructed to use the e-diary at least once a week to describe their thoughts, feelings, and moods. The content of the e-diary data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis. Results: Overall, 53% (47/89) of the adolescents used the e-diary. Most of them (39/47, 83%) logged into the program during the first week, and about one-third (19/47, 40%) logged into the e-diary weekly as suggested. The number of words used in the e-diary per each log ranged between 8 and 1442 words. The 3 topics most often written about in the e-diary were related to mental health problems (mental disorder), social interaction (relationship), and one’s own development (identity). Conclusions: An e-diary may be a usable tool to reflect experiences and thoughts, especially among adolescents who have signs of depression. The results of this study can be used to develop user-centered electronic health applications that allow users to express their own thoughts and experiences in ways other than systematic mood monitoring. %M 30785408 %R 10.2196/11711 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/2/e11711/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11711 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30785408 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 2 %P e12894 %T Resilience@Work Mindfulness Program: Results From a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial With First Responders %A Joyce,Sadhbh %A Shand,Fiona %A Lal,Tara J %A Mott,Brendan %A Bryant,Richard A %A Harvey,Samuel B %+ School of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, The Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, 2031, Australia, 61 401297711, sadhbh.joyce@unsw.edu.au %K resilience training %K workplace mental health %K occupational health %K well-being %K online intervention %K employee resilience %K health and safety %K psychological health %K first responders %D 2019 %7 19.02.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: A growing body of research suggests that resilience training can play a pivotal role in creating mentally healthy workplaces, particularly with regard to protecting the long-term well-being of workers. Emerging research describes positive outcomes from various types of resilience training programs (RTPs) among different occupational groups. One specific group of workers that may benefit from this form of proactive resilience training is first responders. Given the nature of their work, first responders are frequently exposed to stressful circumstances and potentially traumatic events, which may impact their overall resilience and well-being over time. Objective: This study aimed to examine whether a mindfulness-based RTP (the Resilience@Work [RAW] Mindfulness Program) delivered via the internet can effectively enhance resilience among a group of high-risk workers. Methods: We conducted a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) comprising 24 Primary Fire and Rescue and Hazmat stations within New South Wales. Overall, 12 stations were assigned to the 6-session RAW Mindfulness Program and 12 stations were assigned to the control condition. A total of 143 active full-time firefighters enrolled in the study. Questionnaires were administered at baseline, immediately post training, and at 6-month follow-up. Measurements examined change in both adaptive and bounce-back resilience as well as several secondary outcomes examining resilience resources and acceptance and mindfulness skills. Results: Mixed-model repeated measures analysis found that the overall test of group-by-time interaction was significant (P=.008), with the intervention group increasing in adaptive resilience over time. However, no significant differences were found between the intervention group and the control group in terms of change in bounce-back resilience (P=.09). At 6-month follow-up, the group receiving the RAW intervention had an average increase in their resilience score of 1.3, equating to a moderate-to-large effect size compared with the control group of 0.73 (95% CI 0.38-1.06). Per-protocol analysis found that compared with the control group, the greatest improvements in adaptive resilience were observed among those who completed most of the RAW program, that is, 5 to 6 sessions (P=.002). Conclusions: The results of this RCT suggest that mindfulness-based resilience training delivered in an internet format can create improvements in adaptive resilience and related resources among high-risk workers, such as first responders. Despite a number of limitations, the results of this study suggest that the RAW Mindfulness Program is an effective, scalable, and practical means of delivering online resilience training in high-risk workplace settings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a mindfulness-based RTP delivered entirely via the internet has been tested in the workplace. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12615000574549; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=368296 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/75w4xtrpw). %M 30777846 %R 10.2196/12894 %U http://www.jmir.org/2019/2/e12894/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12894 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30777846 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 2 %P e12121 %T Transforming Mental Health Delivery Through Behavioral Economics and Implementation Science: Protocol for Three Exploratory Projects %A Beidas,Rinad S %A Volpp,Kevin G %A Buttenheim,Alison N %A Marcus,Steven C %A Olfson,Mark %A Pellecchia,Melanie %A Stewart,Rebecca E %A Williams,Nathaniel J %A Becker-Haimes,Emily M %A Candon,Molly %A Cidav,Zuleyha %A Fishman,Jessica %A Lieberman,Adina %A Zentgraf,Kelly %A Mandell,David %+ Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market St, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States, 1 215 746 1759, rbeidas@upenn.edu %K implementation science %K behavioral economics %K mental health %D 2019 %7 12.02.2019 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Efficacious psychiatric treatments are not consistently deployed in community practice, and clinical outcomes are attenuated compared with those achieved in clinical trials. A major focus for mental health services research is to develop effective and cost-effective strategies that increase the use of evidence-based assessment, prevention, and treatment approaches in community settings. Objective: The goal of this program of research is to apply insights from behavioral economics and participatory design to advance the science and practice of implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) for individuals with psychiatric disorders across the life span. Methods: Project 1 (Assisting Depressed Adults in Primary care Treatment [ADAPT]) is patient-focused and leverages decision-making heuristics to compare ways to incentivize adherence to antidepressant medications in the first 6 weeks of treatment among adults newly diagnosed with depression. Project 2 (App for Strengthening Services In Specialized Therapeutic Support [ASSISTS]) is provider-focused and utilizes normative pressure and social status to increase data collection among community mental health workers treating children with autism. Project 3 (Motivating Outpatient Therapists to Implement: Valuing a Team Effort [MOTIVATE]) explores how participatory design can be used to design organizational-level implementation strategies to increase clinician use of EBPs. The projects are supported by a Methods Core that provides expertise in implementation science, behavioral economics, participatory design, measurement, and associated statistical approaches. Results: Enrollment for project ADAPT started in 2018; results are expected in 2020. Enrollment for project ASSISTS will begin in 2019; results are expected in 2021. Enrollment for project MOTIVATE started in 2018; results are expected in 2019. Data collection had begun for ADAPT and MOTIVATE when this protocol was submitted. Conclusions: This research will advance the science of implementation through efforts to improve implementation strategy design, measurement, and statistical methods. First, we will test and refine approaches to collaboratively design implementation strategies with stakeholders (eg, discrete choice experiments and innovation tournaments). Second, we will refine the measurement of mechanisms related to heuristics used in decision making. Third, we will develop new ways to test mechanisms in multilevel implementation trials. This trifecta, coupled with findings from our 3 exploratory projects, will lead to improvements in our knowledge of what causes successful implementation, what variables moderate and mediate the effects of those causal factors, and how best to leverage this knowledge to increase the quality of care for people with psychiatric disorders. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03441399; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03441399 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/74dRbonBD) International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/12121 %M 30747719 %R 10.2196/12121 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2019/2/e12121/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12121 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30747719 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 1 %P e11325 %T Barriers to and Facilitators of Engagement With mHealth Technology for Remote Measurement and Management of Depression: Qualitative Analysis %A Simblett,Sara %A Matcham,Faith %A Siddi,Sara %A Bulgari,Viola %A Barattieri di San Pietro,Chiara %A Hortas López,Jorge %A Ferrão,José %A Polhemus,Ashley %A Haro,Josep Maria %A de Girolamo,Giovanni %A Gamble,Peter %A Eriksson,Hans %A Hotopf,Matthew %A Wykes,Til %A , %+ Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, United Kingdom, 44 207 848 0762, sara.simblett@kcl.ac.uk %K acceptability %K barriers %K depression %K facilitators %K feasibility %K mHealth %K qualitative %D 2019 %7 30.01.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Mobile technology has the potential to provide accurate, impactful data on the symptoms of depression, which could improve health management or assist in early detection of relapse. However, for this potential to be achieved, it is essential that patients engage with the technology. Although many barriers to and facilitators of the use of this technology are common across therapeutic areas and technology types, many may be specific to cultural and health contexts. Objective: This study aimed to determine the potential barriers to and facilitators of engagement with mobile health (mHealth) technology for remote measurement and management of depression across three Western European countries. Methods: Participants (N=25; 4:1 ratio of women to men; age range, 25-73 years) who experienced depression participated in five focus groups held in three countries (two in the United Kingdom, two in Spain, and one in Italy). The focus groups investigated the potential barriers to and facilitators of the use of mHealth technology. A systematic thematic analysis was used to extract themes and subthemes. Results: Facilitators and barriers were categorized as health-related factors, user-related factors, and technology-related factors. A total of 58 subthemes of specific barriers and facilitators or moderators emerged. A core group of themes including motivation, potential impact on mood and anxiety, aspects of inconvenience, and ease of use was noted across all countries. Conclusions: Similarities in the barriers to and facilitators of the use of mHealth technology have been observed across Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom. These themes provide guidance on ways to promote the design of feasible and acceptable cross-cultural mHealth tools. %M 30698535 %R 10.2196/11325 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2019/1/e11325/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11325 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30698535 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 1 %P e11041 %T Using Passive Smartphone Sensing for Improved Risk Stratification of Patients With Depression and Diabetes: Cross-Sectional Observational Study %A Sarda,Archana %A Munuswamy,Suresh %A Sarda,Shubhankar %A Subramanian,Vinod %+ Touchkin eServices Private Limited, 1st Floor, Manjusha, No 532, 16th Cross, 2nd Main Road, 2nd Stage, Indira Nagar, Bangalore, 560038, India, 91 9762665119, shubhankar@touchkin.com %K depression %K diabetes %K mental health %K comorbidity %K passive sensing %K smartphone %K classification %K machine learning %K mHealth %K risk assessment %D 2019 %7 29.01.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Research studies are establishing the use of smartphone sensing to measure mental well-being. Smartphone sensor information captures behavioral patterns, and its analysis helps reveal well-being changes. Depression in diabetes goes highly underdiagnosed and underreported. The comorbidity has been associated with increased mortality and worse clinical outcomes, including poor glycemic control and self-management. Clinical-only intervention has been found to have a very modest effect on diabetes management among people with depression. Smartphone technologies could play a significant role in complementing comorbid care. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the association between smartphone-sensing parameters and symptoms of depression and to explore an approach to risk-stratify people with diabetes. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study (Project SHADO—Analyzing Social and Health Attributes through Daily Digital Observation) was conducted on 47 participants with diabetes. The study’s smartphone-sensing app passively collected data regarding activity, mobility, sleep, and communication from each participant. Self-reported symptoms of depression using a validated Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) were collected once every 2 weeks from all participants. A descriptive analysis was performed to understand the representation of the participants. A univariate analysis was performed on each derived sensing variable to compare behavioral changes between depression states—those with self-reported major depression (PHQ-9>9) and those with none (PHQ-9≤9). A classification predictive modeling, using supervised machine-learning methods, was explored using derived sensing variables as input to construct and compare classifiers that could risk-stratify people with diabetes based on symptoms of depression. Results: A noticeably high prevalence of self-reported depression (30 out of 47 participants, 63%) was found among the participants. Between depression states, a significant difference was found for average activity rates (daytime) between participant-day instances with symptoms of major depression (mean 16.06 [SD 14.90]) and those with none (mean 18.79 [SD 16.72]), P=.005. For average number of people called (calls made and received), a significant difference was found between participant-day instances with symptoms of major depression (mean 5.08 [SD 3.83]) and those with none (mean 8.59 [SD 7.05]), P<.001. These results suggest that participants with diabetes and symptoms of major depression exhibited lower activity through the day and maintained contact with fewer people. Using all the derived sensing variables, the extreme gradient boosting machine-learning classifier provided the best performance with an average cross-validation accuracy of 79.07% (95% CI 74%-84%) and test accuracy of 81.05% to classify symptoms of depression. Conclusions: Participants with diabetes and self-reported symptoms of major depression were observed to show lower levels of social contact and lower activity levels during the day. Although findings must be reproduced in a broader randomized controlled study, this study shows promise in the use of predictive modeling for early detection of symptoms of depression in people with diabetes using smartphone-sensing information. %M 30694197 %R 10.2196/11041 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2019/1/e11041/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11041 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30694197 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 1 %P e11334 %T Adoption of Mobile Apps for Depression and Anxiety: Cross-Sectional Survey Study on Patient Interest and Barriers to Engagement %A Lipschitz,Jessica %A Miller,Christopher J %A Hogan,Timothy P %A Burdick,Katherine E %A Lippin-Foster,Rachel %A Simon,Steven R %A Burgess,James %+ Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, 221 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, United States, 1 617 732 6548, jlipschitz@bwh.harvard.edu %K mHealth %K depression %K anxiety %K mobile apps %K patient preference %D 2019 %7 25.01.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Emerging research suggests that mobile apps can be used to effectively treat common mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. Despite promising efficacy results and ease of access to these interventions, adoption of mobile health (mHealth; mobile device–delivered) interventions for mental illness has been limited. More insight into patients’ perspectives on mHealth interventions is required to create effective implementation strategies and to adapt existing interventions to facilitate higher rates of adoption. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine, from the patient perspective, current use and factors that may impact the use of mHealth interventions for mental illness. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study of veterans who had attended an appointment at a single Veterans Health Administration facility in early 2016 that was associated with one of the following mental health concerns: unipolar depression, any anxiety disorder, or posttraumatic stress disorder. We used the Veteran Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse to create subsets of eligible participants demographically stratified by gender (male or female) and minority status (white or nonwhite). From each subset, 100 participants were selected at random and mailed a paper survey with items addressing the demographics, overall health, mental health, technology ownership or use, interest in mobile app interventions for mental illness, reasons for use or nonuse, and interest in specific features of mobile apps for mental illness. Results: Of the 400 potential participants, 149 (37.3%, 149/400) completed and returned a survey. Most participants (79.9%, 119/149) reported that they owned a smart device and that they use apps in general (71.1%, 106/149). Most participants (73.1%, 87/149) reported interest in using an app for mental illness, but only 10.7% (16/149) had done so. Paired samples t tests indicated that ratings of interest in using an app recommended by a clinician were significantly greater than general interest ratings and even greater when the recommending clinician was a specialty mental health provider. The most frequent concerns related to using an app for mental illness were lacking proof of efficacy (71.8%, 107/149), concerns about data privacy (59.1%, 88/149), and not knowing where to find such an app (51.0%, 76/149). Participants expressed interest in a number of app features with particularly high-interest ratings for context-sensitive apps (85.2%, 127/149), and apps focused on the following areas: increasing exercise (75.8%, 113/149), improving sleep (73.2%, 109/149), changing negative thinking (70.5%, 105/149), and increasing involvement in activities (67.1%, 100/149). Conclusions: Most respondents had access to devices to use mobile apps for mental illness, already used apps for other purposes, and were interested in mobile apps for mental illness. Key factors that may improve adoption include provider endorsement, greater publicity of efficacious apps, and clear messaging about efficacy and privacy of information. Finally, multifaceted apps that address a range of concerns, from sleep to negative thought patterns, may be best received. %M 30681968 %R 10.2196/11334 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2019/1/e11334/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11334 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30681968 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 1 %P e10948 %T Effectiveness of a Multimodal Digital Psychotherapy Platform for Adult Depression: A Naturalistic Feasibility Study %A Marcelle,Enitan T %A Nolting,Laura %A Hinshaw,Stephen P %A Aguilera,Adrian %+ Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, Tolman Hall, Berkeley, CA,, United States, 1 2164968894, emarcelle@berkeley.edu %K cognitive therapy %K depression %K digital health %K live chat %K mHealth %K mental health %K text messaging %K video %K mobile phone %D 2019 %7 23.01.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Although psychotherapy is one of the most efficacious and effective treatments for depression, limited accessibility to trained providers markedly limits access to care. In an attempt to overcome this obstacle, several platforms seeking to provide these services using digital modalities (eg, video, text, and chat) have been developed. However, the use of these modalities individually poses barriers to intervention access and acceptability. Multimodal platforms, comprising those that allow users to select from a number of available modalities, may be able to provide a solution to these concerns. Objective: We aimed to investigate the preliminary effectiveness of providing psychotherapy through a multimodal digital psychotherapy platform. In addition, we aimed to examine differential responses to intervention by gender, self-reported physical health status, and self-reported financial status, as well as how prior exposure to traditional face-to-face psychotherapy affected the effectiveness of a multimodal digital psychotherapy intervention. Finally, we aimed to examine the dose-response effect. Methods: Data were collected from a total of 318 active users of BetterHelp, a multimodal digital psychotherapy platform. Data on physical health status, financial status, and prior exposure to psychotherapy were obtained using self-report measures. Effectiveness was determined by the extent of symptom severity change, which was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire at Time 1 (time of enrollment) and Time 2 (3 months after enrollment). Intervention dosage was measured as the sum of individual therapist-user interactions across modalities. Results: Depression symptom severity was significantly reduced after the use of the multimodal digital psychotherapy intervention (P<.001). Individuals without prior traditional psychotherapy experience revealed increased improvement after intervention (P=.006). We found no significant dose-response effect of therapy, nor significant differences in outcomes across gender, self-reported financial status, and self-reported physical health status. Conclusions: Users of BetterHelp experienced significantly reduced depression symptom severity after engaging with the platform. Study findings suggest that this intervention is equally effective across gender, self-reported financial status, and self-reported physical health status and particularly effective for individuals without a history of psychotherapy. Overall, study results suggest that multimodal digital psychotherapy is a potentially effective treatment for adult depression; nevertheless, experimental trials are needed. We discuss directions for future research. %M 30674448 %R 10.2196/10948 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2019/1/e10948/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10948 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30674448 %0 Journal Article %@ 2561-326X %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 1 %P e11509 %T Feasibility of a Therapist-Supported, Mobile Phone–Delivered Online Intervention for Depression: Longitudinal Observational Study %A Goldin,Philippe R %A Lindholm,Riku %A Ranta,Kristian %A Hilgert,Outi %A Helteenvuori,Tiia %A Raevuori,Anu %+ Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, University of California Davis, 4610 X Street, Sacramento, CA, 95817, United States, 1 4156769793, philippegoldin@gmail.com %K cognitive therapy %K depression %K digital health %K digital therapeutics %K mindfulness %K online intervention %D 2019 %7 22.01.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Formativ Res %G English %X Background: Depression is a very common condition that impairs functioning and is often untreated. More than 60% of the treatments for depressive disorder are administered in primary care settings by care providers who lack the time and expertise to treat depression. To address this issue, we developed Ascend, a therapist-supported, mobile phone–delivered 8-week intervention administered at the Meru Health Online Clinic in Finland. Objective: We conducted two pilot studies to examine the feasibility of the Ascend intervention, specifically, dropout rates, daily practice, weekly group chat use, and changes in depression symptoms. We also explored whether daily practice and weekly group chat use were associated with changes in depression symptoms. Methods: A total of 117 Finnish adults with elevated depressive symptoms enrolled in Ascend, a program that included daily cognitive behavioral and mindfulness meditation exercises delivered through a mobile phone app, anonymous group chat with other users, and chat/phone access to a licensed therapist. Eight weekly themes were delivered in a fixed, sequential format. Depression symptoms were measured at baseline, every second week during the intervention, immediately after the intervention, and 4 weeks after completion of the intervention. Data were analyzed using intent-to-treat repeated-measures analysis of variance and linear regression models. Results: For studies 1 and 2, we observed dropout rates of 27% and 15%, respectively, decreasing daily practice and group chat use, and decreased depression symptoms from baseline to immediately and 4 weeks after the intervention (P<.001). We found that both more daily practice and chat group use predicted the occurrence of fewer depressive symptoms at 4 weeks postintervention (Study 1: ∆R2=.38, P=.004 and ∆R2=.38, P=.002, respectively; Study 2: ∆R2=.16, P<.001 and ∆R2=.08, P=.002, respectively). Conclusions: This therapist-supported, mobile phone–delivered treatment for depression is feasible and associated with reduced depression symptoms. Design features that enhance daily practice and group chat use are areas of future investigation. Validation of these results using a controlled study design is needed to establish the evidence base for the Ascend intervention. %R 10.2196/11509 %U http://formative.jmir.org/2019/1/e11509/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11509 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 1 %P e10675 %T Web-Based Measure of Life Events Using Computerized Life Events and Assessment Record (CLEAR): Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study of Reliability, Validity, and Association With Depression %A Bifulco,Antonia %A Spence,Ruth %A Nunn,Stephen %A Kagan,Lisa %A Bailey-Rodriguez,Deborah %A Hosang,Georgina M %A Taylor,Matthew %A Fisher,Helen L %+ Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies, Department of Psychology, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, United Kingdom, 44 02084113705, a.bifulco@mdx.ac.uk %K depression %K life change events %K life stress %K health technology %K internet %K psychometrics %K psychological tests %D 2019 %7 08.01.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Given the criticisms of life event checklists and the costs associated with interviews, life event research requires a sophisticated but easy-to-use measure for research and clinical practice. Therefore, the Computerized Life Events and Assessment Record (CLEAR), based on the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule (LEDS), was developed. Objective: The objective of our study was to test CLEAR’s reliability, validity, and association with depression. Methods: CLEAR, the General Health Questionnaire, and the List of Threatening Experiences Questionnaire (LTE-Q) were completed by 328 participants (126 students; 202 matched midlife sample: 127 unaffected controls, 75 recurrent depression cases). Test-retest reliability over 3-4 weeks was examined and validity determined by comparing CLEAR with LEDS and LTE-Q. Both CLEAR and LTE-Q were examined in relation to depression. Results: CLEAR demonstrated good test-retest reliability for the overall number of life events (0.89) and severe life events (.60). Long-term problems showed similar findings. In terms of validity, CLEAR severe life events had moderate sensitivity (59.1%) and specificity (65.4%) when compared with LEDS. CLEAR demonstrated moderate sensitivity (43.1%) and specificity (78.6%) when compared with LTE-Q. CLEAR severe life events and long-term problems were significantly associated with depression (odds ratio, OR 3.50, 95% CI 2.10 to 5.85, P<.001; OR 3.38, 95% CI 2.02 to 5.67, P<.001, respectively), whereas LTE-Q events were not (OR 1.06, 95% CI 0.43 to 2.60, P=.90). Conclusions: CLEAR has acceptable reliability and validity and predicts depression. It, therefore, has great potential for effective use in research and clinical practice identifying stress-related factors for the onset and maintenance of depression and related disorders. %M 30622088 %R 10.2196/10675 %U https://mental.jmir.org/2019/1/e10675/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10675 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30622088 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 1 %P e10179 %T How Search Engine Data Enhance the Understanding of Determinants of Suicide in India and Inform Prevention: Observational Study %A Adler,Natalia %A Cattuto,Ciro %A Kalimeri,Kyriaki %A Paolotti,Daniela %A Tizzoni,Michele %A Verhulst,Stefaan %A Yom-Tov,Elad %A Young,Andrew %+ ISI Foundation, Via Chisola 5, Torino, 10126, Italy, 39 011 660 3090, daniela.paolotti@isi.it %K internet data %K India %K suicide %K mobile phone %D 2019 %7 04.01.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: India is home to 20% of the world’s suicide deaths. Although statistics regarding suicide in India are distressingly high, data and cultural issues likely contribute to a widespread underreporting of the problem. Social stigma and only recent decriminalization of suicide are among the factors hampering official agencies’ collection and reporting of suicide rates. Objective: As the product of a data collaborative, this paper leverages private-sector search engine data toward gaining a fuller, more accurate picture of the suicide issue among young people in India. By combining official statistics on suicide with data generated through search queries, this paper seeks to: add an additional layer of information to more accurately represent the magnitude of the problem, determine whether search query data can serve as an effective proxy for factors contributing to suicide that are not represented in traditional datasets, and consider how data collaboratives built on search query data could inform future suicide prevention efforts in India and beyond. Methods: We combined official statistics on demographic information with data generated through search queries from Bing to gain insight into suicide rates per state in India as reported by the National Crimes Record Bureau of India. We extracted English language queries on “suicide,” “depression,” “hanging,” “pesticide,” and “poison”. We also collected data on demographic information at the state level in India, including urbanization, growth rate, sex ratio, internet penetration, and population. We modeled the suicide rate per state as a function of the queries on each of the 5 topics considered as linear independent variables. A second model was built by integrating the demographic information as additional linear independent variables. Results: Results of the first model fit (R2) when modeling the suicide rates from the fraction of queries in each of the 5 topics, as well as the fraction of all suicide methods, show a correlation of about 0.5. This increases significantly with the removal of 3 outliers and improves slightly when 5 outliers are removed. Results for the second model fit using both query and demographic data show that for all categories, if no outliers are removed, demographic data can model suicide rates better than query data. However, when 3 outliers are removed, query data about pesticides or poisons improves the model over using demographic data. Conclusions: In this work, we used search data and demographics to model suicide rates. In this way, search data serve as a proxy for unmeasured (hidden) factors corresponding to suicide rates. Moreover, our procedure for outlier rejection serves to single out states where the suicide rates have substantially different correlations with demographic factors and query rates. %M 30609976 %R 10.2196/10179 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/1/e10179/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10179 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30609976 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 8 %N 1 %P e11560 %T Recruitment and Baseline Characteristics of Participants in the Social, Emotional, and Economic Empowerment Through Knowledge of Group Support Psychotherapy Study (SEEK-GSP): Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial %A Nakimuli-Mpungu,Etheldreda %A Musisi,Seggane %A Wamala,Kizito %A Okello,James %A Ndyanabangi,Sheila %A Birungi,Josephine %A Nanfuka,Mastula %A Etukoit,Michael %A Mojtabai,Ramin %A Nachega,Jean %A Harari,Ofir %A Mills,Edward %+ Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Old Mulago Hospital Complex, Mulago Hill Road, Kampala, 256, Uganda, 256 788994050, ethelmpungu@yahoo.com %K cluster randomized trial %K group support psychotherapy %K lay health workers %K depression %K recruitment %K psychosocial stressors %K persons living with HIV/AIDS %K Uganda %D 2019 %7 03.01.2019 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Psychosocial characteristics, including self-esteem, perceived social support, coping skills, stigma, discrimination, and poverty, are strongly correlated with depression symptoms. However, data on the extent of these correlations among persons living with HIV and the associations between psychosocial characteristics and HIV treatment outcomes are limited in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective: This paper aims to describe the recruitment process and baseline characteristics associated with depression in a sample of HIV-positive people in a cluster randomized trial of group support psychotherapy (GSP) for depression delivered by trained lay health workers (LHWs). Methods: Thirty eligible primary care health centers across three districts in Uganda were randomly allocated to have their LHWs trained to deliver GSP (intervention arm) or group HIV education and treatment as usual (control arm) to persons living with HIV comorbid with depression. Baseline demographic, socioeconomic, and psychosocial characteristics were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires. Among eligible participants, differences between those enrolled versus those who refused enrollment were assessed using chi square for categorical variables and t tests for continuous variables. Spearman rank order correlation analyses were conducted to determine associations between baseline depression symptoms and adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), viral load suppression, and other psychosocial variables. Results: The study screened 1473 people and 1140 were found to be eligible and enrolled over 14 weeks. Participants recruited comprised 95% of the target sample size of 1200. The sample’s mean age was 38.5 (SD 10.9) years and both genders were well represented (males: 46.32%, 528/1140). Most participants met the diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (96.92%, 1105/1140), had significant posttraumatic stress symptoms (72.46%, 826/1140), reported moderate suicide risk (52.54%, 599/1140), had primary or no formal education (86.22%, 983/1140), and reported no income-generating activity (72.63%, 828/1140) and no food insecurity (81.67%, 931/1140). Among eligible participants, 48 of 1140 (4.21%) refused to participate in the interventions; these participants were more likely to be males (χ21=4.0, P=.045) and have significantly lower depression symptoms scores (t2=2.36, P=.01) than those who participated in the interventions. There was a significant positive correlation between viral load and number of traumatic experiences (ρ=.12, P=.05). Adherence to ART was positively correlated with perceived social support (ρ=.15, P<.001), but negatively correlated with depression symptoms (ρ=–.11, P=.05) and stigma (ρ=–.14, P<.001). Conclusions: Men and women with HIV and depression experience multiple social and economic vulnerabilities and disadvantages. Culturally tailored psychological interventions aimed at these individuals should address these socioeconomic disadvantages in addition to addressing their mental health care needs. Trial Registration: Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR201608001738234; https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=1738 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/74NtMphom) %M 30609989 %R 10.2196/11560 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2019/1/e11560/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11560 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30609989 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 21 %N 1 %P e11683 %T Use of In-Game Rewards to Motivate Daily Self-Report Compliance: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Taylor,Sara %A Ferguson,Craig %A Peng,Fengjiao %A Schoeneich,Magdalena %A Picard,Rosalind W %+ Affective Computing Group, Department of Media Arts and Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, E14-348V, Cambridge, MA, 02142, United States, 1 6128608622, sataylor@mit.edu %K self-reports %K protocol compliance %K recreational games %D 2019 %7 03.01.2019 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Encouraging individuals to report daily information such as unpleasant disease symptoms, daily activities and behaviors, or aspects of their physical and emotional state is difficult but necessary for many studies and clinical trials that rely on patient-reported data as primary outcomes. Use of paper diaries is the traditional method of completing daily diaries, but digital surveys are becoming the new standard because of their increased compliance; however, they still fall short of desired compliance levels. Objective: Mobile games using in-game rewards offer the opportunity to increase compliance above the rates of digital diaries and paper diaries. We conducted a 5-week randomized control trial to compare the completion rates of a daily diary across 3 conditions: a paper-based participant-reported outcome diary (Paper PRO), an electronic-based participant-reported outcome diary (ePRO), and a novel ePRO diary with in-game rewards (Game-Motivated ePRO). Methods: We developed a novel mobile game that is a combination of the idle and pet collection genres to reward individuals who complete a daily diary with an in-game reward. Overall, 197 individuals aged 6 to 24 years (male: 100 and female: 97) were enrolled in a 5-week study after being randomized into 1 of the 3 methods of daily diary completion. Moreover, 157 participants (male: 84 and female: 69) completed at least one diary and were subsequently included in analysis of compliance rates. Results: We observed a significant difference (F2,124=6.341; P=.002) in compliance to filling out daily diaries, with the Game-Motivated ePRO group having the highest compliance (mean completion 86.4%, SD 19.6%), followed by the ePRO group (mean completion 77.7%, SD 24.1%), and finally, the Paper PRO group (mean completion 70.6%, SD 23.4%). The Game-Motivated ePRO (P=.002) significantly improved compliance rates above the Paper PRO. In addition, the Game-Motivated ePRO resulted in higher compliance rates than the rates of ePRO alone (P=.09). Equally important, even though we observed significant differences in completion of daily diaries between groups, we did not observe any statistically significant differences in association between the responses to a daily mood question and study group, the average diary completion time (P=.52), or the System Usability Scale score (P=.88). Conclusions: The Game-Motivated ePRO system encouraged individuals to complete the daily diaries above the compliance rates of the Paper PRO and ePRO without altering the participants’ responses. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03738254; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03738254 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/74T1p8u52) %M 30609986 %R 10.2196/11683 %U https://www.jmir.org/2019/1/e11683/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11683 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30609986 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-9279 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 4 %P e11249 %T How LGBT+ Young People Use the Internet in Relation to Their Mental Health and Envisage the Use of e-Therapy: Exploratory Study %A Lucassen,Mathijs %A Samra,Rajvinder %A Iacovides,Ioanna %A Fleming,Theresa %A Shepherd,Matthew %A Stasiak,Karolina %A Wallace,Louise %+ School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, United Kingdom, 44 1908652987, mathijs.lucassen@open.ac.uk %K sexuality %K LGBT %K transgender %K depression %K adolescent %K psychotherapy %K mental health %K computer games %K computerized CBT %K e-therapy %D 2018 %7 21.12.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Serious Games %G English %X Background: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth and other young people diverse in terms of their sexuality and gender (LGBT+) are at an elevated risk of mental health problems such as depression. Factors such as isolation and stigma mean that accessing mental health services can be particularly challenging for LGBT+ young people, and previous studies have highlighted that many prefer to access psychological support on the Web. Research from New Zealand has demonstrated promising effectiveness and acceptability for an LGBT+ focused, serious game–based, computerized cognitive behavioral therapy program, Rainbow Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts (SPARX). However, there has been limited research conducted in the area of electronic therapy (e-therapy) for LGBT+ people. Objective: This study aimed to explore how and why LGBT+ young people use the internet to support their mental health. This study also sought to explore LGBT+ young people’s and professionals’ views about e-therapies, drawing on the example of Rainbow SPARX. Methods: A total of 3 focus groups and 5 semistructured interviews were conducted with 21 LGBT+ young people (aged 15-22 years) and 6 professionals (4 health and social care practitioners and 2 National Health Service commissioners) in England and Wales. A general inductive approach was used to analyze data. Results: LGBT+ youth participants considered that the use of the internet was ubiquitous, and it was valuable for support and information. However, they also thought that internet use could be problematic, and they highlighted certain internet safety and personal security considerations. They drew on a range of gaming experiences and expectations to inform their feedback about Rainbow SPARX. Their responses focused on the need for this e-therapy program to be updated and refined. LGBT+ young people experienced challenges related to stigma and mistreatment, and they suggested that strategies addressing their common challenges should be included in e-therapy content. Professional study participants also emphasized the need to update and refine Rainbow SPARX. Moreover, professionals highlighted some of the issues associated with e-therapies needing to demonstrate effectiveness and challenges associated with health service commissioning processes. Conclusions: LGBT+ young people use the internet to obtain support and access information, including information related to their mental health. They are interested in LGBT-specific e-therapies; however, these must be in a contemporary format, engaging, and adequately acknowledge the experiences of LGBT+ young people. %M 30578194 %R 10.2196/11249 %U http://games.jmir.org/2018/4/e11249/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11249 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30578194 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e11467 %T Supported Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Programs for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in University Students: Open, Non-Randomised Trial of Acceptability, Effectiveness, and Satisfaction %A Palacios,Jorge E %A Richards,Derek %A Palmer,Riley %A Coudray,Carissa %A Hofmann,Stefan G %A Palmieri,Patrick A %A Frazier,Patricia %+ E-mental Health Research Group, School of Psychology, University of Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin,, Ireland, 353 18961000, jorge.palacios@tcd.ie %K depression %K anxiety %K cognitive therapy %K students %D 2018 %7 14.12.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Many university campuses have limited mental health services that cannot cope with the high demand. One alternative is to use internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) as a way of tackling barriers such as lack of availability and scheduling issues. Objective: This study aimed to assess feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness, and satisfaction of a supported iCBT intervention offering 3 programs on depression, anxiety, and stress to university students. The design was an open or nonrandomized feasibility trial. Methods: Participants were recruited from 3 counseling centers at a large midwestern University in the United States. Those agreeing to take part chose 1 of 3 iCBT programs—Space from Depression, Space from Anxiety, or Space from Stress —all comprised 8 modules of media-rich interactive content. Participants were supported throughout the trial by a trained professional. The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) questionnaire, and stress subscale of the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were completed at baseline, 8 weeks, and 3-month follow-up. A Satisfaction With Treatment (SAT) questionnaire was completed at 8 weeks, and qualitative interviews were completed by a subsample of participants at 3 months. Results: A total of 102 participants were recruited, with 52 choosing Space from Anxiety, 31 choosing Space from Depression, and 19 choosing Space from Stress. Mixed-effects models showed a significant decrease in symptoms of depression (F4=6.36, P<.001), anxiety (F4=7.97, P<.001), and stress (F4=8.50, P<.001) over time across all 3 programs. The largest decreases in PHQ-9 scores at 8 weeks were among participants who chose the Space from Depression program (d=0.84); at 3 months, the largest decreases in PHQ-9 scores were among those who chose the Space from Stress program (d=0.74). The largest decreases in GAD-7 scores were among those who chose the Space from Anxiety program (d=0.74 at 8 weeks and d=0.94 at 3 months). The largest decrease in DASS-21 stress subscale scores was among those who chose the Space from Stress program (d=0.49 at 8 weeks and d=1.16 at 3 months). The mean time spent using the platform per session was 27.4 min (SD 33.8), and participants completed 53% (SD 37.6) of the total program content on average. Most (37/53, 69%) participants found the programs helpful or very helpful and liked the convenience and flexibility of the intervention. Qualitative interviews (n=14) indicated the intervention met students’ expectations, and they saw it as a valuable complement to face-to-face treatment. Conclusions: The iCBT programs tested in our study appear to be feasible, acceptable, and effective in a university environment. Participants described the benefits of having a flexible, supported Web-based intervention available on campus. Larger trials should be conducted to further test the effectiveness of supported Web-based interventions that give students a choice of program depending on their symptom profile. %M 30552076 %R 10.2196/11467 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e11467/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11467 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30552076 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e11483 %T Monitoring Online Discussions About Suicide Among Twitter Users With Schizophrenia: Exploratory Study %A Hswen,Yulin %A Naslund,John A %A Brownstein,John S %A Hawkins,Jared B %+ Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, United States, 1 6177751889, yhswen@gmail.com %K schizophrenia %K social media %K suicide %K Twitter %K digital technology %K mental health %D 2018 %7 13.12.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: People with schizophrenia experience elevated risk of suicide. Mental health symptoms, including depression and anxiety, contribute to increased risk of suicide. Digital technology could support efforts to detect suicide risk and inform suicide prevention efforts. Objective: This exploratory study examined the feasibility of monitoring online discussions about suicide among Twitter users who self-identify as having schizophrenia. Methods: Posts containing the terms suicide or suicidal were collected from a sample of Twitter users who self-identify as having schizophrenia (N=203) and a random sample of control users (N=173) over a 200-day period. Frequency and timing of posts about suicide were compared between groups. The associations between posting about suicide and common mental health symptoms were examined. Results: Twitter users who self-identify as having schizophrenia posted more tweets about suicide (mean 7.10, SD 15.98) compared to control users (mean 1.89, SD 4.79; t374=-4.13, P<.001). Twitter users who self-identify as having schizophrenia showed greater odds of tweeting about suicide compared to control users (odds ratio 2.15, 95% CI 1.42-3.28). Among all users, tweets about suicide were associated with tweets about depression (r=0.62, P<.001) and anxiety (r=0.45, P<.001). Conclusions: Twitter users who self-identify as having schizophrenia appear to commonly discuss suicide on social media, which is associated with greater discussion about other mental health symptoms. These findings should be interpreted cautiously, as it is not possible to determine whether online discussions about suicide correlate with suicide risk. However, these patterns of online discussion may be indicative of elevated risk of suicide observed in this patient group. There may be opportunities to leverage social media for supporting suicide prevention among individuals with schizophrenia. %M 30545811 %R 10.2196/11483 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e11483/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11483 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30545811 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e64 %T Using Psychological Artificial Intelligence (Tess) to Relieve Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Fulmer,Russell %A Joerin,Angela %A Gentile,Breanna %A Lakerink,Lysanne %A Rauws,Michiel %+ Northwestern University, 633 Clark Street, Evanston, IL, United States, 1 312 609 5300 ext 699, russell.fulmer@northwestern.edu %K artificial intelligence %K mental health services %K depression %K anxiety %K students %D 2018 %7 13.12.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Students in need of mental health care face many barriers including cost, location, availability, and stigma. Studies show that computer-assisted therapy and 1 conversational chatbot delivering cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) offer a less-intensive and more cost-effective alternative for treating depression and anxiety. Although CBT is one of the most effective treatment methods, applying an integrative approach has been linked to equally effective posttreatment improvement. Integrative psychological artificial intelligence (AI) offers a scalable solution as the demand for affordable, convenient, lasting, and secure support grows. Objective: This study aimed to assess the feasibility and efficacy of using an integrative psychological AI, Tess, to reduce self-identified symptoms of depression and anxiety in college students. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 75 participants were recruited from 15 universities across the United States. All participants completed Web-based surveys, including the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), and Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) at baseline and 2 to 4 weeks later (T2). The 2 test groups consisted of 50 participants in total and were randomized to receive unlimited access to Tess for either 2 weeks (n=24) or 4 weeks (n=26). The information-only control group participants (n=24) received an electronic link to the National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) eBook on depression among college students and were only granted access to Tess after completion of the study. Results: A sample of 74 participants completed this study with 0% attrition from the test group and less than 1% attrition from the control group (1/24). The average age of participants was 22.9 years, with 70% of participants being female (52/74), mostly Asian (37/74, 51%), and white (32/74, 41%). Group 1 received unlimited access to Tess, with daily check-ins for 2 weeks. Group 2 received unlimited access to Tess with biweekly check-ins for 4 weeks. The information-only control group was provided with an electronic link to the NIMH’s eBook. Multivariate analysis of covariance was conducted. We used an alpha level of .05 for all statistical tests. Results revealed a statistically significant difference between the control group and group 1, such that group 1 reported a significant reduction in symptoms of depression as measured by the PHQ-9 (P=.03), whereas those in the control group did not. A statistically significant difference was found between the control group and both test groups 1 and 2 for symptoms of anxiety as measured by the GAD-7. Group 1 (P=.045) and group 2 (P=.02) reported a significant reduction in symptoms of anxiety, whereas the control group did not. A statistically significant difference was found on the PANAS between the control group and group 1 (P=.03) and suggests that Tess did impact scores. Conclusions: This study offers evidence that AI can serve as a cost-effective and accessible therapeutic agent. Although not designed to appropriate the role of a trained therapist, integrative psychological AI emerges as a feasible option for delivering support. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number: ISRCTN61214172; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN61214172. %M 30545815 %R 10.2196/mental.9782 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e64/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9782 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30545815 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e11513 %T Video-Delivered Family Therapy for Home Visited Young Mothers With Perinatal Depressive Symptoms: Quasi-Experimental Implementation-Effectiveness Hybrid Trial %A Cluxton-Keller,Fallon %A Williams,Melony %A Buteau,Jennifer %A Donnelly,Craig L %A Stolte,Patricia %A Monroe-Cassel,Maggie %A Bruce,Martha L %+ Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH, 03756, United States, 1 603 650 4724, Fallon.P.Cluxton-Keller@dartmouth.edu %K videoconferencing %K family therapy, depression %D 2018 %7 10.12.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: The Federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program is a national child abuse prevention strategy that serves families at risk for child maltreatment throughout the United States. Significant portions of the clients are young mothers who screen positive for clinically significant perinatal depressive symptoms and experience relational discord that worsens their symptoms. Although home visitors refer those who screen positive for depression to community-based treatment, they infrequently obtain treatment because of multiple barriers. These barriers are compounded for home visited families in rural areas. Objective: This pilot study aimed to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a video-delivered family therapy intervention on reducing maternal depressive symptoms and improving family functioning and emotion regulation. Methods: A total of 13 home visited families received the video-delivered family therapy intervention. This study included a historical comparison group of mothers (N=13) who were previously enrolled in home visiting and screened positive for clinically significant perinatal depressive symptoms but refused treatment. A licensed marriage and family therapist delivered the family therapy intervention using Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant videoconferencing technology on a computer from an office. Families participated in sessions in their homes using cell phones, tablets, and computers equipped with microphones and video cameras. Outcomes were measured following the final therapy session (post intervention) and 2 months later (follow-up). Depressive symptom scores of mothers who received the video-delivered family therapy intervention were compared with those of mothers in the historical comparison group over a 6-month period. Univariate statistics and correlations were calculated to assess measures of feasibility. Percentages and qualitative thematic analysis were used to assess acceptability. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to assess changes in maternal and family outcomes. Results: No families dropped out of the study. All families reported that the technology was convenient and easy to use. All families reported high satisfaction with the video-delivered intervention. Nearly all families reported that they preferred video-delivered family therapy instead of clinic-based therapy. Therapeutic alliance was strong. Mothers demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in depressive symptoms (P=.001). When compared with mothers in the historical comparison group, those in the family therapy intervention showed a significant reduction in depressive symptoms (P=.001). Families demonstrated statistically significant improvements in family functioning (P=.02) and cognitive reappraisal (P=.004). Conclusions: This pilot study yielded preliminary findings that support the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of the video-delivered family therapy intervention for underserved home visited families in rural areas. Our findings are very promising, but more research is needed to ultimately influence mental health practices and policies that pertain to video-delivered mental health interventions in unsupervised settings (eg, homes). %M 30530456 %R 10.2196/11513 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e11513/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11513 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30530456 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e11290 %T Online Positive Affect Journaling in the Improvement of Mental Distress and Well-Being in General Medical Patients With Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial %A Smyth,Joshua M %A Johnson,Jillian A %A Auer,Brandon J %A Lehman,Erik %A Talamo,Giampaolo %A Sciamanna,Christopher N %+ Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, 231 Biobehavioral Health Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, United States, 1 8148638402, jms1187@psu.edu %K adult %K anxiety %K depression %K emotions %K expressed emotion %K internet %K stress, psychological/physiopathology %K surveys and questionnaires %K treatment outcome %K writing %D 2018 %7 10.12.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Positive affect journaling (PAJ), an emotion-focused self-regulation intervention, has been associated with positive outcomes among medical populations. It may be adapted for Web-based dissemination to address a need for scalable, evidence-based psychosocial interventions among distressed patients with medical conditions. Objective: This study aimed to examine the impact of a 12-week Web-based PAJ intervention on psychological distress and quality of life in general medical patients. Methods: A total of 70 adults with various medical conditions and elevated anxiety symptoms were recruited from local clinics and randomly assigned to a Web-based PAJ intervention (n=35) or usual care (n=35). The intervention group completed 15-min Web-based PAJ sessions on 3 days each week for 12 weeks. At baseline and the end of months 1 through 3, surveys of psychological, interpersonal, and physical well-being were completed. Results: Patients evidenced moderate sustained adherence to Web-based intervention. PAJ was associated with decreased mental distress and increased well-being relative to baseline. PAJ was also associated with less depressive symptoms and anxiety after 1 month and greater resilience after the first and second month, relative to usual care. Conclusions: Web-based PAJ may serve as an effective intervention for mitigating mental distress, increasing well-being, and enhancing physical functioning among medical populations. PAJ may be integrated into routine medical care to improve quality of life. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01873599; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01873599 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73ZGFzD2Z) %M 30530460 %R 10.2196/11290 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e11290/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11290 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30530460 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 12 %P e11135 %T An Electronic Clinical Decision Support System for the Assessment and Management of Suicidality in Primary Care: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study %A Horrocks,Matthew %A Michail,Maria %A Aubeeluck,Aimee %A Wright,Nicola %A Morriss,Richard %+ Institute of Mental Health, Division of Psychiatry and Applied Psychology, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, United Kingdom, 44 (0) 115 8231427, matthew.horrocks@nottingham.ac.uk %K suicide %K primary care %K general practitioner %K clinical decision support system %D 2018 %7 07.12.2018 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Suicide is a global public health concern, but it is preventable. Increased contact with primary care before the suicide or attempted suicide raises opportunities for intervention and prevention. However, suicide assessment and management are areas that many general practitioners (GPs) find particularly challenging. Previous research has indicated significant variability in how GPs understand, operationalize, and assess suicide risk, which subsequently has an impact on clinical decision making. Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) have been widely implemented across different health care settings, including primary care to support practitioners in clinical decision making. A CDSS may reduce inconsistencies in the identification, assessment, and management of suicide risk by GPs by guiding them through the consultation and generating a risk assessment plan that can be shared with a service user or with specialized mental health services. Objective: Our aim is to co-develop and test with end users (eg, GPs, primary care attendees, mental health professionals) an electronic clinical decision support system (e-CDSS) to support GPs in the identification, assessment, and management of suicidality in primary care. Methods: Ours is an ongoing embedded mixed-methods study with four phases: (1) qualitative interviews with GPs to explore their views on the content, format, and use of the e-CDSS, as well as consultation with two service-user advisory groups (people aged ≤25 and people aged ≥25) to inform the content of the e-CDSS including phrasing of items and clarity; (2) participatory co-production workshops with GPs, service users, and clinical experts in suicidality to determine the content and format of the e-CDDS; gain consensus of the relevance of items; establish content validity and identify pathways to implementation, using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research; (3) building the e-CDSS so that it guides the GP through a consultation; and (4) usability testing of the e-CDSS with GPs and service users in one primary care practice involving a nonlive and a live stage. Results: The study was funded for four years, to take place between 2015 and 2019, and is currently completing phase 4 data collection. The first results are expected to be submitted for publication in June 2019. The findings will enable us to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of a suicide-specific, electronic, guided decision support system in primary care. Conclusions: This study will be the first to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and usability of an electronic, guided decision support system for use in primary care consultations for the improved assessment and management of suicidality. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR1-10.2196/11135 %M 30530459 %R 10.2196/11135 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2018/12/e11135/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11135 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30530459 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 12 %P e11817 %T Exploring the Utility of Community-Generated Social Media Content for Detecting Depression: An Analytical Study on Instagram %A Ricard,Benjamin J %A Marsch,Lisa A %A Crosier,Benjamin %A Hassanpour,Saeed %+ Department of Biomedical Data Science, Dartmouth College, One Medical Center Drive, HB 7261, Lebanon, NH, 03756, United States, 1 603 650 1983, Saeed.Hassanpour@dartmouth.edu %K machine learning %K depression %K social media %K mental health %D 2018 %7 06.12.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: The content produced by individuals on various social media platforms has been successfully used to identify mental illness, including depression. However, most of the previous work in this area has focused on user-generated content, that is, content created by the individual, such as an individual’s posts and pictures. In this study, we explored the predictive capability of community-generated content, that is, the data generated by a community of friends or followers, rather than by a sole individual, to identify depression among social media users. Objective: The objective of this research was to evaluate the utility of community-generated content on social media, such as comments on an individual’s posts, to predict depression as defined by the clinically validated Patient Health Questionnaire-8 (PHQ-8) assessment questionnaire. We hypothesized that the results of this research may provide new insights into next generation of population-level mental illness risk assessment and intervention delivery. Methods: We created a Web-based survey on a crowdsourcing platform through which participants granted access to their Instagram profiles as well as provided their responses to PHQ-8 as a reference standard for depression status. After data quality assurance and postprocessing, the study analyzed the data of 749 participants. To build our predictive model, linguistic features were extracted from Instagram post captions and comments, including multiple sentiment scores, emoji sentiment analysis results, and meta-variables such as the number of likes and average comment length. In this study, 10.4% (78/749) of the data were held out as a test set. The remaining 89.6% (671/749) of the data were used to train an elastic-net regularized linear regression model to predict PHQ-8 scores. We compared different versions of this model (ie, a model trained on only user-generated data, a model trained on only community-generated data, and a model trained on the combination of both types of data) on a test set to explore the utility of community-generated data in our predictive analysis. Results: The 2 models, the first trained on only community-generated data (area under curve [AUC]=0.71) and the second trained on a combination of user-generated and community-generated data (AUC=0.72), had statistically significant performances for predicting depression based on the Mann-Whitney U test (P=.03 and P=.02, respectively). The model trained on only user-generated data (AUC=0.63; P=.11) did not achieve statistically significant results. The coefficients of the models revealed that our combined data classifier effectively amalgamated both user-generated and community-generated data and that the 2 feature sets were complementary and contained nonoverlapping information in our predictive analysis. Conclusions: The results presented in this study indicate that leveraging community-generated data from social media, in addition to user-generated data, can be informative for predicting depression among social media users. %M 30522991 %R 10.2196/11817 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/12/e11817/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11817 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30522991 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 12 %P e11661 %T Preliminary Effectiveness of a Smartphone App to Reduce Depressive Symptoms in the Workplace: Feasibility and Acceptability Study %A Deady,Mark %A Johnston,David %A Milne,David %A Glozier,Nick %A Peters,Dorian %A Calvo,Rafael %A Harvey,Samuel %+ Black Dog Institute, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, Sydney,, Australia, 61 293824517, m.deady@unsw.edu.au %K depression %K workplace %K mHealth %K smartphone %K eHealth %K pilot %D 2018 %7 04.12.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: The workplace represents a unique setting for mental health interventions. Due to range of job-related factors, employees in male-dominated industries are at an elevated risk. However, these at-risk groups are often overlooked. HeadGear is a smartphone app–based intervention designed to reduce depressive symptoms and increase well-being in these populations. Objective: This paper presents the development and pilot testing of the app’s usability, acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness. Methods: The development process took place from January 2016 to August 2017. Participants for prototype testing (n=21; stage 1) were recruited from industry partner organizations to assess acceptability and utility. A 5-week effectiveness and feasibility pilot study (n=84; stage 2) was then undertaken, utilizing social media recruitment. Demographic data, acceptability and utility questionnaires, depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and other mental health measures were collected. Results: The majority of respondents felt HeadGear was easy to use (92%), easily understood (92%), were satisfied with the app (67%), and would recommend it to a friend (75%; stage 1). Stage 2 found that compared with baseline, depression and anxiety symptoms were significantly lower at follow-up (t30=2.53; P=.02 and t30=2.18; P=.04, respectively), days of sick leave in past month (t28=2.38; P=.02), and higher self-reported job performance (t28=−2.09; P=.046; stage 2). Over 90% of respondents claimed it helped improve their mental fitness, and user feedback was again positive. Attrition was high across the stages. Conclusions: Overall, HeadGear was well received, and preliminary findings indicate it may provide an innovative new platform for improving mental health outcomes. Unfortunately, attrition was a significant issue, and findings should be interpreted with caution. The next stage of evaluation will be a randomized controlled trial. If found to be efficacious, the app has the potential to reduce disease burden and improve health in this at-risk group. %M 30514694 %R 10.2196/11661 %U https://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/12/e11661/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11661 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30514694 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 12 %P e291 %T Accessibility and Applicability of Currently Available e-Mental Health Programs for Depression for People With Poststroke Aphasia: Scoping Review %A Clunne,Stephanie Jane %A Ryan,Brooke Jade %A Hill,Annie Jane %A Brandenburg,Caitlin %A Kneebone,Ian %+ School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The University of Queensland, 84A Services Road, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4067, Australia, 61 336 51380, brooke.ryan@uq.edu.au %K aphasia %K stroke %K depression %K mental health %K internet %K technology %K access to health care %D 2018 %7 04.12.2018 %9 Review %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression affects approximately 60% of people with aphasia 1 year post stroke and is associated with disability, lower quality of life, and mortality. Web-delivered mental health (e-mental health) programs are effective, convenient, and cost-effective for the general population and thus are increasingly used in the management of depression. However, it is unknown if such services are applicable and communicatively accessible to people with poststroke aphasia. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify freely available e-mental health programs for depression and determine their applicability and accessibility for people with poststroke aphasia. Methods: A Web-based search was conducted to identify and review freely available e-mental health programs for depression. These programs were then evaluated in terms of their (1) general features via a general evaluation tool, (2) communicative accessibility for people with aphasia via an aphasia-specific communicative accessibility evaluation tool, and (3) empirical evidence for the general population and stroke survivors with and without aphasia. The program that met the most general evaluation criteria and aphasia-specific communicative accessibility evaluation criteria was then trialed by a small subgroup of people with poststroke aphasia. Results: A total of 8 programs were identified. Of these, 4 had published evidence in support of their efficacy for use within the general population. However, no empirical evidence was identified that specifically supported any programs’ use for stroke survivors with or without aphasia. One evidence-based program scored at least 80% (16/19 and 16/20, respectively) on both the general and aphasia-specific communicative accessibility evaluation tools and was subject to a preliminary trial by 3 people with poststroke aphasia. During this trial, participants were either unable to independently use the program or gave it low usability scores on a post-trial satisfaction survey. On this basis, further evaluation was considered unwarranted. Conclusions: Despite fulfilling majority of the general evaluation and aphasia-specific evaluation criteria, the highest rated program was still found to be unsuitable for people with poststroke aphasia. Thus, e-mental health programs require substantial redevelopment if they are likely to be useful to people with poststroke aphasia. %M 30514696 %R 10.2196/jmir.9864 %U https://www.jmir.org/2018/12/e291/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9864 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30514696 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 11 %P e11508 %T The Association Between the Use of Antenatal Care Smartphone Apps in Pregnant Women and Antenatal Depression: Cross-Sectional Study %A Mo,Yushi %A Gong,Wenjie %A Wang,Joyce %A Sheng,Xiaoqi %A Xu,Dong R %+ XiangYa School of Public Health, Central South University, 238 Shangmayuanling Lane, Xiangya Road, KaiFu District, Changsha,, China, 86 13607445252, gongwenjie@csu.edu.cn %K antenatal care %K antenatal depression %K app %K mobile phone %D 2018 %7 29.11.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Antenatal care smartphone apps are increasingly used by pregnant women, but studies on their use and impact are scarce. Objective: This study investigates the use of antenatal care apps in pregnant women and explores the association between the use of these apps and antenatal depression. Methods: This study used a convenient sample of pregnant women recruited from Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital in November 2015. The participants were surveyed for their demographic characteristics, use of antenatal care apps, and antenatal depression. Factors that influenced antenatal pregnancy were analyzed using logistic regression. Results: Of the 1304 pregnant women, 71.31% (930/1304) used antenatal care apps. Higher usage of apps was associated with urban residency, nonmigrant status, first pregnancy, planned pregnancy, having no previous children, and opportunity to communicate with peer pregnant women. The cutoff score of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was 10, and 46.11% (601/1304) of the pregnant women had depression. Logistic regression showed that depression was associated with the availability of disease-screening functions in the apps (odds ratio (OR) 1.78, 95% CI 1.03-3.06) and spending 30 minutes or more using the app (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.19-3.52). Using apps with social media features was a protective factor for antenatal depression (OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.12-0.89). Conclusions: The prevalence of the use of prenatal care apps in pregnant women is high. The functions and time spent on these apps are associated with the incidence of antenatal depression. %M 30497996 %R 10.2196/11508 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/11/e11508/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11508 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30497996 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 11 %P e10927 %T Guided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adult Depression and Anxiety in Routine Secondary Care: Observational Study %A Mathiasen,Kim %A Riper,Heleen %A Andersen,Tonny E %A Roessler,Kirsten K %+ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, Odense, 5230, Denmark, 45 61677747, kim.mathiasen@rsyd.dk %K anxiety %K cognitive therapy %K cohort studies %K depression %K Internet %K secondary care %D 2018 %7 28.11.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) is a promising new treatment method for depression and anxiety. However, it is important to determine whether its results can be replicated in routine care before its implementation on a large scale. Although many studies have demonstrated the efficacy of iCBT under controlled conditions, only a few studies have investigated its effectiveness in routine care. Furthermore, several effects of iCBT such as treatment effects in routine care are unclear. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of iCBT for depression and anxiety in routine secondary care. Methods: n a retrospective cohort study, we analysed patients treated for depression or anxiety in a dedicated iCBT clinic in secondary care in Denmark. Patients were examined before treatment and weekly thereafter by using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scales for the diagnoses of depression and anxiety, respectively. Primary analyses were conducted using a linear mixed-effects model with random slope and intercept. Secondary analyses were conducted using baseline characteristics as predictors (gender, age, highest level of education, occupational status, marital status, psychotropic medication use, consumption of alcohol, and leisure drugs). Additionally, logistic regression analyses were used to predict noncompletion of treatment. Results: A total of 203 (depression, N=60; anxiety, N=143) patients were included. Participants were mainly female (78.3% with depression and 65.7% with anxiety), with a mean age of 36.03 (SD 10.97) years (range, 19-67 years) for patients with depression and 36.80 (SD 13.55) years (range, 19-69 years) for patients with anxiety. The completion rates were 62% (37) and 40% (57) for depression and anxiety treatments, respectively. The primary analyses revealed large and significant reductions in the symptom levels of depression (beta=-6.27, SE 0.83, P<.001, d=1.0) and anxiety (beta=-3.78, SE 0.43, P<.001, d=1.1). High baseline severity of the primary disorder was associated with high treatment gains (r=-0.31 for depression; r=-0.41 for anxiety). In patients with anxiety, high baseline severity also predicted a high risk of noncompletion (odds ratio=1.08, CI=1.01-1.16, P=.03). An increase in the baseline severity of the comorbid disorder slightly increased the risk of noncompletion for both disorders (depression: odds ratio=1.03, CI=1.01-1.06, P=.02; anxiety: odds ratio=1.08, CI=1.01-1.16, P=.03). Conclusions: iCBT can be clinically effective in routine care. Since depression and anxiety are costly and debilitating disorders that are vastly undertreated, this finding is important. Additionally, iCBT may help bridge the gap between the need for treatment and its provision. Our results are comparable to the within-group results of efficacy and effectiveness studies. Our noncompletion rates are similar to those observed in psychotherapy but are higher than those reported in similar clinics. Multiple factors predicted outcome and noncompletion. However, all predictor effects were statistically weak. %M 30487118 %R 10.2196/10927 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/11/e10927/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10927 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30487118 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 11 %P e10437 %T Economic Evaluation of an Internet-Based Preventive Cognitive Therapy With Minimal Therapist Support for Recurrent Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Klein,Nicola S %A Bockting,Claudi LH %A Wijnen,Ben %A Kok,Gemma D %A van Valen,Evelien %A Riper,Heleen %A Cuijpers,Pim %A Dekker,Jack %A van der Heiden,Colin %A Burger,Huibert %A Smit,Filip %+ Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam,, Netherlands, 31 20 891 3610, c.l.bockting@amc.uva.nl %K major depressive disorders %K recurrence %K cognitive therapy %K internet %K prevention %K cost effectiveness %D 2018 %7 26.11.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly recurrent and has a significant disease burden. Although the effectiveness of internet-based interventions has been established for the treatment of acute MDD, little is known about their cost effectiveness, especially in recurrent MDD. Objectives: Our aim was to evaluate the cost effectiveness and cost utility of an internet-based relapse prevention program (mobile cognitive therapy, M-CT). Methods: The economic evaluation was performed alongside a single-blind parallel group randomized controlled trial. Participants were recruited via media, general practitioners, and mental health care institutions. In total, 288 remitted individuals with a history of recurrent depression were eligible, of whom 264 were randomly allocated to M-CT with minimal therapist support added to treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. M-CT comprised 8 online lessons, and participants were advised to complete 1 lesson per week. The economic evaluation was performed from a societal perspective with a 24-month time horizon. The health outcomes were number of depression-free days according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, (DSM-IV) criteria assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV axis I disorders by blinded interviewers after 3, 12, and 24 months. Quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) were self-assessed with the three level version of the EuroQol Five Dimensional Questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L). Costs were assessed with the Trimbos and Institute for Medical Technology Assessment Questionnaire on Costs Associated with Psychiatric Illness (TiC-P). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated and cost-effectiveness planes and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were displayed to assess the probability that M-CT is cost effective compared to TAU. Results: Mean total costs over 24 months were €8298 (US $9415) for M-CT and €7296 (US $8278) for TAU. No statistically significant differences were found between M-CT and TAU regarding depression-free days and QALYs (P=.37 and P=.92, respectively). The incremental costs were €179 (US $203) per depression-free day and €230,816 (US $261,875) per QALY. The cost-effectiveness acceptability curves suggested that for depression-free days, high investments have to be made to reach an acceptable probability that M-CT is cost effective compared to TAU. Regarding QALYs, considerable investments have to be made but the probability that M-CT is cost effective compared to TAU does not rise above 40%. Conclusions: The results suggest that adding M-CT to TAU is not effective and cost effective compared to TAU alone. Adherence rates were similar to other studies and therefore do not explain this finding. The participants scarcely booked additional therapist support, resulting in 17.3 minutes of mean total therapist support. More studies are needed to examine the cost effectiveness of internet-based interventions with respect to long-term outcomes and the role and optimal dosage of therapist support. Overall, more research is needed on scalable and cost-effective interventions that can reduce the burden of recurrent MDD. Trial registration: Netherlands Trial Register NTR2503; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=2503 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73aBn41r3) %M 30478021 %R 10.2196/10437 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/11/e10437/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10437 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30478021 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 11 %P e12106 %T An Empathy-Driven, Conversational Artificial Intelligence Agent (Wysa) for Digital Mental Well-Being: Real-World Data Evaluation Mixed-Methods Study %A Inkster,Becky %A Sarda,Shubhankar %A Subramanian,Vinod %+ School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Box 189, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, CB2 2QQ, United Kingdom, 44 773 847 8045, becky.inkster@gmail.com %K mental health %K conversational agents %K artificial intelligence %K chatbots %K coping skills %K resilience, psychological %K depression %K mHealth %K emotions %K empathy %D 2018 %7 23.11.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: A World Health Organization 2017 report stated that major depression affects almost 5% of the human population. Major depression is associated with impaired psychosocial functioning and reduced quality of life. Challenges such as shortage of mental health personnel, long waiting times, perceived stigma, and lower government spends pose barriers to the alleviation of mental health problems. Face-to-face psychotherapy alone provides only point-in-time support and cannot scale quickly enough to address this growing global public health challenge. Artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled, empathetic, and evidence-driven conversational mobile app technologies could play an active role in filling this gap by increasing adoption and enabling reach. Although such a technology can help manage these barriers, they should never replace time with a health care professional for more severe mental health problems. However, app technologies could act as a supplementary or intermediate support system. Mobile mental well-being apps need to uphold privacy and foster both short- and long-term positive outcomes. Objective: This study aimed to present a preliminary real-world data evaluation of the effectiveness and engagement levels of an AI-enabled, empathetic, text-based conversational mobile mental well-being app, Wysa, on users with self-reported symptoms of depression. Methods: In the study, a group of anonymous global users were observed who voluntarily installed the Wysa app, engaged in text-based messaging, and self-reported symptoms of depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. On the basis of the extent of app usage on and between 2 consecutive screening time points, 2 distinct groups of users (high users and low users) emerged. The study used mixed-methods approach to evaluate the impact and engagement levels among these users. The quantitative analysis measured the app impact by comparing the average improvement in symptoms of depression between high and low users. The qualitative analysis measured the app engagement and experience by analyzing in-app user feedback and evaluated the performance of a machine learning classifier to detect user objections during conversations. Results: The average mood improvement (ie, difference in pre- and post-self-reported depression scores) between the groups (ie, high vs low users; n=108 and n=21, respectively) revealed that the high users group had significantly higher average improvement (mean 5.84 [SD 6.66]) compared with the low users group (mean 3.52 [SD 6.15]); Mann-Whitney P=.03 and with a moderate effect size of 0.63. Moreover, 67.7% of user-provided feedback responses found the app experience helpful and encouraging. Conclusions: The real-world data evaluation findings on the effectiveness and engagement levels of Wysa app on users with self-reported symptoms of depression show promise. However, further work is required to validate these initial findings in much larger samples and across longer periods. %M 30470676 %R 10.2196/12106 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/11/e12106/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/12106 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30470676 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e63 %T Lamotrigine Therapy for Bipolar Depression: Analysis of Self-Reported Patient Data %A Nzeyimana,Antoine %A Saunders,Kate EA %A Geddes,John R %A McSharry,Patrick E %+ Department of Geography, University of Oregon, 1251 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403-1251, United States, 1 541 346 0785, anzeyima@uoregon.edu %K bipolar disorder %K CEQUEL study %K data analysis %K depressive symptoms %K lamotrigine %K time series %D 2018 %7 22.11.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Depression in people with bipolar disorder is a major cause of long-term disability, possibly leading to early mortality and currently, limited safe and effective therapies exist. Although existing monotherapies such as quetiapine have limited proven efficacy and practical tolerability, treatment combinations may lead to improved outcomes. Lamotrigine is an anticonvulsant currently licensed for the prevention of depressive relapses in individuals with bipolar disorder. A double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial (comparative evaluation of Quetiapine-Lamotrigine [CEQUEL] study) was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of lamotrigine plus quetiapine versus quetiapine monotherapy in patients with bipolar type I or type II disorders. Objective: Because the original CEQUEL study found significant depressive symptom improvements, the objective of this study was to reanalyze CEQUEL data and determine an unbiased classification accuracy for active lamotrigine versus placebo. We also wanted to establish the time it took for the drug to provide statistically significant outcomes. Methods: Between October 21, 2008 and April 27, 2012, 202 participants from 27 sites in United Kingdom were randomly assigned to two treatments; 101: lamotrigine, 101: placebo. The primary variable used for estimating depressive symptoms was based on the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology—self report version 16 (QIDS-SR16). The original CEQUEL study findings were confirmed by performing t test and linear regression. Multiple features were computed from the QIDS-SR16 time series; different linear and nonlinear binary classifiers were trained to distinguish between the two groups. Various feature-selection techniques were used to select a feature set with the greatest explanatory power; a 10-fold cross-validation was used. Results: From weeks 10 to 14, the mean difference in QIDS-SR16 ratings between the groups was −1.6317 (P=.09; sample size=81, 77; 95% CI −0.2403 to 3.5036). From weeks 48 to 52, the mean difference was −2.0032 (P=.09; sample size=54, 48; 95% CI −0.3433 to 4.3497). The coefficient of variation (σ/μ) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) exponent alpha had the greatest explanatory power. The out-of-sample classification accuracy for the 138 participants who reported more than 10 times after week 12 was 62%. A consistent classification accuracy higher than the no-information benchmark was obtained in week 44. Conclusions: Adding lamotrigine to quetiapine treatment decreased depressive symptoms in patients with bipolar disorder. Our classification model suggested that lamotrigine increased the coefficient of variation in the QIDS-SR16 scores. The lamotrigine group also tended to have a lower DFA exponent, implying a substantial temporal instability in the time series. The performance of the model over time suggested that a trial of at least 44 weeks was required to achieve consistent results. The selected model confirmed the original CEQUEL study findings and helped in understanding the temporal dynamics of bipolar depression during treatment. Trial Registration: EudraCT Number 2007-004513-33; https://www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu/ctr-search/trial/2007-004513-33/GB (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73sNaI29O). %M 30467104 %R 10.2196/mental.9026 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e63/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9026 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30467104 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e11124 %T The Mediating Role of Perceived Social Support Between Physical Activity Habit Strength and Depressive Symptoms in People Seeking to Decrease Their Cardiovascular Risk: Cross-Sectional Study %A Storm,Vera %A Reinwand,Dominique Alexandra %A Wienert,Julian %A Tan,Shu-Ling %A Lippke,Sonia %+ Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Department of Sport and Exercise Psychology, University of Münster, Horstmarer Landweg 62b, Münster, 48149, Germany, 49 251 83 31805, vera.storm@uni-muenster.de %K physical activity %K habit %K social support %K depressive symptoms %K cardiac diseases %D 2018 %7 14.11.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Regular physical activity treatment has been advocated for the prevention and rehabilitation of patients at risk of cardiovascular diseases and depressive symptoms. How physical activity is related to depressive symptoms is widely discussed. Objective: The aim of this internet-based study was to investigate the role of perceived social support in the relationship between physical activity habit strength and depressive symptoms. Methods: In total, 790 participants (mean 50.9 years, SD 12.2, range 20-84 years) who were interested in reducing their cardiovascular risk were recruited in Germany and the Netherlands. Data collection was conducted via an internet-based questionnaire addressing physical activity habit strength, depressive symptoms, and perceived social support. Cross-sectional data analysis was done with SPSS version 24 using the Macro PROCESS version 2 16.3 by Hayes with bootstrapping (10,000 samples), providing 95% CIs. Results: Physical activity habit strength was negatively related to depressive symptoms (r=–.13, P=.006), but this interrelation disappeared when controlling for perceived social support (beta=–.14, SE 0.09, P=.11). However, there was an indirect relationship between physical activity habit strength and depressive symptoms, which was mediated via perceived social support (beta=–.13; SE 0.04, 95% CI –0.21 to 0.06). The negative relationship between physical activity habit strength and depressive symptoms was fully mediated by perceived social support. Conclusions: We suggest that physical activity treatment in people interested in reducing their cardiovascular risk should also embed social support to target depressive symptoms. Internet-based interventions and electronic health may provide a good option for doing so. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01909349; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01909349 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/73Y9RfdiY) %M 30429112 %R 10.2196/11124 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e11124/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/11124 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30429112 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 11 %P e10113 %T The Generalizability of Randomized Controlled Trials of Self-Guided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depressive Symptoms: Systematic Review and Meta-Regression Analysis %A Lorenzo-Luaces,Lorenzo %A Johns,Emily %A Keefe,John R %+ Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, 1101 East 10th Street, Room 158, Bloomington, IN, 47401, United States, 1 787 222 2493, lolorenz@indiana.edu %K depression %K psychotherapy %K CBT %K internet-based therapy %K pharmacotherapy %K generalizability %K exclusion criteria %K cognitive therapy %K telemedicine %K drug therapy %K patient selection %D 2018 %7 09.11.2018 %9 Review %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Self-guided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapies (iCBTs) for depressive symptoms may substantially increase accessibility to mental health treatment. Despite this, questions remain as to the generalizability of the research on self-guided iCBT. Objective: We sought to describe the clinical entry criteria used in studies of self-guided iCBT, explore the criteria’s effects on study outcomes, and compare the frequency of use of these criteria with their use in studies of face-to-face psychotherapy and antidepressant medications. We hypothesized that self-guided iCBT studies would use more stringent criteria that would bias the sample toward those with a less complex clinical profile, thus inflating treatment outcomes. Methods: We updated a recently published meta-analysis by conducting a systematic literature search in PubMed, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and EMBASE. We conducted a meta-regression analysis to test the effect of the different commonly used psychiatric entry criteria on the treatment-control differences. We also compared the frequency with which exclusion criteria were used in the self-guided iCBT studies versus studies of face-to-face psychotherapy and antidepressants from a recently published review. Results: Our search yielded 5 additional studies, which we added to the 16 studies identified by Karyotaki and colleagues in 2017. Few self-guided iCBT studies excluded patients with severe depressive symptoms (6/21, 29%), but self-guided iCBT studies were more likely than antidepressant (14/170, 8.2%) studies to use this criterion. However, self-guided iCBT studies did not use this criterion more frequently than face-to-face psychotherapy studies (6/16, 38%). Beyond this, we found no evidence that self-guided iCBTs used more stringent entry criteria. Strong evidence suggested that they were actually less likely to use most entry criteria, especially exclusions on the basis of substance use or personality pathology. None of the entry criteria used had an effect on outcomes. Conclusions: A conservative interpretation of our findings is that the patient population sampled in the literature on self-guided iCBT is relatively comparable with that of studies of antidepressants or face-to-face psychotherapy. Alternatively, studies of unguided cognitive behavioral therapy may sample from a more heterogeneous and representative patient population. Until evidence emerges to suggest otherwise, the patient population sampled in self-guided iCBT studies cannot be considered as less complex than the patient population from face-to-face psychotherapy or antidepressant studies. %M 30413400 %R 10.2196/10113 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/11/e10113/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10113 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30413400 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 11 %P e10114 %T Using Mobile Phones to Examine and Enhance Perceptions of Control in Mildly Depressed and Nondepressed Volunteers: Intervention Study %A Msetfi,Rachel %A O'Sullivan,Donal %A Walsh,Amy %A Nelson,John %A Van de Ven,Pepijn %+ Department of Psychology, Health Research Institute, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick,, Ireland, 353 61202709, rachel.msetfi@ul.ie %K perception of control %K illusory control %K well-being %K depression %K health %K intervention %K causal learning %D 2018 %7 09.11.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Perceived control is strongly linked to healthy outcomes, mental healthiness, and psychological well-being. This is particularly important when people have little control over things that are happening to them. Perceived control studies have been performed extensively in laboratory settings and show that perceived control can be increased by experimental manipulations. Although these studies suggest that it may be possible to improve people’s mental health by increasing their perceived control, there is very little evidence to date to suggest that perceived control can also be influenced in the real world. Objective: The first aim of this study was to test for evidence of a link between noncontrol situations and psychological well-being in the real world using a mobile phone app. The second and arguably more important aim of the study was to test whether a simple instructional intervention on the nature of alternative causes would enhance people’s perceptions of their own control in these noncontrol situations. Methods: We implemented a behavioral action-outcome contingency judgment task using a mobile phone app. An opportunity sample of 106 healthy volunteers scoring low (n=56, no depression) or high (n=50, mild depression) on a depression scale participated. They were given no control over the occurrence of a low- or high-frequency stimulus that was embedded in everyday phone interactions during a typical day lasting 8 hours. The intervention involved instructions that either described a consistent alternative cause against which to assess their own control, or dynamic alternative causes of the outcome. Throughout the day, participants rated their own control over the stimulus using a quantitative judgment scale. Results: Participants with no evidence of depression overestimated their control, whereas those who were most depressed were more accurate in their control ratings. Instructions given to all participants about the nature of alternative causes significantly affected the pattern of perceived control ratings. Instructions describing discrete alternative causes enhanced perceived control for all participants, whereas dynamic alternative causes were linked to less perceived control. Conclusions: Perceptions of external causes are important to perceived control and can be used to enhance people’s perceptions. Theoretically motivated interventions can be used to enhance perceived control using mobile phone apps. This is the first study to do so in a real-world setting. %M 30413398 %R 10.2196/10114 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/11/e10114/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10114 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30413398 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e61 %T Identifying and Understanding Communities Using Twitter to Connect About Depression: Cross-Sectional Study %A DeJohn,Amber D %A Schulz,Emily English %A Pearson,Amber L %A Lachmar,E Megan %A Wittenborn,Andrea K %+ Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences, Michigan State University, Geography Building, 673 Auditorium Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, United States, 1 5173554649, apearson@msu.edu %K depression %K Web-based %K social connection %K Twitter %K tweet %K online communities %D 2018 %7 05.11.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Depression is the leading cause of diseases globally and is often characterized by a lack of social connection. With the rise of social media, it is seen that Twitter users are seeking Web-based connections for depression. Objective: This study aimed to identify communities where Twitter users tweeted using the hashtag #MyDepressionLooksLike to connect about depression. Once identified, we wanted to understand which community characteristics correlated to Twitter users turning to a Web-based community to connect about depression. Methods: Tweets were collected using NCapture software from May 25 to June 1, 2016 during the Mental Health Month (n=104) in the northeastern United States and Washington DC. After mapping tweets, we used a Poisson multilevel regression model to predict tweets per community (county) offset by the population and adjusted for percent female, percent population aged 15-44 years, percent white, percent below poverty, and percent single-person households. We then compared predicted versus observed counts and calculated tweeting index values (TIVs) to represent undertweeting and overtweeting. Last, we examined trends in community characteristics by TIV using Pearson correlation. Results: We found significant associations between tweet counts and area-level proportions of females, single-person households, and population aged 15-44 years. TIVs were lower than expected (TIV 1) in eastern, seaboard areas of the study region. There were communities tweeting as expected in the western, inland areas (TIV 2). Counties tweeting more than expected were generally scattered throughout the study region with a small cluster at the base of Maine. When examining community characteristics and overtweeting and undertweeting by county, we observed a clear upward gradient in several types of nonprofits and TIV values. However, we also observed U-shaped relationships for many community factors, suggesting that the same characteristics were correlated with both overtweeting and undertweeting. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that Web-based communities, rather than replacing physical connection, may complement or serve as proxies for offline social communities, as seen through the consistent correlations between higher levels of tweeting and abundant nonprofits. Future research could expand the spatiotemporal scope to confirm these findings. %M 30401662 %R 10.2196/mental.9533 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e61/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9533 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30401662 %0 Journal Article %@ 2561-7605 %I JMIR Publications %V 1 %N 2 %P e10973 %T Feasibility and Conceptualization of an e-Mental Health Treatment for Depression in Older Adults: Mixed-Methods Study %A Eichenberg,Christiane %A Schott,Markus %A Sawyer,Adam %A Aumayr,Georg %A Plößnig,Manuela %+ Sigmund Freud Privat Universität Wien, Freudpl. 1, Vienna, 1020, Austria, 43 15124049991, markus.s.c.schott@gmail.com %K depression %K online therapy %K e-mental health %D 2018 %7 23.10.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Aging %G English %X Background: Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in older adults. Unfortunately, it often goes unrecognized in the older population. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify how Web-based apps can recognize and help treat depression in older adults. Methods: Focus groups were conducted with mental health care experts. A Web-based survey of 56 older adults suffering from depression was conducted. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 2 individuals. Results: Results of the focus groups highlighted that there is a need for a collaborative care platform for depression in old age. Findings from the Web-based study showed that younger participants (aged 50 to 64 years) used electronic media more often than older participants (aged 65 years and older). The interviews pointed in a comparable direction. Conclusions: Overall, an e-mental (electronic mental) health treatment for depression in older adults would be well accepted. Web-based care platforms should be developed, evaluated, and in case of evidence for their effectiveness, integrated into the everyday clinic. %R 10.2196/10973 %U http://aging.jmir.org/2018/2/e10973/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10973 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e10698 %T Individualized Web-Based Exercise for the Treatment of Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Haller,Nils %A Lorenz,Sonja %A Pfirrmann,Daniel %A Koch,Cora %A Lieb,Klaus %A Dettweiler,Ulrich %A Simon,Perikles %A Jung,Patrick %+ Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Untere Zahlbacher Strasse 8, Mainz, 55131, Germany, 49 69633909719, patrick.jung@unimedizin-mainz.de %K depression %K exercise %K Web-based intervention %K eHealth %D 2018 %7 12.10.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Due to the high prevalence of depressive disorders, it is mandatory to develop therapeutic strategies that provide universal access and require limited financial and human resources. Web-based therapeutic approaches fulfill these conditions. Objective: The objective of our study was to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a supervised, individualized 8-week Web-based exercise intervention conducted for patients with moderate to severe depression. Methods: We recruited 20 patients with unipolar depression and randomly assigned them into 2 groups (intervention, exercise program group, n=14, and control, treatment-as-usual group, n=6). At baseline, depressive symptoms were rated via the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (QIDS) by patients themselves (QIDS–self-report, QIDS-SR) and by a blinded psychiatrist (QIDS–clinician rating, QIDS-C). In addition, performance diagnostics (lactate analysis, spiroergometry during a treadmill walking test) were conducted. Quality of life was assessed via the Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36) and self-efficacy via the General Self-Efficacy scale (GSE). In addition, habitual physical activity (HPA) was determined via the Baecke questionnaire. Participants of the intervention group received exercise schedules once weekly with endurance and strength training instructions. Rating of depressive symptoms was repeated after 6-12 days and 8 weeks; performance diagnostics and the completion of all the questionnaires were repeated after 8 weeks only. Results: The severity of depression subsided significantly in the intervention group after 8 weeks (median change in QIDS-SR: −5; interquartile range, IQR: −2 to −10), although it was already evident within the first 6-12 days (median change in QIDS-SR: −6; IQR: −2 to −8). During the intervention, participants undertook a median of 75 (IQR: 63 to 98) minutes of endurance training per week or 84% (16 [IQR: 9 to 19] of 19 [IQR: 15 to 21]) recommended endurance units in total. In addition, 9 (IQR: 4 to 12) of 10 (IQR: 8 to 13) recommended strength training exercise units were conducted during the 8 weeks. Performance diagnostics revealed a substantial increase in the maximum output in Watt for the intervention group after 8 weeks. Moreover, the intervention showed a favorable effect on SF-36 items “emotional well-being” and “social functioning” as well as on GSE and HPA scores. Conclusions: Our individualized Web-based exercise intervention for moderate to severe depression was highly accepted by the patients and led to a significant and clinically relevant improvement of depressive symptoms. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02874833; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02874833 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/72ZUUR4tE) %M 30314962 %R 10.2196/10698 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e10698/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10698 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30314962 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 10 %P e10754 %T Predicting Adherence to Internet-Delivered Psychotherapy for Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety After Myocardial Infarction: Machine Learning Insights From the U-CARE Heart Randomized Controlled Trial %A Wallert,John %A Gustafson,Emelie %A Held,Claes %A Madison,Guy %A Norlund,Fredrika %A von Essen,Louise %A Olsson,Erik Martin Gustaf %+ Clinical Psychology in Healthcare, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Dag Hammarskjölds väg 14B, SE-75185, Uppsala,, Sweden, 46 729999217, john.wallert@kbh.uu.se %K applied predictive modeling %K cardiac rehabilitation %K linguistics %K supervised machine learning %K recursive feature elimination %K treatment adherence and compliance %K Web-based interventions %D 2018 %7 10.10.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Low adherence to recommended treatments is a multifactorial problem for patients in rehabilitation after myocardial infarction (MI). In a nationwide trial of internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (iCBT) for the high-risk subgroup of patients with MI also reporting symptoms of anxiety, depression, or both (MI-ANXDEP), adherence was low. Since low adherence to psychotherapy leads to a waste of therapeutic resources and risky treatment abortion in MI-ANXDEP patients, identifying early predictors for adherence is potentially valuable for effective targeted care. Objectives: The goal of the research was to use supervised machine learning to investigate both established and novel predictors for iCBT adherence in MI-ANXDEP patients. Methods: Data were from 90 MI-ANXDEP patients recruited from 25 hospitals in Sweden and randomized to treatment in the iCBT trial Uppsala University Psychosocial Care Programme (U-CARE) Heart study. Time point of prediction was at completion of the first homework assignment. Adherence was defined as having completed more than 2 homework assignments within the 14-week treatment period. A supervised machine learning procedure was applied to identify the most potent predictors for adherence available at the first treatment session from a range of demographic, clinical, psychometric, and linguistic predictors. The internal binary classifier was a random forest model within a 3×10–fold cross-validated recursive feature elimination (RFE) resampling which selected the final predictor subset that best differentiated adherers versus nonadherers. Results: Patient mean age was 58.4 years (SD 9.4), 62% (56/90) were men, and 48% (43/90) were adherent. Out of the 34 potential predictors for adherence, RFE selected an optimal subset of 56% (19/34; Accuracy 0.64, 95% CI 0.61-0.68, P<.001). The strongest predictors for adherence were, in order of importance, (1) self-assessed cardiac-related fear, (2) sex, and (3) the number of words the patient used to answer the first homework assignment. Conclusions: For developing and testing effective iCBT interventions, investigating factors that predict adherence is important. Adherence to iCBT for MI-ANXDEP patients in the U-CARE Heart trial was best predicted by cardiac-related fear and sex, consistent with previous research, but also by novel linguistic predictors from written patient behavior which conceivably indicate verbal ability or therapeutic alliance. Future research should investigate potential causal mechanisms and seek to determine what underlying constructs the linguistic predictors tap into. Whether these findings replicate for other interventions outside of Sweden, in larger samples, and for patients with other conditions who are offered iCBT should also be investigated. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01504191; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01504191 (Archived at Webcite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xWWSEQ22) %M 30305255 %R 10.2196/10754 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/10/e10754/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10754 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30305255 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e10726 %T Identifying the Underlying Factors Associated With Patients’ Attitudes Toward Antidepressants: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Patient Drug Reviews %A Zolnoori,Maryam %A Fung,Kin Wah %A Fontelo,Paul %A Kharrazi,Hadi %A Faiola,Anthony %A Wu,Yi Shuan Shirley %A Stoffel,Virginia %A Patrick,Timothy %+ Section of Medical Informatics, Department of Health Science Research, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN,, United States, 1 3175151950, Zolnoori.Maryam@mayo.edu %K medication adherence %K attitude %K perception %K antidepressive agents %K patient-centered care %K chronic disease %K depression %K community networks %K internet %K social media %K data mining %K framework method %D 2018 %7 30.9.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Nonadherence to antidepressants is a major obstacle to deriving antidepressants’ therapeutic benefits, resulting in significant burdens on the individuals and the health care system. Several studies have shown that nonadherence is weakly associated with personal and clinical variables but strongly associated with patients’ beliefs and attitudes toward medications. Patients’ drug review posts in online health care communities might provide a significant insight into patients’ attitude toward antidepressants and could be used to address the challenges of self-report methods such as patients’ recruitment. Objective: The aim of this study was to use patient-generated data to identify factors affecting the patient’s attitude toward 4 antidepressants drugs (sertraline [Zoloft], escitalopram [Lexapro], duloxetine [Cymbalta], and venlafaxine [Effexor XR]), which in turn, is a strong determinant of treatment nonadherence. We hypothesized that clinical variables (drug effectiveness; adverse drug reactions, ADRs; perceived distress from ADRs, ADR-PD; and duration of treatment) and personal variables (age, gender, and patients’ knowledge about medications) are associated with patients’ attitude toward antidepressants, and experience of ADRs and drug ineffectiveness are strongly associated with negative attitude. Methods: We used both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the dataset. Patients’ drug reviews were randomly selected from a health care forum called askapatient. The Framework method was used to build the analytical framework containing the themes for developing structured data from the qualitative drug reviews. Then, 4 annotators coded the drug reviews at the sentence level using the analytical framework. After managing missing values, we used chi-square and ordinal logistic regression to test and model the association between variables and attitude. Results: A total of 892 reviews posted between February 2001 and September 2016 were analyzed. Most of the patients were females (680/892, 76.2%) and aged less than 40 years (540/892, 60.5%). Patient attitude was significantly (P<.001) associated with experience of ADRs, ADR-PD, drug effectiveness, perceived lack of knowledge, experience of withdrawal, and duration of usage, whereas oth age (F4,874=0.72, P=.58) and gender (χ24=2.7, P=.21) were not found to be associated with patient attitudes. Moreover, modeling the relationship between variables and attitudes showed that drug effectiveness and perceived distress from adverse drug reactions were the 2 most significant factors affecting patients’ attitude toward antidepressants. Conclusions: Patients’ self-report experiences of medications in online health care communities can provide a direct insight into the underlying factors associated with patients’ perceptions and attitudes toward antidepressants. However, it cannot be used as a replacement for self-report methods because of the lack of information for some of the variables, colloquial language, and the unstructured format of the reports. %M 30287417 %R 10.2196/10726 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e10726/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10726 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30287417 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e10204 %T Supported Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Treatment for Adults with Severe Depressive Symptoms: A Secondary Analysis %A Richards,Derek %A Duffy,Daniel %A Burke,John %A Anderson,Melissa %A Connell,Sarah %A Timulak,Ladislav %+ Clinical Research & Innovation, SilverCloud Health, One Stephen Street, Stephen Street Upper, Dublin, D08 DR9P, Ireland, 353 15549771, derek.richards@silvercloudhealth.com %K severe depression %K internet-delivered interventions %K iCBT %D 2018 %7 02.10.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Depression is a highly prevalent mental health issue that exacts significant economic, societal, personal, and interpersonal costs. Innovative internet-delivered interventions have been designed to increase accessibility to and cost-effectiveness of treatments. These treatments have mainly targeted mild to moderate levels of depression. The increased risk associated with severe depression, particularly of suicidal ideation often results in this population being excluded from research studies. As a result, the effectiveness of internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) in more severely depressed cohorts is less researched. Objective: The aim of this study is to examine the effect of iCBT on symptoms of severe depression, comorbid symptoms of anxiety, and levels of work and social functioning. Methods: Retrospective consent was provided by participants with elevated scores (>28 severe depression symptoms) on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) who accessed an iCBT intervention (Space from Depression) with support for up to 8 weeks. Data were collected at baseline, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up on the primary outcome (BDI-II), and secondary outcomes (the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale). Results: A significant change was observed on all measures between pre- and postmeasurement and maintained at 3-month follow-up. Clinical improvement was observed for participants on the BDI-II from pre- to postmeasurement, and suicidal ideation also reduced from pre- to postmeasurement. Conclusions: Users of Space from Depression with symptoms of severe depression were found to have decreased symptoms of depression and anxiety and increased levels of work and social functioning. The intervention also demonstrated its potential to decrease suicidal ideation. Further investigation is required to determine why some individuals improve, and others do not. iCBT may have the potential to be used as an adjunct treatment for severe depression symptoms, but participants may require further treatment if they receive iCBT as a standalone intervention. Although promising, further research incorporating control groups is needed to support the utility of Space from Depression for use in or as an adjunct to treatment for severe depression. %M 30279154 %R 10.2196/10204 %U https://mental.jmir.org/2018/4/e10204/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10204 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30279154 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 10 %P e10455 %T Complaint-Directed Mini-Interventions for Depressive Symptoms: A Health Economic Evaluation of Unguided Web-Based Self-Help Interventions Based on a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Wijnen,Ben FM %A Lokman,Suzanne %A Leone,Stephanie %A Evers,Silvia MAA %A Smit,Filip %+ Centre for Economic Evaluation, Trimbos Institute, Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Da Costakade 45, Utrecht, 3521 VS, Netherlands, 31 030 297 1100, b.wijnen@maastrichtuniversity.nl %K prevention %K depression %K internet-based intervention %K economic evaluation %K quality of life %K cost-effectiveness analysis %K cost-utility analysis %K early medical intervention %K cost-benefit analysis %D 2018 %7 01.10.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression prevention and early intervention have become a top priority in the Netherlands, but with considerable room for improvement. To address this, Web-based complaint-directed mini-interventions (CDMIs) were developed. These brief and low-threshold interventions focus on psychological stress, sleep problems, and worry, because these complaints are highly prevalent, are demonstrably associated with depression, and have substantial economic impact. Objective: The objective of this economic evaluation was to examine the added value of Web-based, unguided, self-help CDMIs compared with a wait-listed control group with unrestricted access to usual care from both a societal and a health care perspective. Methods: This health economic evaluation was embedded in a randomized controlled trial. The study entailed 2 arms, in which 3 Web-based CDMIs were compared with a no-intervention waiting-list control group (which received the intervention after 3 months). We conducted measurements at baseline, and at 3 and 6 months. The primary outcome was the rate of responders to treatment on depressive symptoms as measured by the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (IDS-SR). We estimated change in quality of life by calculating effect sizes (Cohen d) for individual pre- and posttreatment IDS-SR scores using a conversion factor to map a change in standardized effect size onto a corresponding change in utility. We calculated incremental cost-effectiveness ratios using bootstraps (5000 times) of seemingly unrelated regression equations and constructed cost-effectiveness acceptability curves for the costs per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. Results: Of 329 study participants, we randomly assigned 165 to the CDMI group. At 3 months, the rate of responders to treatment was 13.9% (23/165) in the CDMI group and 7.3% (12/164) in the control group. At 3 months, participants in the CDMI group gained 0.15 QALYs compared with baseline, whereas participants in the control group gained 0.03 QALYs. Average total costs per patient at 3 months were €2094 for the CDMI group and €2230 for the control group (excluding baseline costs). Bootstrapped seemingly unrelated regression equations models resulted in a dominant incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ie, lower costs and a higher rate of responders to treatment) for the CDMI group compared with the control group at 3 months, with the same result for the costs per QALY gained. Various sensitivity analyses attested to the robustness of the findings of the main analysis. Conclusions: Brief and low-threshold Web-based, unguided, self-help CDMIs have the potential to be a cost-effective addition to usual care for adults with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. The CDMIs improved health status, while reducing participant health care costs, and hence dominated the care-as-usual control condition. As intervention costs were relatively low, and the internet is readily available in the Western world, we believe CDMIs can be easily implemented on a large scale. Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Register NTR4612; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=4612 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6n4PVYddM) %M 30274958 %R 10.2196/10455 %U https://www.jmir.org/2018/10/e10455/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10455 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30274958 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 9 %P e10035 %T Mobile App Use by Primary Care Patients to Manage Their Depressive Symptoms: Qualitative Study %A Pung,Alison %A Fletcher,Susan Louise %A Gunn,Jane Maree %+ Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, 200 Berkeley Street, Victoria, 3053, Australia, 61 3 9035 4872, susanlf@unimelb.edu.au %K mobile apps %K depression %K health care %K general practice %D 2018 %7 27.09.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mobile apps are emerging as tools with the potential to revolutionize the treatment of mental health conditions such as depression. At the forefront of the community health sector, general practitioners are in a unique position to guide the integration of technology and depression management; however, little is currently known about how primary care patients with depressive symptoms are currently using apps. Objective: The objective of our study was to explore the natural patterns of mobile app use among patients with depressive symptoms to facilitate the understanding of the potential role for mobile apps in managing depressive symptoms in the community. Methods: Semistructured phone interviews were conducted with primary care patients in Victoria, Australia, who reported symptoms of depression and were enrolled in a larger randomized controlled trial of depression care. Interviews explored current depression management strategies and the use of mobile apps (if any). Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive thematic analysis was iteratively conducted using QSR NVivo 11 Pro to identify emergent themes. Results: A total of 16 participants, aged between 20 to 58 years, took part in the interviews with 11 reporting the use of at least one mobile app to manage depressive symptoms and 5 reporting no app use. A variety of apps were described including relaxation, mindfulness, cognitive, exercise, gaming, social media, and well-being apps to aid with depressive symptoms. Among users, there were the following 4 main patterns of app use: skill acquisition, social connectedness, inquisitive trial, and safety netting. Factors that influenced app use included accessibility, perceptions of technology, and personal compatibility. Health care providers also had a role in initiating app use. Conclusions: Mobile apps are being utilized for self-management of depressive symptoms by primary care patients. This study provided insight into the natural patterns and perspectives of app use, which enhanced the understanding of how this technology may be integrated into the toolbox for the management of depression. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616000537459; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=367152 (Archived at WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/71Vf06X2T) %M 30262449 %R 10.2196/10035 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/9/e10035/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10035 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30262449 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e10278 %T Web-Based Mindfulness Interventions for Mental Health Treatment: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis %A Sevilla-Llewellyn-Jones,Julia %A Santesteban-Echarri,Olga %A Pryor,Ingrid %A McGorry,Patrick %A Alvarez-Jimenez,Mario %+ Institute of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Health Research Institute (IdISSC). Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Av/ Prof Martin Lago s/n, Madrid, 28040, Spain, 34 651563055, juliasevill@gmail.com %K mindfulness %K anxiety disorder %K depressive disorder %K internetinternet-based %K treatment %K meta-analysis %K mental health. %K systematic review %D 2018 %7 25.9.2018 %9 Review %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Web-based mindfulness interventions are increasingly delivered through the internet to treat mental health conditions. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions in clinical mental health populations. Secondary aims were to explore the impact of study variables on the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions. Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies investigating the effects of web-based mindfulness interventions on clinical populations. Results: The search strategy yielded 12 eligible studies. Web-based mindfulness interventions were effective in reducing depression in the total clinical sample (n=656 g=−0.609, P=.004) and in the anxiety disorder subgroup (n=313, g=−0.651, P<.001), but not in the depression disorder subgroup (n=251, P=.18). Similarly, web-based mindfulness interventions significantly reduced anxiety in the total clinical sample (n=756, g=−0.433, P=.004) and the anxiety disorder subgroup (n=413, g=−0.719, P<.001), but not in the depression disorder group (n=251, g=−0.213, P=.28). Finally, web-based mindfulness interventions improved quality of life and functioning in the total sample (n=591, g=0.362, P=.02) in the anxiety disorder subgroup (n=370, g=0.550, P=.02) and mindfulness skills in the total clinical sample (n=251, g=0.724, P<.001). Conclusions: Results support the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions in reducing depression and anxiety and in enhancing quality of life and mindfulness skills, particularly in those with clinical anxiety. Results should be interpreted with caution given the high heterogeneity of web-based mindfulness interventions and the low number of studies included. %M 30274963 %R 10.2196/10278 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e10278/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10278 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30274963 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 9 %P e10743 %T Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Blended With Face-to-Face Sessions for Major Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Nakao,Shigetsugu %A Nakagawa,Atsuo %A Oguchi,Yoshiyo %A Mitsuda,Dai %A Kato,Noriko %A Nakagawa,Yuko %A Tamura,Noriko %A Kudo,Yuka %A Abe,Takayuki %A Hiyama,Mitsunori %A Iwashita,Satoru %A Ono,Yutaka %A Mimura,Masaru %+ Clinical and Translational Research Center, Keio University Hospital, 35, Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo, 160-8582, Japan, 81 3 3353 1211, anakagawa@keio.jp %K blended cognitive behavioral therapy %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K major depressive disorder %K major depression %K randomized controlled trial %D 2018 %7 21.9.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Meta-analyses of several randomized controlled trials have shown that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has comparable efficacy to antidepressant medication, but therapist availability and cost-effectiveness is a problem. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of Web-based CBT blended with face-to-face sessions that reduce therapist time in patients with major depression who were unresponsive to antidepressant medications. Methods: A 12-week, assessor-masked, parallel-group, waiting- list controlled, randomized trial was conducted at 3 medical institutions in Tokyo. Outpatients aged 20-65 years with a primary diagnosis of major depression who were taking ≥1 antidepressant medications at an adequate dose for ≥6 weeks and had a 17-item GRID-Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) score of ≥14 were randomly assigned (1:1) to blended CBT or waiting-list groups using a computer allocation system, stratified by the study site with the minimization method, to balance age and baseline GRID-HAMD score. The CBT intervention was given in a combined format, comprising a Web-based program and 12 45-minute face-to-face sessions. Thus, across 12 weeks, a participant could receive up to 540 minutes of contact with a therapist, which is approximately two-thirds of the therapist contact time provided in the conventional CBT protocol, which typically provides 16 50-minute sessions. The primary outcome was the alleviation of depressive symptoms, as measured by a change in the total GRID-HAMD score from baseline (at randomization) to posttreatment (at 12 weeks). Moreover, in an exploratory analysis, we investigated whether the expected positive effects of the intervention were sustained during follow-up, 3 months after the posttreatment assessment. Analyses were performed on an intention-to-treat basis, and the primary outcome was analyzed using a mixed-effects model for repeated measures. Results: We randomized 40 participants to either blended CBT (n=20) or waiting-list (n=20) groups. All patients completed the 12-week treatment protocol and were included in the intention-to-treat analyses. Participants in the blended CBT group had significantly alleviated depressive symptoms at week 12, as shown by greater least squares mean changes in the GRID-HAMD score, than those in the waiting list group (−8.9 points vs −3.0 points; mean between-group difference=−5.95; 95% CI −9.53 to −2.37; P<.001). The follow-up effects within the blended CBT group, as measured by the GRID-HAMD score, were sustained at the 3-month follow-up (week 24) and posttreatment (week 12): posttreatment, 9.4 (SD 5.2), versus follow-up, 7.2 (SD 5.7); P=.009. Conclusions: Although our findings warrant confirmation in larger and longer term studies with active controls, these suggest that a combined form of CBT is effective in reducing depressive symptoms in patients with major depression who are unresponsive to antidepressant medications. Trial Registration: University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry: UMIN000009242; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000010852 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation. org/729VkpyYL) %M 30249583 %R 10.2196/10743 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/9/e10743/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10743 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30249583 %0 Journal Article %@ 2371-4379 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 3 %P e13 %T Web-Based Interventions for Depression in Individuals with Diabetes: Review and Discussion %A Franco,Pamela %A Gallardo,Ana María %A Urtubey,Xavier %+ Psychology Department, Universidad del Desarrollo, Av Plaza 680, Santiago, 7610658, Chile, 56 223279110, p.franco@udd.cl %K Web-based intervention %K internet %K depression %K diabetes %K cognitive behavioral therapy %D 2018 %7 14.09.2018 %9 Review %J JMIR Diabetes %G English %X Background: Depression is twice as common in people with diabetes, and this comorbidity worsens the course of both pathologies. In clinical practice guidelines, screening and treatment of depression in patients with diabetes are highly recommended. However, depression is still both underrecognized and undertreated. To find ways to enhance their reach, psychological treatments have taken advantage of benefits of internet and technological devices as delivery formats, providing interventions that require considerably less (or even no) interaction time with therapists. Web-based treatments hold promise for effective interventions at low cost with positive results. Objective: The objectives of this review were to describe Web-based interventions for depression in individuals with diabetes and to discuss these studies’ procedures and findings in light of evidence from a wider range of interventions for depression and diabetes. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PsycINFO and MEDLINE electronic databases. Studies were included when they met the following selection criteria: the study was available in a peer-reviewed journal mainly publishing studies written in either English or Spanish; the studied sample comprised individuals with diabetes; the intervention targeted depression symptomatology; the intervention was accessible via the internet; and the intervention was accessible via the internet with little or no clinician support. Results: Overall, 5 research studies were identified in the review. All studies were randomized controlled trials, and most used a wait list as a control; 4 studies reported treatment dropout, rates of which varied from 13% to 42%. Studies supported the notion that the Web-based format is a suitable psychology service delivery option for diabetic individuals with depression (effect size range for completers 0.7-0.89). Interventions varied in their characteristics but most were clinical-assisted, had a cognitive behavioral therapy approach, used diabetes-specific topics, had a weekly modular display, used homework assignments, and had some adherence management strategy. These characteristics are consistent with the intervention features associated with positive results in the literature. Conclusions: The analyzed studies’ findings and procedures are discussed in light of evidence drawn from a wider range of reviews on Web-based interventions for depression and diabetes. Consistent with previous research on depression treatment, Web-based interventions for depression among individuals with diabetes have shown positive results. Future research should contribute new evidence as to why these interventions are effective, for whom, and which particular aspects can increase patients’ adherence. %M 30291082 %R 10.2196/diabetes.9694 %U http://diabetes.jmir.org/2018/3/e13/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/diabetes.9694 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30291082 %0 Journal Article %@ 2152-7202 %I JMIR Publications %V 10 %N 3 %P e10655 %T Phase I of the Detecting and Evaluating Childhood Anxiety and Depression Effectively in Subspecialties (DECADES) Study: Development of an Integrated Mental Health Care Model for Pediatric Gastroenterology %A Hullmann,Stephanie E %A Keller,Stacy A %A Lynch,Dustin O %A Jenkins,Kelli %A Moore,Courtney %A Cockrum,Brandon %A Wiehe,Sarah E %A Carroll,Aaron E %A Bennett Jr,William E %+ Center for Pediatric and Adolescent Comparative Effectiveness Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 410 W 10th Street, HITS Building, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, United States, 1 3172786928, webjr@iu.edu %K qualitative research %K patient-reported outcomes %K depression %K anxiety %D 2018 %7 10.09.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Participat Med %G English %X Background: Children with gastrointestinal symptoms have a very high rate of anxiety and depression. Rapid identification of comorbid anxiety and depression is essential for effective treatment of a wide variety of functional gastrointestinal disorders. Objective: The objective of our study was to determine patient and parent attitudes toward depression, anxiety, and mental health screening during gastroenterology (GI) visits and to determine patient and parent preferences for communication of results and referral to mental health providers after a positive screen. Methods: We augmented standard qualitative group session methods with patient-centered design methods to assess patient and parent preferences. We used a variety of specific design methods in these sessions, including card sorting, projective methods, experience mapping, and constructive methods. Results: Overall, 11 families (11 patients and 14 parents) participated in 2 group sessions. Overall, patients and their parents found integrated mental health care to be acceptable in the subspecialty setting. Patients’ primary concerns were for the privacy and confidentiality of their screening results. Patients and their parents emphasized the importance of mental health services not interfering with the GI visit and collaboration between the GI physician, psychologist, and primary care provider. Conclusions: Patients and their families are open to integrated mental health care in the pediatric subspecialty clinic. The next phase of the DECADES study will translate patient and parent preferences into an integrated mental health care system and test its efficacy in the pediatric GI office. %R 10.2196/10655 %U http://jopm.jmir.org/2018/3/e10655/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10655 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 9 %P e10302 %T Patient Experiences of Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Heart Failure and Depression: Qualitative Study %A Lundgren,Johan %A Johansson,Peter %A Jaarsma,Tiny %A Andersson,Gerhard %A Kärner Köhler,Anita %+ Division of Nursing Science, Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Linköping University, Campus Norrköping, Kåkenhus, Norrköping, SE-601 74, Sweden, 46 01136 ext 3592, johan.lundgren@liu.se %K cognitive therapy %K content analysis %K depression %K heart failure %K internet %K patient experience %K telehealth %D 2018 %7 05.09.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (wCBT) has been proposed as a possible treatment for patients with heart failure and depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms are common in patients with heart failure and such symptoms are known to significantly worsen their health. Although there are promising results on the effect of wCBT, there is a knowledge gap regarding how persons with chronic heart failure and depressive symptoms experience wCBT. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of participating and receiving health care through a wCBT intervention among persons with heart failure and depressive symptoms. Methods: In this qualitative, inductive, exploratory, and descriptive study, participants with experiences of a wCBT program were interviewed. The participants were included through purposeful sampling among participants previously included in a quantitative study on wCBT. Overall, 13 participants consented to take part in this study and were interviewed via telephone using an interview guide. Verbatim transcripts from the interviews were qualitatively analyzed following the recommendations discussed by Patton in Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods: Integrating Theory and Practice. After coding each interview, codes were formed into categories. Results: Overall, six categories were identified during the analysis process. They were as follows: “Something other than usual health care,” “Relevance and recognition,” “Flexible, understandable, and safe,” “Technical problems,” “Improvements by real-time contact,” and “Managing my life better.” One central and common pattern in the findings was that participants experienced the wCBT program as something they did themselves and many participants described the program as a form of self-care. Conclusions: Persons with heart failure and depressive symptoms described wCBT as challenging. This was due to participants balancing the urge for real-time contact with perceived anonymity and not postponing the work with the program. wCBT appears to be a valuable tool for managing depressive symptoms. %M 30185405 %R 10.2196/10302 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/9/e10302/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10302 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30185405 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e10334 %T The Effortless Assessment of Risk States (EARS) Tool: An Interpersonal Approach to Mobile Sensing %A Lind,Monika N %A Byrne,Michelle L %A Wicks,Geordie %A Smidt,Alec M %A Allen,Nicholas B %+ Center for Digital Mental Health, Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, 1227 University Street, Eugene, OR, 97403, United States, 1 541 346 4075, nallen3@uoregon.edu %K passive mobile sensing %K personal sensing %K mobile sensing %K mental health %K risk assessment %K crisis prevention %K individual big data %K telemedicine %K mobile apps %K cell phone %K depression %D 2018 %7 28.08.2018 %9 Viewpoint %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: To predict and prevent mental health crises, we must develop new approaches that can provide a dramatic advance in the effectiveness, timeliness, and scalability of our interventions. However, current methods of predicting mental health crises (eg, clinical monitoring, screening) usually fail on most, if not all, of these criteria. Luckily for us, 77% of Americans carry with them an unprecedented opportunity to detect risk states and provide precise life-saving interventions. Smartphones present an opportunity to empower individuals to leverage the data they generate through their normal phone use to predict and prevent mental health crises. Objective: To facilitate the collection of high-quality, passive mobile sensing data, we built the Effortless Assessment of Risk States (EARS) tool to enable the generation of predictive machine learning algorithms to solve previously intractable problems and identify risk states before they become crises. Methods: The EARS tool captures multiple indices of a person’s social and affective behavior via their naturalistic use of a smartphone. Although other mobile data collection tools exist, the EARS tool places a unique emphasis on capturing the content as well as the form of social communication on the phone. Signals collected include facial expressions, acoustic vocal quality, natural language use, physical activity, music choice, and geographical location. Critically, the EARS tool collects these data passively, with almost no burden on the user. We programmed the EARS tool in Java for the Android mobile platform. In building the EARS tool, we concentrated on two main considerations: (1) privacy and encryption and (2) phone use impact. Results: In a pilot study (N=24), participants tolerated the EARS tool well, reporting minimal burden. None of the participants who completed the study reported needing to use the provided battery packs. Current testing on a range of phones indicated that the tool consumed approximately 15% of the battery over a 16-hour period. Installation of the EARS tool caused minimal change in the user interface and user experience. Once installation is completed, the only difference the user notices is the custom keyboard. Conclusions: The EARS tool offers an innovative approach to passive mobile sensing by emphasizing the centrality of a person’s social life to their well-being. We built the EARS tool to power cutting-edge research, with the ultimate goal of leveraging individual big data to empower people and enhance mental health. %M 30154072 %R 10.2196/10334 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e10334/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10334 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30154072 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e54 %T A Mobile App–Based Intervention for Depression: End-User and Expert Usability Testing Study %A Fuller-Tyszkiewicz,Matthew %A Richardson,Ben %A Klein,Britt %A Skouteris,Helen %A Christensen,Helen %A Austin,David %A Castle,David %A Mihalopoulos,Cathrine %A O'Donnell,Renee %A Arulkadacham,Lilani %A Shatte,Adrian %A Ware,Anna %+ School of Psychology, Deakin University, 1 Gheringhap Street, Geelong, 3220, Australia, 61 392517344, matthewf@deakin.edu.au %K depression %K eHealth %K mHealth %K young adult %D 2018 %7 23.08.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Despite the growing number of mental health apps available for smartphones, the perceived usability of these apps from the perspectives of end users or health care experts has rarely been reported. This information is vital, particularly for self-guided mHealth interventions, as perceptions of navigability and quality of content are likely to impact participant engagement and treatment compliance. Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct a usability evaluation of a personalized, self-guided, app-based intervention for depression. Methods: Participants were administered the System Usability Scale and open-ended questions as part of a semistructured interview. There were 15 participants equally divided into 3 groups: (1) individuals with clinical depression who were the target audience for the app, (2) mental health professionals, and (3) researchers who specialize in the area of eHealth interventions and/or depression research. Results: The end-user group rated the app highly, both in quantitative and qualitative assessments. The 2 expert groups highlighted the self-monitoring features and range of established psychological treatment options (such as behavioral activation and cognitive restructuring) but had concerns that the amount and layout of content may be difficult for end users to navigate in a self-directed fashion. The end-user data did not confirm these concerns. Conclusions: Encouraging participant engagement via self-monitoring and feedback, as well as personalized messaging, may be a viable way to maintain participation in self-guided interventions. Further evaluation is necessary to determine whether levels of engagement with these features enhance treatment effects. %M 30139722 %R 10.2196/mental.9445 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e54/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9445 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30139722 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 8 %P e10748 %T Veterans’ Attitudes Toward Smartphone App Use for Mental Health Care: Qualitative Study of Rurality and Age Differences %A Connolly,Samantha L %A Miller,Christopher J %A Koenig,Christopher J %A Zamora,Kara A %A Wright,Patricia B %A Stanley,Regina L %A Pyne,Jeffrey M %+ Center for Healthcare Organization and Implementation Research, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S Huntington Avenue, Building 9 Room 208F, Boston, MA, 02130, United States, 1 857 364 5987, Samantha.connolly@va.gov %K smartphone apps %K mobile phone %K mhealth %K mental health %K qualitative analysis %K rurality %K age %K veterans %K depression %K anxiety disorders %K posttraumatic stress disorder %K PTSD %K alcohol abuse %D 2018 %7 22.08.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Mental health smartphone apps provide support, skills, and symptom tracking on demand and come at minimal to no additional cost to patients. Although the Department of Veterans Affairs has established itself as a national leader in the creation of mental health apps, veterans’ attitudes regarding the use of these innovations are largely unknown, particularly among rural and aging populations who may benefit from increased access to care. Objective: The objective of our study was to examine veterans’ attitudes toward smartphone apps and to assess whether openness toward this technology varies by age or rurality. Methods: We conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 66 veterans from rural and urban areas in Maine, Arkansas, and California. Eligible veterans aged 18 to 70 years had screened positive for postraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder, or major depressive disorder, but a history of mental health service utilization was not required. Interviews were digitally recorded, professionally transcribed, and coded by a research team using an established codebook. We then conducted a thematic analysis of segments pertaining to smartphone use, informed by existing theories of technology adoption. Results: Interviews revealed a marked division regarding openness to mental health smartphone apps, such that veterans either expressed strongly positive or negative views about their usage, with few participants sharing ambivalent or neutral opinions. Differences emerged between rural and urban veterans’ attitudes, with rural veterans tending to oppose app usage, describe smartphones as hard to navigate, and cite barriers such as financial limitations and connectivity issues, more so than urban populations. Moreover, rural veterans more often described smartphones as being opposed to their values. Differences did not emerge between younger and older (≥50) veterans regarding beliefs that apps could be effective or compatible with their culture and identity. However, compared with younger veterans, older veterans more often reported not owning a smartphone and described this technology as being difficult to use. Conclusions: Openness toward the use of smartphone apps in mental health treatment may vary based on rurality, and further exploration of the barriers cited by rural veterans is needed to improve access to care. In addition, findings indicate that older patients may be more open to integrating technology into their mental health care than providers might assume, although such patients may have more trouble navigating these devices and may benefit from simplified app designs or smartphone training. Given the strong opinions expressed either for or against smartphone apps, our findings suggest that apps may not be an ideal adjunctive treatment for all patients, but it is important to identify those who are open to and may greatly benefit from this technology. %M 30135050 %R 10.2196/10748 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/8/e10748/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10748 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30135050 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e10277 %T Adapting Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management for Veterans Affairs Community-Based Outpatient Clinics: Iterative Approach %A Abraham,Traci H %A Marchant-Miros,Kathy %A McCarther,Michael B %A Craske,Michelle G %A Curran,Geoffrey M %A Kearney,Lisa K %A Greene,Carolyn %A Lindsay,Jan A %A Cucciare,Michael A %+ Center for Mental Healthcare and Outcomes Research, Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, 2200 Fort Roots Drive, North Little Rock, AR, 72114, United States, 1 501 257 1744, Traci.Abraham@va.gov %K therapy %K veterans %K depression %K anxiety disorders %K posttraumatic stress disorder %K PTSD %D 2018 %7 22.08.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: A national priority at the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is to increase the availability and accessibility of evidence-based psychotherapies (EBPs) across all VA medical facilities. Yet many veterans, particularly those who use remote outpatient VA clinics, still do not receive much needed evidence-based treatment. Strategies are needed for supporting mental health providers at rural VA community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) as they translate their clinical training to routine practice. The Coordinated Anxiety Learning Management (CALM) program is a computer-delivered program that supports the delivery of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) by providers in outpatient settings to patients with depression and anxiety, including posttraumatic stress disorder. Objective: The objectives of our study were to (1) adapt an existing computer-based program to rural VA CBOCs through feedback from key stakeholder focus groups; (2) develop a prototype of the adapted program; and (3) determine the adapted program’s acceptability and feasibility. Mental health stakeholders included VA leaders (n=4) in the implementation of EBPs, VA experts (n=4) in CBT, VA CBOC mental health providers (n=8), and veterans (n=8) diagnosed with a mental health condition treated using the CALM program and receiving treatment in a VA CBOC. Methods: An iterative approach comprising 3 waves of focus group discussions was used to develop a modified prototype of CALM. Following each wave of focus group discussions, template analysis was used to rapidly communicate stakeholder recommendations and feedback to the design team. The original program was first adapted through a process of data collection, design modification, and product development. Next, a prototype was developed. Finally, the redesigned program was tested for acceptability and feasibility through a live demonstration. Results: Key stakeholders suggested modifications to the original CALM program that altered its modules’ appearance by incorporating veteran-centric content. These modifications likely have no impact on the integrity of the original CALM program, but have altered its content to reflect better the demographic characteristics and experiences of rural veterans. Feedback from stakeholder groups indicates that changes will help VA patients identify with the program content, potentially enhancing their treatment engagement. Conclusions: The development model was effective for economically gathering actionable recommendations from stakeholders to adapt a computer-based program, and it can result in the development of an acceptable and feasible computer-delivered intervention. Results have implications for developing computer-based programs targeting behavior change more broadly and enhancing engagement in EBP. %M 30135051 %R 10.2196/10277 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e10277/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10277 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30135051 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 8 %P e165 %T Correlations Between Objective Behavioral Features Collected From Mobile and Wearable Devices and Depressive Mood Symptoms in Patients With Affective Disorders: Systematic Review %A Rohani,Darius A %A Faurholt-Jepsen,Maria %A Kessing,Lars Vedel %A Bardram,Jakob E %+ Embedded Systems Engineering, Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Richard Petersens Plads, Bldg 324, 1st Floor, Room 160, Kongens Lyngby, 2800, Denmark, 45 61452393, daroh@dtu.dk %K mood disorder %K affective disorder %K depression %K depressive mood symptoms %K bipolar disorder %K objective features %K correlation %K behavior %K sensor data %K mobile phone %K wearable devices %K systematic review %D 2018 %7 13.08.2018 %9 Review %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Several studies have recently reported on the correlation between objective behavioral features collected via mobile and wearable devices and depressive mood symptoms in patients with affective disorders (unipolar and bipolar disorders). However, individual studies have reported on different and sometimes contradicting results, and no quantitative systematic review of the correlation between objective behavioral features and depressive mood symptoms has been published. Objective: The objectives of this systematic review were to (1) provide an overview of the correlations between objective behavioral features and depressive mood symptoms reported in the literature and (2) investigate the strength and statistical significance of these correlations across studies. The answers to these questions could potentially help identify which objective features have shown most promising results across studies. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature, reported according to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines. IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, Web of Sciences, PsychINFO, PubMed, DBLP computer science bibliography, HTA, DARE, Scopus, and Science Direct were searched and supplemented by hand examination of reference lists. The search ended on April 27, 2017, and was limited to studies published between 2007 and 2017. Results: A total of 46 studies were eligible for the review. These studies identified and investigated 85 unique objective behavioral features, covering 17 various sensor data inputs. These features were divided into 7 categories. Several features were found to have statistically significant and consistent correlation directionality with mood assessment (eg, the amount of home stay, sleep duration, and vigorous activity), while others showed directionality discrepancies across the studies (eg, amount of text messages [short message service] sent, time spent between locations, and frequency of mobile phone screen activity). Conclusions: Several studies showed consistent and statistically significant correlations between objective behavioral features collected via mobile and wearable devices and depressive mood symptoms. Hence, continuous and everyday monitoring of behavioral aspects in affective disorders could be a promising supplementary objective measure for estimating depressive mood symptoms. However, the evidence is limited by methodological issues in individual studies and by a lack of standardization of (1) the collected objective features, (2) the mood assessment methodology, and (3) the statistical methods applied. Therefore, consistency in data collection and analysis in future studies is needed, making replication studies as well as meta-analyses possible. %M 30104184 %R 10.2196/mhealth.9691 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/8/e165/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.9691 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30104184 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 8 %P e10231 %T Differences in the Effect of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Improving Nonclinical Depressive Symptoms Among Workers by Time Preference: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Imamura,Kotaro %A Furukawa,Toshi A %A Matsuyama,Yutaka %A Shimazu,Akihito %A Kuribayashi,Kazuto %A Kasai,Kiyoto %A Kawakami,Norito %+ Department of Mental Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan, 81 3 5841 3522, nkawakami@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp %K internet-based computerized cognitive behavioral therapy %K time preference %K nonclinical depressive symptoms %K workers %D 2018 %7 10.08.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown a significant intervention effect of internet-based computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) on improving nonclinical depressive symptoms among healthy workers and community residents in a primary prevention setting. Time preference is one’s relative valuation for having a reward (eg, money) at present than at a later date. Time preference may affect the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy. Objective: This RCT aimed to test the difference of intervention effect of an iCBT program on improving nonclinical depressive symptoms between two subgroups classified post-hoc on the basis of time preference among workers in Japan. Methods: All workers in one corporate group (approximate n=20,000) were recruited. Participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to either intervention or control groups. Participants in the intervention group completed 6 weekly lessons and homework assignments within the iCBT program. The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Kessler’s Psychological Distress Scale (K6) measures were obtained at baseline and 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Two subgroups were defined by the median of time preference score at baseline. Results: Only few (835/20,000, 4.2%) workers completed the baseline survey. Of the 835 participants, 706 who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to the intervention or control group. Participants who selected irrational time preference options were excluded (21 and 18 participants in the intervention and control groups, respectively). A three-way interaction (group [intervention/control] × time [baseline/follow-up] × time preference [higher/lower]) effect of iCBT was significant for BDI-II (t1147.42=2.33, P=.02) and K6 (t1254.04=2.51, P=.01) at the 3-month follow-up, with a greater effect of the iCBT in the group with higher time preference. No significant three-way interaction was found at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Conclusions: The effects of the iCBT were greater for the group with higher time preference at the shorter follow-up, but it was leveled off later. Workers with higher time preference may change their cognition or behavior more quickly, but these changes may not persist. Trial Registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000014146; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi? recptno=R000016466 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/70o2rNk2V) %M 30097419 %R 10.2196/10231 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/8/e10231/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10231 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30097419 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 8 %P e10130 %T Using Mobile Apps to Assess and Treat Depression in Hispanic and Latino Populations: Fully Remote Randomized Clinical Trial %A Pratap,Abhishek %A Renn,Brenna N %A Volponi,Joshua %A Mooney,Sean D %A Gazzaley,Adam %A Arean,Patricia A %A Anguera,Joaquin A %+ Department of Biomedical Informatics and Medical Education, School of Medicine, University of Washington, UW Medicine South Lake Union, Building C, Box 358047, 850 Republican Street, Seattle, WA, 98109, United States, 1 206 928 8263, apratap@uw.edu %K mobile apps %K smartphone %K depression %K Hispanics %K Latinos %K clinical trial %K cognition %K problem solving %K mHealth %K minority groups %D 2018 %7 09.08.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Most people with mental health disorders fail to receive timely access to adequate care. US Hispanic/Latino individuals are particularly underrepresented in mental health care and are historically a very difficult population to recruit into clinical trials; however, they have increasing access to mobile technology, with over 75% owning a smartphone. This technology has the potential to overcome known barriers to accessing and utilizing traditional assessment and treatment approaches. Objective: This study aimed to compare recruitment and engagement in a fully remote trial of individuals with depression who either self-identify as Hispanic/Latino or not. A secondary aim was to assess treatment outcomes in these individuals using three different self-guided mobile apps: iPST (based on evidence-based therapeutic principles from problem-solving therapy, PST), Project Evolution (EVO; a cognitive training app based on cognitive neuroscience principles), and health tips (a health information app that served as an information control). Methods: We recruited Spanish and English speaking participants through social media platforms, internet-based advertisements, and traditional fliers in select locations in each state across the United States. Assessment and self-guided treatment was conducted on each participant's smartphone or tablet. We enrolled 389 Hispanic/Latino and 637 non-Hispanic/Latino adults with mild to moderate depression as determined by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score≥5 or related functional impairment. Participants were first asked about their preferences among the three apps and then randomized to their top two choices. Outcomes were depressive symptom severity (measured using PHQ-9) and functional impairment (assessed with Sheehan Disability Scale), collected over 3 months. Engagement in the study was assessed based on the number of times participants completed active surveys. Results: We screened 4502 participants and enrolled 1040 participants from throughout the United States over 6 months, yielding a sample of 348 active users. Long-term engagement surfaced as a key issue among Hispanic/Latino participants, who dropped from the study 2 weeks earlier than their non-Hispanic/Latino counterparts (P<.02). No significant differences were observed for treatment outcomes between those identifying as Hispanic/Latino or not. Although depressive symptoms improved (beta=–2.66, P=.006) over the treatment course, outcomes did not vary by treatment app. Conclusions: Fully remote mobile-based studies can attract a diverse participant pool including people from traditionally underserved communities in mental health care and research (here, Hispanic/Latino individuals). However, keeping participants engaged in this type of “low-touch” research study remains challenging. Hispanic/Latino populations may be less willing to use mobile apps for assessing and managing depression. Future research endeavors should use a user-centered design to determine the role of mobile apps in the assessment and treatment of depression for this population, app features they would be interested in using, and strategies for long-term engagement. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01808976; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01808976 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/70xI3ILkz) %M 30093372 %R 10.2196/10130 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/8/e10130/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10130 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30093372 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e10153 %T Emotion Recognition Using Smart Watch Sensor Data: Mixed-Design Study %A Quiroz,Juan Carlos %A Geangu,Elena %A Yong,Min Hooi %+ Department of Psychology, Sunway University, 5 Jalan Universiti, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Malaysia, 60 374918622, mhyong@sunway.edu.my %K emotion recognition %K accelerometer %K supervised learning %K psychology %D 2018 %7 08.08.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Research in psychology has shown that the way a person walks reflects that person’s current mood (or emotional state). Recent studies have used mobile phones to detect emotional states from movement data. Objective: The objective of our study was to investigate the use of movement sensor data from a smart watch to infer an individual’s emotional state. We present our findings of a user study with 50 participants. Methods: The experimental design is a mixed-design study: within-subjects (emotions: happy, sad, and neutral) and between-subjects (stimulus type: audiovisual “movie clips” and audio “music clips”). Each participant experienced both emotions in a single stimulus type. All participants walked 250 m while wearing a smart watch on one wrist and a heart rate monitor strap on the chest. They also had to answer a short questionnaire (20 items; Positive Affect and Negative Affect Schedule, PANAS) before and after experiencing each emotion. The data obtained from the heart rate monitor served as supplementary information to our data. We performed time series analysis on data from the smart watch and a t test on questionnaire items to measure the change in emotional state. Heart rate data was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. We extracted features from the time series using sliding windows and used features to train and validate classifiers that determined an individual’s emotion. Results: Overall, 50 young adults participated in our study; of them, 49 were included for the affective PANAS questionnaire and 44 for the feature extraction and building of personal models. Participants reported feeling less negative affect after watching sad videos or after listening to sad music, P<.006. For the task of emotion recognition using classifiers, our results showed that personal models outperformed personal baselines and achieved median accuracies higher than 78% for all conditions of the design study for binary classification of happiness versus sadness. Conclusions: Our findings show that we are able to detect changes in the emotional state as well as in behavioral responses with data obtained from the smartwatch. Together with high accuracies achieved across all users for classification of happy versus sad emotional states, this is further evidence for the hypothesis that movement sensor data can be used for emotion recognition. %M 30089610 %R 10.2196/10153 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e10153/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10153 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30089610 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 7 %P e10131 %T Using Mobile Phone Sensor Technology for Mental Health Research: Integrated Analysis to Identify Hidden Challenges and Potential Solutions %A Boonstra,Tjeerd W %A Nicholas,Jennifer %A Wong,Quincy JJ %A Shaw,Frances %A Townsend,Samuel %A Christensen,Helen %+ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Sydney,, Australia, 61 2 9382 9285, t.boonstra@unsw.edu.au %K passive sensing %K mental health %K ubiquitous computing %K ethics %K depression %K mobile health %K smartphone %K wearable sensors %D 2018 %7 30.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mobile phone sensor technology has great potential in providing behavioral markers of mental health. However, this promise has not yet been brought to fruition. Objective: The objective of our study was to examine challenges involved in developing an app to extract behavioral markers of mental health from passive sensor data. Methods: Both technical challenges and acceptability of passive data collection for mental health research were assessed based on literature review and results obtained from a feasibility study. Socialise, a mobile phone app developed at the Black Dog Institute, was used to collect sensor data (Bluetooth, location, and battery status) and investigate views and experiences of a group of people with lived experience of mental health challenges (N=32). Results: On average, sensor data were obtained for 55% (Android) and 45% (iOS) of scheduled scans. Battery life was reduced from 21.3 hours to 18.8 hours when scanning every 5 minutes with a reduction of 2.5 hours or 12%. Despite this relatively small reduction, most participants reported that the app had a noticeable effect on their battery life. In addition to battery life, the purpose of data collection, trust in the organization that collects data, and perceived impact on privacy were identified as main factors for acceptability. Conclusions: Based on the findings of the feasibility study and literature review, we recommend a commitment to open science and transparent reporting and stronger partnerships and communication with users. Sensing technology has the potential to greatly enhance the delivery and impact of mental health care. Realizing this requires all aspects of mobile phone sensor technology to be rigorously assessed. %M 30061092 %R 10.2196/10131 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/7/e10131/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10131 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30061092 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-9279 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 3 %P e15 %T Video Games as a Potential Modality for Behavioral Health Services for Young Adult Veterans: Exploratory Analysis %A Grant,Sean %A Spears,Asya %A Pedersen,Eric R %+ RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA,, United States, 1 310 393 0411 ext 6438, sgrant@rand.org %K behavioral health %K replication %K veterans %K video games %D 2018 %7 26.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Serious Games %G English %X Background: Improving the reach of behavioral health services to young adult veterans is a policy priority. Objective: The objective of our study was to explore differences in video game playing by behavioral health need for young adult veterans to identify potential conditions for which video games could be used as a modality for behavioral health services. Methods: We replicated analyses from two cross-sectional, community-based surveys of young adult veterans in the United States and examined the differences in time spent playing video games by whether participants screened positive for behavioral health issues and received the required behavioral health services. Results: Pooling data across studies, participants with a positive mental health screen for depression or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) spent 4.74 more hours per week (95% CI 2.54-6.94) playing video games. Among participants with a positive screen for a substance use disorder, those who had received substance use services since discharge spent 0.75 more days per week (95% CI 0.28-1.21) playing video games than participants who had not received any substance use services since discharge. Conclusions: We identified the strongest evidence that participants with a positive PTSD or depression screen and participants with a positive screen for a substance use disorder who also received substance use services since their discharge from active duty spent more time playing video games. Future development and evaluation of video games as modalities for enhancing and increasing access to behavioral health services should be explored for this population. %M 30049668 %R 10.2196/games.9327 %U http://games.jmir.org/2018/3/e15/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/games.9327 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30049668 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e10496 %T For Better or for Worse? A Systematic Review of the Evidence on Social Media Use and Depression Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Minorities %A Escobar-Viera,César G %A Whitfield,Darren L %A Wessel,Charles B %A Shensa,Ariel %A Sidani,Jaime E %A Brown,Andre L %A Chandler,Cristian J %A Hoffman,Beth L %A Marshal,Michael P %A Primack,Brian A %+ Center for Research on Media, Technology, and Health, School of Medicine, University of Pittburgh, 230 McKee Place, Suite 600.11, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States, 1 412 692 4297, escobar-viera@pitt.edu %K social media %K social networking sites %K sexual minorities %K lesbian %K gay %K bisexual %K depression %K systematic review %D 2018 %7 23.07.2018 %9 Review %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Over 90% of adults in the United States have at least one social media account, and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) persons are more socially active on social media than heterosexuals. Rates of depression among LGB persons are between 1.5- and 2-fold higher than those among their heterosexual counterparts. Social media allows users to connect, interact, and express ideas, emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Thus, social media use might represent both a protective and a risk factor for depression among LGB persons. Studying the nature of the relationship between social media use and depression among LGB individuals is a necessary step to inform public health interventions for this population. Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize and critique the evidence on social media use and depression among LGB populations. Methods: We conducted a literature search for quantitative and qualitative studies published between January 2003 and June 2017 using 3 electronic databases. Articles were included if they were peer-reviewed, were in English, assessed social media use either quantitatively or qualitatively, measured depression, and focused on LGB populations. A minimum of two authors independently extracted data from each study using an a priori developed abstraction form. We assessed appropriate reporting of studies using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology and the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research for quantitative and qualitative studies, respectively. Results: We included 11 articles in the review; 9 studies were quantitative and cross-sectional and 2 were qualitative. Appropriate reporting of results varied greatly. Across quantitative studies, we found heterogeneity in how social media use was defined and measured. Cyberbullying was the most studied social media experience and was associated with depression and suicidality. Qualitative studies found that while social media provides a space to disclose minority experiences and share ways to cope and get support, constant surveillance of one’s social media profile can become a stressor, potentially leading to depression. In most studies, sexual minority participants were identified inconsistently. Conclusions: This review supports the need for research on the role of social media use on depression outcomes among LBG persons. Using social media may be both a protective and a risk factor for depression among LGB individuals. Support gained via social media may buffer the impact of geographic isolation and loneliness. Negative experiences such as cyberbullying and other patterns of use may be associated with depression. Future research would benefit from more consistent definitions of both social media use and study populations. Moreover, use of larger samples and accounting for patterns of use and individuals’ experiences on social media may help better understand the factors that impact LGB mental health disparities. %M 30037786 %R 10.2196/10496 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e10496/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10496 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30037786 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 7 %P e241 %T Predicting Mood Disturbance Severity with Mobile Phone Keystroke Metadata: A BiAffect Digital Phenotyping Study %A Zulueta,John %A Piscitello,Andrea %A Rasic,Mladen %A Easter,Rebecca %A Babu,Pallavi %A Langenecker,Scott A %A McInnis,Melvin %A Ajilore,Olusola %A Nelson,Peter C %A Ryan,Kelly %A Leow,Alex %+ University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 W Taylor St, Chicago, IL, 60612, United States, 1 312 996 7383, aleow@psych.uic.edu %K digital phenotype %K mHealth %K ecological momentary assessment %K keystroke dynamics %K bipolar disorder %K depression %K mania %K mobile phone %D 2018 %7 20.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mood disorders are common and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Better tools are needed for their diagnosis and treatment. Deeper phenotypic understanding of these disorders is integral to the development of such tools. This study is the first effort to use passively collected mobile phone keyboard activity to build deep digital phenotypes of depression and mania. Objective: The objective of our study was to investigate the relationship between mobile phone keyboard activity and mood disturbance in subjects with bipolar disorders and to demonstrate the feasibility of using passively collected mobile phone keyboard metadata features to predict manic and depressive signs and symptoms as measured via clinician-administered rating scales. Methods: Using a within-subject design of 8 weeks, subjects were provided a mobile phone loaded with a customized keyboard that passively collected keystroke metadata. Subjects were administered the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) weekly. Linear mixed-effects models were created to predict HDRS and YMRS scores. The total number of keystrokes was 626,641, with a weekly average of 9791 (7861), and that of accelerometer readings was 6,660,890, with a weekly average 104,076 (68,912). Results: A statistically significant mixed-effects regression model for the prediction of HDRS-17 item scores was created: conditional R2=.63, P=.01. A mixed-effects regression model for YMRS scores showed the variance accounted for by random effect was zero, and so an ordinary least squares linear regression model was created: R2=.34, P=.001. Multiple significant variables were demonstrated for each measure. Conclusions: Mood states in bipolar disorder appear to correlate with specific changes in mobile phone usage. The creation of these models provides evidence for the feasibility of using passively collected keyboard metadata to detect and monitor mood disturbances. %M 30030209 %R 10.2196/jmir.9775 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/7/e241/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9775 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30030209 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 7 %P e10402 %T The Association Between Increased Levels of Patient Engagement With an Internet Support Group and Improved Mental Health Outcomes at 6-Month Follow-Up: Post-Hoc Analyses From a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Geramita,Emily M %A Herbeck Belnap,Bea %A Abebe,Kaleab Z %A Rothenberger,Scott D %A Rotondi,Armando J %A Rollman,Bruce L %+ Center for Behavioral Health and Smart Technology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 230 McKee Place, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States, 1 412 692 2659, rollmanbl@upmc.edu %K internet support group %K patient engagement %K anxiety %K depression %D 2018 %7 17.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: We recently reported that depressed and anxious primary care patients randomized to a moderated internet support group (ISG) plus computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) did not experience improvements in depression and anxiety over cCBT alone at 6-month follow-up. Objective: The 1% rule posits that 1% of participants in online communities generate approximately 90% of new user-created content. The aims of this study were to apply the 1% rule to categorize patient engagement with the ISG and identify whether any patient subgroups benefitted from ISG use. Methods: We categorized the 302 patients randomized to the ISG as: superusers (3/302, 1.0%), top contributors (30/302, 9.9%), contributors (108/302, 35.8%), observers (87/302, 28.8%) and those who never logged in (74/302, 24.5%). We then applied linear mixed models to examine associations between engagement and 6-month changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL; Short Form Health Survey Mental Health Component, SF-12 MCS) and depression and anxiety symptoms (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System, PROMIS). Results: At baseline, participant mean age was 42.6 years, 81.1% (245/302) were female, and mean Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), and SF-12 MCS scores were 13.4, 12.6, and 31.7, respectively. Of the 75.5% (228/302) who logged in, 61.8 % (141/228) created ≥1 post (median 1, interquartile range, IQR 0-5); superusers created 42.3 % (630/1488) of posts (median 246, IQR 78-306), top contributors created 34.6% (515/1488; median 11, IQR 10-18), and contributors created 23.1 % (343/1488; median 3, IQR 1-5). Compared to participants who never logged in, the combined superuser + top contributor subgroup (n=33) reported 6-month improvements in anxiety (PROMIS: –11.6 vs –7.8; P=.04) and HRQoL (SF-12 MCS: 16.1 vs 10.1; P=.01) but not in depression. No other subgroup reported significant symptom improvements. Conclusions: Patient engagement with the ISG was more broadly distributed than predicted by the 1% rule. The 11% of participants with the highest engagement levels reported significant improvements in anxiety and HRQoL. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01482806; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01482806 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/708Bjlge9). %M 30021711 %R 10.2196/10402 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/7/e10402/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10402 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30021711 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 7 %P e10139 %T Exploring User Needs for a Mobile Behavioral-Sensing Technology for Depression Management: Qualitative Study %A Meng,Jingbo %A Hussain,Syed Ali %A Mohr,David C %A Czerwinski,Mary %A Zhang,Mi %+ Department of Communication, Michigan State University, , East Lansing, MI,, United States, 1 5173553480, jingbome@msu.edu %K mobile sensing %K mental health %K depression %K counseling %K user-centered design %D 2018 %7 17.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Today, college students are dealing with depression at some of the highest rates in decades. As the primary mental health service provider, university counseling centers are limited in their capacity and efficiency to provide mental health care due to time constraints and reliance on students’ self-reports. A mobile behavioral-sensing platform may serve as a solution to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of university counseling services. Objective: The main objectives of this study are to (1) understand the usefulness of a mobile sensing platform (ie, iSee) in improving counseling services and assisting students’ self-management of their depression conditions, and (2) explore what types of behavioral targets (ie, meaningful information extracted from raw sensor data) and feedback to deliver from both clinician and students’ perspectives. Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with 9 clinicians and 12 students with depression recruited from a counseling center at a large Midwestern university. The interviews were 40-50 minutes long and were audio recorded and transcribed. The interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis with an inductive approach. Clinician and student interviews were analyzed separately for comparison. The process of extracting themes involved iterative coding, memo writing, theme revisits, and refinement. Results: From the clinician perspective, the mobile sensing platform helps to improve counseling service by providing objective evidence for clinicians and filling gaps in clinician-patient communication. Clinicians suggested providing students with their sensed behavioral targets organized around personalized goals. Clinicians also recommended delivering therapeutic feedback to students based on their sensed behavioral targets, including positive reinforcement, reflection reminders, and challenging negative thoughts. From the student perspective, the mobile sensing platform helps to ease continued self-tracking practices. Students expressed their need for integrated behavioral targets to understand correlations between behaviors and depression. They also pointed out that they would prefer to avoid seeing negative feedback. Conclusions: Although clinician and student participants shared views on the advantages of iSee in supporting university counseling, they had divergent opinions on the types of behavioral targets and feedback to be provided via iSee. This exploratory work gained initial insights into the design of a mobile sensing platform for depression management and informed a more conclusive research project for the future. %M 30021710 %R 10.2196/10139 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/7/e10139/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10139 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30021710 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 7 %P e10112 %T Web-Based Intervention Using Behavioral Activation and Physical Activity for Adults With Depression (The eMotion Study): Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial %A Lambert,Jeffrey D %A Greaves,Colin J %A Farrand,Paul %A Price,Lisa %A Haase,Anne M %A Taylor,Adrian H %+ Institute for Health Research, Primary Care, University of Exeter Medical School, Smeall Building, Heavitree Roadd, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX1 2LU, United Kingdom, 44 1392725705, j.d.lambert@exeter.ac.uk %K psychological therapy %K mood %K anxiety %K exercise %K eHealth %K feasibility %K acceptability %D 2018 %7 16.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Physical activity is a potentially effective treatment for depression and depressive relapse. However, promoting physical activity in people with depression is challenging. Interventions informed by theory and evidence are therefore needed to support people with depression to become more physically active. eMotion is a Web-based intervention combining behavioral activation and physical activity promotion for people in the community with symptoms of depression. Objective: The objectives were to assess the feasibility and acceptability of delivering eMotion to people in the community with symptoms of depression and to explore outcomes. Methods: Participants with elevated depressive symptoms were recruited from the community through various methods (eg, social media) and randomized to eMotion or a waiting list control group for 8 weeks. eMotion is an administratively supported weekly modular program that helps people use key behavior change techniques (eg, graded tasks, action planning, and self-monitoring) to re-engage in routine, pleasurable, and necessary activities, with a focus on physical activities. Feasibility data were collected that included the following: recruitment and trial retention rates; fidelity of intervention delivery, receipt, and enactment; and acceptability of the intervention and data collection procedures. Data were collected for the primary (depression) and secondary outcomes (eg, anxiety, physical activity, fidelity, and client satisfaction) at baseline and 2 months postrandomization using self-reported Web-based questionnaires and accelerometers. Delivery fidelity (logins, modules accessed, time spent) was tracked using Web usage statistics. Exploratory analyses were conducted on the primary and secondary outcomes. Results: Of the 183 people who contacted the research team, 62 were recruited and randomized. The mean baseline score was 14.6 (SD 3.2) on the 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ-8). Of those randomized, 52 participants provided accelerometer-recorded physical activity data at baseline that showed a median of 35.8 (interquartile range [IQR] 0.0-98.6) minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recorded in at least 10-minute bouts per week, with only 13% (7/52) people achieving guideline levels (150 minutes of MVPA per week). In total, 81% (50/62) of participants provided follow-up data for the primary outcome (PHQ-8), but only 39% (24/62) provided follow-up accelerometer data. Within the intervention group, the median number of logins, modules accessed, and total minutes spent on eMotion was 3 (IQR 2.0-8.0), 3 (IQR 2.0-5.0), and 41.3 (IQR 18.9-90.4), respectively. Acceptability was mixed. Exploratory data analysis showed that PHQ-8 levels were lower for the intervention group than for the control group at 2 months postrandomization (adjusted mean difference −3.6, 95% CI −6.1 to −1.1). Conclusions: It was feasible to deliver eMotion in UK communities to inactive populations. eMotion has the potential to be effective and is ready for testing in a full-scale trial. Further work is needed to improve engagement with both the intervention and data collection procedures. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03084055; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03084055 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6zoyM8UXa) %M 30012547 %R 10.2196/10112 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/7/e10112/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10112 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30012547 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e10200 %T Measurement of Symptom Change Following Web-Based Psychotherapy: Statistical Characteristics and Analytical Methods for Measuring and Interpreting Change %A Karin,Eyal %A Dear,Blake F %A Heller,Gillian Z %A Gandy,Milena %A Titov,Nickolai %+ eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Building C3A, First Walk Macquarie University NSW, Sydney, 2109, Australia, 61 298508657, eyal.karin@mq.edu.au %K clinical measurement %K treatment evaluation %K symptom change %K symptom scales %K psychotherapeutic change %D 2018 %7 12.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Accurate measurement of treatment-related change is a key part of psychotherapy research and the investigation of treatment efficacy. For this reason, the ability to measure change with accurate and valid methods is critical for psychotherapy. Objective: The aims of this study were to (1) explore the underlying characteristics of depressive symptom change, measured with the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), following psychotherapy, and (2) compare the suitability of different ways to measure and interpret symptom change. A treatment sample of Web-based psychotherapy participants (n=1098) and a waitlist sample (n=96) were used to (1) explore the statistical characteristics of depressive symptom change, and (2) compare the suitability of two common types of change functions: linear and proportional change. Methods: These objectives were explored using hypotheses that tested (1) the relationship between baseline symptoms and the rate of change, (2) the shape of symptom score distribution following treatment, and (3) measurement error associated with linear and proportional measurement models. Results: Findings demonstrated that (1) individuals with severe depressive baseline symptoms had greater reductions in symptom scores than individuals with mild baseline symptoms (11.4 vs 3.7); however, as a percentage measurement, change remained similar across individuals with mild, moderate, or severe baseline symptoms (50%-55%); (2) positive skewness was observed in PHQ-9 score distributions following treatment; and (3) models that measured symptom change as a proportional function resulted in greater model fit and reduced measurement error (<30%). Conclusions: This study suggests that symptom scales, sharing an implicit feature of score bounding, are associated with a proportional function of change. Selecting statistics that overlook this proportional change (eg, Cohen d) is problematic and leads to (1) artificially increased estimates of change with higher baseline symptoms, (2) increased measurement error, and (3) confounded estimates of treatment efficacy and clinical change. Implications, limitations, and idiosyncrasies from these results are discussed. %M 30001999 %R 10.2196/10200 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e10200/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10200 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30001999 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e49 %T Patients’ Experiences of Web- and Mobile-Assisted Group Therapy for Depression and Implications of the Group Setting: Qualitative Follow-Up Study %A Schuster,Raphael %A Sigl,Sophia %A Berger,Thomas %A Laireiter,Anton-Rupert %+ Center for Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Hellbrunnerstraße 34, Salzburg, 5020, Austria, 43 6628044 ext 5102, raphael.schuster@sbg.ac.at %K internet %K computer-assisted therapy %K smartphone-assisted therapy %K blended therapy %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K depression %K therapeutic process %K working alliance %D 2018 %7 11.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Blended group therapy combines group sessions with Web- and mobile-based treatment modules. Consequently, blended group therapy widens the choice within blended interventions at reasonable costs. This is the first qualitative study on blended group therapy. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the patient-centered feasibility of blended group therapy for major depression, with special emphasis on the fit and dynamic interplay between face-to-face and internet-based elements. Methods: A total of 22 patients who had a variety of experiences through participating in one of the two blended group therapy interventions were interviewed following a semistructured interview guide. In-depth interviews were analyzed by three trained psychologists, using thematic analysis and a rule-guided internet-based program (QCAmap). The transcript of the interviews (113,555 words) was reduced to 1081 coded units, with subsequent extraction of 16 themes. Results: Web- and mobile-based elements were described as a treatment facilitator and motivator, increasing the salience and consolidation of cognitive behavioral therapy materials, resulting in in- and inter-session alignment to the treatment. Additionally, patients valued the option of intimate Web-based self-disclosure (by lateral patient-therapist communication), and therapists were provided with tools for between-session monitoring and reinforcement of exercising. In this context, group phenomena seemed to back up therapists’ efforts to increase treatment engagement. The dissonance because of noncompliance with Web-based tasks and the constriction of in-session group interaction were considered as possible negative effects. Finally, issues of tailoring and structure seemed to fulfill different preconditions compared with individual therapy. Conclusions: Blended group therapy constitutes a structured and proactive approach to work with depression, and the integration of both modalities initiates a beneficial interplay. Results support the patient-centered value of blended group therapy and provide the first insight into blended group therapy’s role in fostering therapeutic treatment factors. However, potential negative effects should be considered carefully. %M 29997106 %R 10.2196/mental.9613 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e49/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9613 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29997106 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e10078 %T Reaching Those At Risk for Psychiatric Disorders and Suicidal Ideation: Facebook Advertisements to Recruit Military Veterans %A Teo,Alan R %A Liebow,Samuel BL %A Chan,Benjamin %A Dobscha,Steven K %A Graham,Amanda L %+ HSR&D Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC), VA Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Road (R&D 66), Portland, OR, 97239-2964, United States, 1 503 220 8262 ext 52461, teoa@ohsu.edu %K Facebook %K social media %K methodology %K Veterans Affairs %K veterans %D 2018 %7 05.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Younger military veterans are at high risk for psychiatric disorders and suicide. Reaching and engaging veterans in mental health care and research is challenging. Social media platforms may be an effective channel to connect with veterans. Objective: This study tested the effectiveness of Facebook advertisements in reaching and recruiting Iraq and Afghanistan-era military veterans in a research study focused on mental health. Methods: Facebook ads requesting participation in an online health survey ran for six weeks in 2017. Ads varied imagery and headlines. Validated instruments were used to screen for psychiatric disorders and suicidality. Outcomes included impressions, click-through rate, survey completion, and cost per survey completed. Results: Advertisements produced 827,918 impressions, 9,527 clicks, and 587 survey completions. Lack of enrollment in Veterans Affairs health care (193/587, 33%) and positive screens for current mental health problems were common, including posttraumatic stress disorder (266/585, 45%), problematic drinking (243/584, 42%), major depression (164/586, 28%), and suicidality (132/585, 23%). Approximately half of the survey participants (285/587, 49%) were recruited with just 2 of the 15 ads, which showed soldiers marching tied to an “incentive” or “sharing” headline. These 2 ads were also the most cost-effective, at US $4.88 and US $5.90 per participant, respectively. Among veterans with current suicidal ideation, the survey-taking image resulted in higher survey completion than the soldiers marching image (P=.007). Conclusions: Facebook advertisements are effective in rapidly and inexpensively reaching military veterans, including those at risk for mental health problems and suicidality, and those not receiving Veterans Affairs health care. Advertisement image and headlines may help optimize the effectiveness of advertisements for specific subgroups. %M 29980498 %R 10.2196/10078 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/3/e10078/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10078 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29980498 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-9279 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 3 %P e13 %T Indigenous Adolescents’ Perception of an eMental Health Program (SPARX): Exploratory Qualitative Assessment %A Shepherd,Matthew %A Merry,Sally %A Lambie,Ian %A Thompson,Andrew %+ School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work, Faculty of Education, The University of Auckland, Gate 4, 60 Epsom Ave, Epsom, Auckland,, New Zealand, 64 9 623 8899 ext 46368, m.shepherd@auckland.ac.nz %K Māori youth %K indigenous %K depression %K computerized CBT %K consumer views %K serious games %K virtual worlds %D 2018 %7 05.07.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Serious Games %G English %X Background: Depression is a major health issue for indigenous adolescents, yet there is little research conducted about the efficacy and development of psychological interventions for these populations. In New Zealand there is little known about taitamariki (Māori adolescent) opinions regarding the development and effectiveness of psychological interventions, let alone computerized cognitive behavioral therapy. SPARX (Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts) is a computerized intervention developed in New Zealand to treat mild-to-moderate depression in young people. Users are engaged in a virtual 3D environment where they must complete missions to progress to the next level. In each level there are challenges and puzzles to completeIt was designed to appeal to all young people in New Zealand and incorporates several images and concepts that are specifically Māori. Objective: The aim was to conduct an exploratory qualitative study of Māori adolescents’ opinions about the SPARX program. This is a follow-up to an earlier study where taitamariki opinions were gathered to inform the design of a computerized cognitive behavior therapy program. Methods: Taitamariki were interviewed using a semistructured interview once they had completed work with the SPARX resource. Six participants agreed to complete the interview; the interviews ranged from 10 to 30 minutes. Results: Taitamariki participating in the interviews found SPARX to be helpful. The Māori designs from the SPARX game were appropriate and useful, and the ability to customize the SPARX characters with Māori designs was beneficial and appeared to enhance cultural identity. These helped young people to feel engaged with SPARX which, in turn, assisted with the acquisition of relaxation and cognitive restructuring skills. Overall, using SPARX led to improved mood and increased levels of hope for the participants. In some instances, SPARX was used by wider whānau (Māori word for family) members with reported beneficial effect. Conclusions: Overall, this small group of Māori adolescents reported that cultural designs made it easier for them to engage with SPARX, which, in turn, led to an improvement in their mood and gave them hope. Further research is needed about how SPARX could be best used to support the families of these young people. %M 29980495 %R 10.2196/games.8752 %U http://games.jmir.org/2018/3/e13/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/games.8752 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29980495 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e10122 %T Data-Driven Learning in High-Resolution Activity Sampling From Patients With Bipolar Depression: Mixed-Methods Study %A Rohani,Darius Adam %A Tuxen,Nanna %A Quemada Lopategui,Andrea %A Kessing,Lars Vedel %A Bardram,Jakob Eyvind %+ Embedded Systems Engineering, Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Richard Petersens Plads Bygning 324, Kgs. Lyngby, 2800, Denmark, 45 61452393 ext 45, daroh@dtu.dk %K activities %K behavior %K behavioral activation %K bipolar disorder %K circadian rhythm %K depression %K hourly planning %K psychotherapy %K statistics %D 2018 %7 28.06.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Behavioral activation is a pen and paper-based therapy form for treating depression. The patient registers their activity hourly, and together with the therapist, they agree on a plan to change behavior. However, with the limited clinical personnel, and a growing patient population, new methods are needed to advance behavioral activation. Objective: The objectives of this paper were to (1) automatically identify behavioral patterns through statistical analysis of the paper-based activity diaries, and (2) determine whether it is feasible to move the behavioral activation therapy format to a digital solution. Methods: We collected activity diaries from seven patients with bipolar depression, covering in total 2,480 hours of self-reported activities. A pleasure score, on a 1-10 rating scale, was reported for each activity. The activities were digitalized into 6 activity categories, and statistical analyses were conducted. Results: Across all patients, movement-related activities were associated with the highest pleasure score followed by social activities. On an individual level, through a nonparametric Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test, one patient had a statistically significant larger amount of spare time activities when feeling bad (z=–2.045, P=.041). Through a within-subject analysis of covariance, the patients were found to have a better day than the previous, if that previous day followed their diurnal rhythm (ρ=.265, P=.029). Furthermore, a second-order trend indicated that two hours of daily social activity was optimal for the patients (β2=–0.08, t (63)=–1.22, P=.23). Conclusions: The data-driven statistical approach was able to find patterns within the behavioral traits that could assist the therapist in as well as help design future technologies for behavioral activation. %M 29954726 %R 10.2196/10122 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e10122/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10122 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29954726 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e48 %T eMental Healthcare Technologies for Anxiety and Depression in Childhood and Adolescence: Systematic Review of Studies Reporting Implementation Outcomes %A Wozney,Lori %A McGrath,Patrick J %A Gehring,Nicole D %A Bennett,Kathryn %A Huguet,Anna %A Hartling,Lisa %A Dyson,Michele P %A Soleimani,Amir %A Newton,Amanda S %+ Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, 3-526 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405 - 87 Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada, 1 780 248 5581, mandi.newton@ualberta.ca %K eHealth %K mental health %K implementation science %K healthcare planning %K organizational innovation %K decision-making %K healthcare organizations %D 2018 %7 26.06.2018 %9 Review %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Anxiety disorders and depression are frequent conditions in childhood and adolescence. eMental healthcare technologies may improve access to services, but their uptake within health systems is limited. Objective: The objective of this review was to examine and describe how the implementation of eMental healthcare technologies for anxiety disorders and depression in children and adolescents has been studied. Methods: We conducted a search of 5 electronic databases and gray literature. Eligible studies were those that assessed an eMental healthcare technology for treating or preventing anxiety or depression, included children or adolescents (<18 years), or their parents or healthcare providers and reported findings on technology implementation. The methodological quality of studies was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Outcomes of interest were based on 8 implementation outcomes: acceptability (satisfaction with a technology), adoption (technology uptake and utilization), appropriateness (“fitness for purpose”), cost (financial impact of technology implementation), feasibility (extent to which a technology was successfully used), fidelity (implementation as intended), penetration (“spread” or “reach” of the technology), and sustainability (maintenance or integration of a technology within a healthcare service). For extracted implementation outcome data, we coded favorable ratings on measurement scales as “positive results” and unfavorable ratings on measurement scales as “negative results.” Those studies that reported both positive and negative findings were coded as having “mixed results.” Results: A total of 46 studies met the inclusion criteria, the majority of which were rated as very good to excellent in methodological quality. These studies investigated eMental healthcare technologies for anxiety (n=23), depression (n=18), or both anxiety and depression (n=5). Studies of technologies for anxiety evaluated the following: (1) acceptability (78%) reported high levels of satisfaction, (2) adoption (43%) commonly reported positive results, and (3) feasibility (43%) reported mixed results. Studies of technologies for depression evaluated the following: (1) appropriateness (56%) reported moderate helpfulness and (2) acceptability (50%) described a mix of both positive and negative findings. Studies of technologies designed to aid anxiety and depression commonly reported mixed experiences with acceptability and adoption and positive findings for appropriateness of the technologies for treatment. Across all studies, cost, fidelity, and penetration and sustainability were the least measured implementation outcomes. Conclusions: Acceptability of eMental healthcare technology is high among users and is the most commonly investigated implementation outcome. Perceptions of the appropriateness and adoption of eMental healthcare technology were varied. Implementation research that identifies, evaluates, and reports on costs, sustainability, and fidelity to clinical guidelines is crucial for making high-quality eMental healthcare available to children and adolescents. %M 29945858 %R 10.2196/mental.9655 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e48/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9655 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29945858 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e10732 %T Efficacy of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Reducing Suicidal Ideation and Deliberate Self-Harm: Systematic Review %A Tighe,Joseph %A Nicholas,Jennifer %A Shand,Fiona %A Christensen,Helen %+ Black Dog Institute, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, Sydney, 2031, Australia, 61 416747998, j.tighe@blackdog.org.au %K suicidal ideation %K suicide %K deliberate self-harm %K depression %K mental health %K acceptance and commitment therapy %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K mHealth %K psychology %K ACT %D 2018 %7 25.06.2018 %9 Review %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Since its emergence in the 1980s, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has become a reputable evidence-based psychological therapy for certain disorders. Trials examining the efficacy of ACT are spread across a broad spectrum of presentations, such as chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. Nevertheless, ACT has very rarely been trialed as an intervention for suicidal ideation (SI) or deliberate self-harm (DSH). Objective: The objective of this review is to assess the efficacy of ACT in reducing SI and DSH and to examine the suitability of reported SI, DSH, and other measures in determining the efficacy of ACT. Methods: We systematically reviewed studies on ACT as intervention for SI and self-harm. Electronic databases, including MEDLINE, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, SCOPUS, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, were searched. The reference lists of included studies and relevant systematic reviews were examined to identify additional publications. Search terms were identified with reference to the terminology used in previous review papers on ACT and suicide prevention. The study design was not restricted to randomized controlled trials. Screening was completed by 2 reviewers, and all duplicates were removed. Publications were excluded if they were not published in English, were multicomponent therapy or were not based on ACT, or lacked a validated measure or structured reporting of SI/DSH outcomes. Results: After removing the duplicates, 554 articles were screened for relevance. Following the screening, 5 studies that used ACT as an intervention for suicidal or self-harming individuals were identified. The studies used diverse methodologies and included 2 case studies, 2 pre–post studies, and 1 mHealth randomized controlled trial. Conclusions: The review found that ACT is effective in reducing SI in the 2 pre–post studies but not in other studies. However, given the small number and lack of methodological rigor of the studies included in this review, insufficient evidence exists for the recommendation of ACT as an intervention for SI or DSH. %M 29941419 %R 10.2196/10732 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e10732/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10732 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29941419 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 6 %P e161 %T Prospective Epidemiological Research on Functioning Outcomes Related to Major Depressive Disorder in Japan (PERFORM-J): Protocol for a Prospective Cohort Study %A Sumiyoshi,Tomiki %A Watanabe,Koichiro %A Noto,Shinichi %A Sakamoto,Shigeru %A Moriguchi,Yoshiya %A Okamoto,Shuichi %+ Department of Preventive Intervention for Psychiatric Disorders, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, 4-1-1 Ogawahigashi, Kodaira, Tokyo, 187-8551, Japan, 81 42 341 2711, sumiyot@ncnp.go.jp %K antidepressants %K depression %K major depressive disorder %K cognitive dysfunction %K observational study %D 2018 %7 25.06.2018 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Patients with major depressive disorder may exhibit cognitive dysfunction that can affect functional outcomes. However, the prevalence and burden of cognitive dysfunction in Japanese patients with MDD have not been thoroughly examined. Objective: To investigate the time course (over 6 months) of several functional outcomes during treatment with antidepressants in Japanese patients with major depressive disorder. The primary objective is to assess longitudinal changes in cognitive function and depressive symptoms, using both clinician-rated and patient-rated scales. The study incorporates assessments of cognitive function and other functional outcomes (functional capacity, disability, work productivity and impairments of activity, and quality of life), as well as depressive symptoms. Methods: PERFORM-J (Prospective Epidemiological Research on Functioning Outcomes Related to Major Depressive Disorder in Japan) is a 6-month, prospective, multi-center, epidemiological cohort study. Participants are Japanese outpatients aged 18-65 years with a recurrent or new diagnosis of a major depressive episode (according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision [DSM-IV-TR]), who are initiating a new antidepressant as monotherapy (either as first-line therapy or after switching from a previous antidepressant). Eligible patients are evaluated objectively during four visits (at baseline and at Months 1, 2, and 6) using physician-rated assessments of severity of depressive symptoms, cognitive function, and functional capacity. Subjective, patient-reported, outcomes are also assessed as indicators of depressive symptoms, disability, work productivity or impairments of activity, and perceived cognitive dysfunction. Results: The study began in September 2016. Patient enrollment was completed on June 30, 2017, with 523 patients having been enrolled from 48 study sites. As of October, 2017, 279 patients had completed the study. Conclusions: PERFORM-J is expected to provide valuable information on the longitudinal relationship between cognitive dysfunction, depressive symptoms, and other functional outcomes in Japanese patients with major depressive disorder who initiate monotherapy with antidepressants. Trial Registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000024320; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi? recptno=R000028011 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/70K7W9PgC). Registered Report Identifier: RR1-10.2196/9682 %M 29941418 %R 10.2196/resprot.9682 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2018/6/e161/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.9682 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29941418 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e10144 %T Using Neural Networks with Routine Health Records to Identify Suicide Risk: Feasibility Study %A DelPozo-Banos,Marcos %A John,Ann %A Petkov,Nicolai %A Berridge,Damon Mark %A Southern,Kate %A LLoyd,Keith %A Jones,Caroline %A Spencer,Sarah %A Travieso,Carlos Manuel %+ Swansea University, Swansea University Medical School, Institute of Life Science 2, 3rd Floor, Swansa University Singleton Park Campus, Swansea, SA2 8PP, United Kingdom, 44 1792604094, M.DelPozoBanos@swansea.ac.uk %K suicide prevention %K risk assessment %K electronic health records %K routine data %K machine learning %K artificial neural networks %D 2018 %7 22.06.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Each year, approximately 800,000 people die by suicide worldwide, accounting for 1–2 in every 100 deaths. It is always a tragic event with a huge impact on family, friends, the community and health professionals. Unfortunately, suicide prevention and the development of risk assessment tools have been hindered by the complexity of the underlying mechanisms and the dynamic nature of a person’s motivation and intent. Many of those who die by suicide had contact with health services in the preceding year but identifying those most at risk remains a challenge. Objective: To explore the feasibility of using artificial neural networks with routinely collected electronic health records to support the identification of those at high risk of suicide when in contact with health services. Methods: Using the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage Databank UK, we extracted the data of those who died by suicide between 2001 and 2015 and paired controls. Looking at primary (general practice) and secondary (hospital admissions) electronic health records, we built a binary feature vector coding the presence of risk factors at different times prior to death. Risk factors included: general practice contact and hospital admission; diagnosis of mental health issues; injury and poisoning; substance misuse; maltreatment; sleep disorders; and the prescription of opiates and psychotropics. Basic artificial neural networks were trained to differentiate between the suicide cases and paired controls. We interpreted the output score as the estimated suicide risk. System performance was assessed with 10x10-fold repeated cross-validation, and its behavior was studied by representing the distribution of estimated risk across the cases and controls, and the distribution of factors across estimated risks. Results: We extracted a total of 2604 suicide cases and 20 paired controls per case. Our best system attained a mean error rate of 26.78% (SD 1.46; 64.57% of sensitivity and 81.86% of specificity). While the distribution of controls was concentrated around estimated risks < 0.5, cases were almost uniformly distributed between 0 and 1. Prescription of psychotropics, depression and anxiety, and self-harm increased the estimated risk by ~0.4. At least 95% of those presenting these factors were identified as suicide cases. Conclusions: Despite the simplicity of the implemented system, the proposed methodology obtained an accuracy like other published methods based on specialized questionnaire generated data. Most of the errors came from the heterogeneity of patterns shown by suicide cases, some of which were identical to those of the paired controls. Prescription of psychotropics, depression and anxiety, and self-harm were strongly linked with higher estimated risk scores, followed by hospital admission and long-term drug and alcohol misuse. Other risk factors like sleep disorders and maltreatment had more complex effects. %M 29934287 %R 10.2196/10144 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e10144/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10144 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29934287 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 6 %P e215 %T Detecting Suicidal Ideation on Forums: Proof-of-Concept Study %A Aladağ,Ahmet Emre %A Muderrisoglu,Serra %A Akbas,Naz Berfu %A Zahmacioglu,Oguzhan %A Bingol,Haluk O %+ Department of Computer Engineering, Bogazici University, Bebek, Istanbul, 34342, Turkey, 90 2123594523, emre.aladag@boun.edu.tr %K suicide %K suicidal ideation %K suicidality %K detection %K prevention %K classification model %K text mining %K machine learning %K artificial intelligence %K suicidal surveillance %D 2018 %7 21.06.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: In 2016, 44,965 people in the United States died by suicide. It is common to see people with suicidal ideation seek help or leave suicide notes on social media before attempting suicide. Many prefer to express their feelings with longer passages on forums such as Reddit and blogs. Because these expressive posts follow regular language patterns, potential suicide attempts can be prevented by detecting suicidal posts as they are written. Objective: This study aims to build a classifier that differentiates suicidal and nonsuicidal forum posts via text mining methods applied on post titles and bodies. Methods: A total of 508,398 Reddit posts longer than 100 characters and posted between 2008 and 2016 on SuicideWatch, Depression, Anxiety, and ShowerThoughts subreddits were downloaded from the publicly available Reddit dataset. Of these, 10,785 posts were randomly selected and 785 were manually annotated as suicidal or nonsuicidal. Features were extracted using term frequency-inverse document frequency, linguistic inquiry and word count, and sentiment analysis on post titles and bodies. Logistic regression, random forest, and support vector machine (SVM) classification algorithms were applied on resulting corpus and prediction performance is evaluated. Results: The logistic regression and SVM classifiers correctly identified suicidality of posts with 80% to 92% accuracy and F1 score, respectively, depending on different data compositions closely followed by random forest, compared to baseline ZeroR algorithm achieving 50% accuracy and 66% F1 score. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that it is possible to detect people with suicidal ideation on online forums with high accuracy. The logistic regression classifier in this study can potentially be embedded on blogs and forums to make the decision to offer real-time online counseling in case a suicidal post is being written. %M 29929945 %R 10.2196/jmir.9840 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/6/e215/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9840 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29929945 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 6 %P e10001 %T Comparing Approaches to Mobile Depression Assessment for Measurement-Based Care: Prospective Study %A Bauer,Amy M %A Baldwin,Scott A %A Anguera,Joaquin A %A Areán,Patricia A %A Atkins,David C %+ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356560, Seattle, WA, 98195 6560, United States, 1 2062218385, abauer1@uw.edu %K Patient Health Questionnaire %K depression %K mobile health %K symptom assessment %D 2018 %7 19.06.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: To inform measurement-based care, practice guidelines suggest routine symptom monitoring, often on a weekly or monthly basis. Increasingly, patient-provider contacts occur remotely (eg, by telephone and Web-based portals), and mobile health tools can now monitor depressed mood daily or more frequently. However, the reliability and utility of daily ratings are unclear. Objective: This study aimed to examine the association between a daily depressive symptom measure and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the most widely adopted depression self-report measure, and compare how well these 2 assessment methods predict patient outcomes. Methods: A total of 547 individuals completed smartphone-based measures, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) modified for daily administration, the PHQ-9, and the Sheehan Disability Scale. Multilevel factor analyses evaluated the reliability of latent depression based on the PHQ-2 (for repeated measures) between weeks 2 and 4 and its correlation with the PHQ-9 at week 4. Regression models predicted week 8 depressive symptoms and disability ratings with daily PHQ-2 and PHQ-9. Results: The daily PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 are highly reliable (range: 0.80-0.88) and highly correlated (r=.80). Findings were robust across demographic groups (age, gender, and ethnic minority status). Daily PHQ-2 and PHQ-9 were comparable in predicting week 8 disability and were independent predictors of week 8 depressive symptoms and disability, though the unique contribution of the PHQ-2 was small in magnitude. Conclusions: Daily completion of the PHQ-2 is a reasonable proxy for the PHQ-9 and is comparable to the PHQ-9 in predicting future outcomes. Mobile assessment methods offer researchers and clinicians reliable and valid new methods for depression assessment that may be leveraged for measurement-based depression care. %M 29921564 %R 10.2196/10001 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/6/e10001/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10001 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29921564 %0 Journal Article %@ 2561-326X %I JMIR Publications %V 2 %N 1 %P e12 %T Investigating Associations Between Changes in Mobile Phone Use and Emotions Using the Experience Sampling Method: Pilot Study %A Roggeveen,Suzanne %A van Os,Jim %A Bemelmans,Kelly %A van Poll,Mikal %A Lousberg,Richel %+ Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Maastricht University, Vijverdalseweg 1, Maastricht,, Netherlands, 31 43 3884111, s.roggeveen@maastrichtuniversity.nl %K mobile phone %K experience sampling method %K emotions %K affect %K concentration %D 2018 %7 18.06.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Formativ Res %G English %X Background: The use of mobile phones has become, especially for young people, an integrated part of everyday life. Using the experience sampling method (ESM) may provide further insight on the association between mobile phone use and mental health. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine associations between mobile phone use and subtle changes in mental state. Methods: The ESM-based PsyMate app was installed on the mobile phones of 2 healthy 20-year-old participants. Over a period of 3 months, participants rated their mental states at 10 semirandom moments in the flow of daily life. Each assessment included present state emotions, environmental circumstances, and phone use. Results: Multilevel regression analyses indicated that an increase in mobile phone use was associated with a small increase in negative affect (particularly feeling bored and feeling lonely; P<.001) and small decreases in positive affect (P=.002) and concentration (P=.001). Treating the data as 2 separate N=1 studies revealed that the association with negative affect was present in both participants, whereas the associations with positive affect and concentration were evident in only 1 of the 2 participants. Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that mobile phone use may be associated with person-specific and group-level changes in emotional state. A larger study is required to study these associations, possible causality, and factors driving underlying heterogeneity in the pattern of associations. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03221985; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03221985 (archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6zJnp61Wj) %M 30684428 %R 10.2196/formative.8499 %U http://formative.jmir.org/2018/1/e12/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/formative.8499 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30684428 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 6 %P e139 %T Smartphone Apps for Mindfulness Interventions for Suicidality in Asian Youths: Literature Review %A Choo,Carol C %A Burton,André AD %+ James Cook University, 149 Sims Drive, Singapore,, Singapore, 65 67093760, carol.choo@jcu.edu.au %K suicidality %K Asian youths %K smartphone applications %K mindfulness %D 2018 %7 07.06.2018 %9 Review %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: The advent of mobile technology has ushered in an era in which smartphone apps can be used as interventions for suicidality. Objective: We aimed to review recent research that is relevant to smartphone apps that can be used for mindfulness interventions for suicidality in Asian youths. Methods: The inclusion criteria for this review were: papers published in peer-reviewed journals from 2007 to 2017 with usage of search terms (namely “smartphone application” and “mindfulness”) and screened by an experienced Asian clinician to be of clinical utility for mindfulness interventions for suicidality with Asian youths. Results: The initial search of databases yielded 375 results. Fourteen full text papers that fit the inclusion criteria were assessed for eligibility and 10 papers were included in the current review. Conclusions: This review highlighted the paucity of evidence-based and empirically validated research into effective smartphone apps that can be used for mindfulness interventions for suicidality with Asian youths. %R 10.2196/mhealth.8304 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/6/e139/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.8304 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 6 %P e10120 %T User Experience of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Apps for Depression: An Analysis of App Functionality and User Reviews %A Stawarz,Katarzyna %A Preist,Chris %A Tallon,Debbie %A Wiles,Nicola %A Coyle,David %+ Bristol Interaction Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Bristol, Merchant Venturers Building, Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1UB, United Kingdom, 44 1179545289, k.stawarz@bristol.ac.uk %K mental health %K mobile apps %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K depression %K user experience %K mHealth %D 2018 %7 06.06.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Hundreds of mental health apps are available to the general public. With increasing pressures on health care systems, they offer a potential way for people to support their mental health and well-being. However, although many are highly rated by users, few are evidence-based. Equally, our understanding of what makes apps engaging and valuable to users is limited. Objective: The aim of this paper was to analyze functionality and user opinions of mobile apps purporting to support cognitive behavioral therapy for depression and to explore key factors that have an impact on user experience and support engagement. Methods: We systematically identified apps described as being based on cognitive behavioral therapy for depression. We then conducted 2 studies. In the first, we analyzed the therapeutic functionality of apps. This corroborated existing work on apps’ fidelity to cognitive behavioral therapy theory, but we also extended prior work by examining features designed to support user engagement. Engagement features found in cognitive behavioral therapy apps for depression were compared with those found in a larger group of apps that support mental well-being in a more general sense. Our second study involved a more detailed examination of user experience, through a thematic analysis of publicly available user reviews of cognitive behavioral therapy apps for depression. Results: We identified 31 apps that purport to be based on cognitive behavioral therapy for depression. Functionality analysis (study 1) showed that they offered an eclectic mix of features, including many not based on cognitive behavioral therapy practice. Cognitive behavioral therapy apps used less varied engagement features compared with 253 other mental well-being apps. The analysis of 1287 user reviews of cognitive behavioral therapy apps for depression (study 2) showed that apps are used in a wide range of contexts, both replacing and augmenting therapy, and allowing users to play an active role in supporting their mental health and well-being. Users, including health professionals, valued and used apps that incorporated both core cognitive behavioral therapy and non-cognitive behavioral therapy elements, but concerns were also expressed regarding the unsupervised use of apps. Positivity was seen as important to engagement, for example, in the context of automatic thoughts, users expressed a preference to capture not just negative but also positive ones. Privacy, security, and trust were crucial to the user experience. Conclusions: Cognitive behavioral therapy apps for depression need to improve with respect to incorporating evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy elements. Equally, a positive user experience is dependent on other design factors, including consideration of varying contexts of use. App designers should be able to clearly identify the therapeutic basis of their apps, but they should also draw on evidence-based strategies to support a positive and engaging user experience. The most effective apps are likely to strike a balance between evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy strategies and evidence-based design strategies, including the possibility of eclectic therapeutic techniques. %R 10.2196/10120 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/6/e10120/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10120 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 6 %P e199 %T Beyond the Trial: Systematic Review of Real-World Uptake and Engagement With Digital Self-Help Interventions for Depression, Low Mood, or Anxiety %A Fleming,Theresa %A Bavin,Lynda %A Lucassen,Mathijs %A Stasiak,Karolina %A Hopkins,Sarah %A Merry,Sally %+ Faculty of Health, Victoria University of Wellington, Kelburn Parade, Wellington,, New Zealand, 64 800 842 8888, terry.fleming@vuw.ac.nz %K e-therapy %K mobile applications %K eHealth %K depression %K anxiety %D 2018 %7 06.06.2018 %9 Review %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Digital self-help interventions (including online or computerized programs and apps) for common mental health issues have been shown to be appealing, engaging, and efficacious in randomized controlled trials. They show potential for improving access to therapy and improving population mental health. However, their use in the real world, ie, as implemented (disseminated) outside of research settings, may differ from that reported in trials, and implementation data are seldom reported. Objective: This study aimed to review peer-reviewed articles reporting user uptake and/or ongoing use, retention, or completion data (hereafter usage data or, for brevity, engagement) from implemented pure self-help (unguided) digital interventions for depression, anxiety, or the enhancement of mood. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of the Scopus, Embase, MEDLINE, and PsychINFO databases for studies reporting user uptake and/or usage data from implemented digital self-help interventions for the treatment or prevention of depression or anxiety, or the enhancement of mood, from 2002 to 2017. Additionally, we screened the reference lists of included articles, citations of these articles, and the titles of articles published in Internet Interventions, Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR), and JMIR Mental Health since their inception. We extracted data indicating the number of registrations or downloads and usage of interventions. Results: After the removal of duplicates, 970 papers were identified, of which 10 met the inclusion criteria. Hand searching identified 1 additional article. The included articles reported on 7 publicly available interventions. There was little consistency in the measures reported. The number of registrants or downloads ranged widely, from 8 to over 40,000 per month. From 21% to 88% of users engaged in at least minimal use (eg, used the intervention at least once or completed one module or assessment), whereas 7-42% engaged in moderate use (completing between 40% and 60% of modular fixed-length programs or continuing to use apps after 4 weeks). Indications of completion or sustained use (completion of all modules or the last assessment or continuing to use apps after six weeks or more) varied from 0.5% to 28.6%. Conclusions: Available data suggest that uptake and engagement vary widely among the handful of implemented digital self-help apps and programs that have reported this, and that usage may vary from that reported in trials. Implementation data should be routinely gathered and reported to facilitate improved uptake and engagement, arguably among the major challenges in digital health. %R 10.2196/jmir.9275 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/6/e199/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9275 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 6 %P e10494 %T A Self-Paced, Web-Based, Positive Emotion Skills Intervention for Reducing Symptoms of Depression: Protocol for Development and Pilot Testing of MARIGOLD %A Cheung,Elaine O %A Addington,Elizabeth L %A Bassett,Sarah M %A Schuette,Stephanie A %A Shiu,Eva W %A Cohn,Michael A %A Leykin,Yan %A Saslow,Laura R %A Moskowitz,Judith T %+ Department of Medical Social Sciences, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 625 N Michigan, Suite #2700, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States, 1 3125034388, elaine-cheung@northwestern.edu %K emotions %K depression %K telemedicine %K happiness %K mobile apps %D 2018 %7 05.06.2018 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Living with elevated symptoms of depression can have debilitating consequences for an individual’s psychosocial and physical functioning, quality of life, and health care utilization. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that skills for increasing positive emotion can be helpful to individuals with depression. Although Web-based interventions to reduce negative emotion in individuals with depression are available, these interventions frequently suffer from poor retention and adherence and do not capitalize on the potential benefits of increasing positive emotion. Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and test a Web-based positive emotion skills intervention tailored for individuals living with elevated depressive symptoms, as well as to develop and test enhancement strategies for increasing retention and adherence to that intervention. Methods: This study protocol describes the development and testing for Mobile Affect Regulation Intervention with the Goal of Lowering Depression (MARIGOLD), a Web-based positive emotion skills intervention, adapted for individuals with elevated depressive symptomatology. The intervention development is taking place in three phases. In phase 1, we are tailoring an existing positive emotion skills intervention for individuals with elevated symptoms of depression and are pilot testing the tailored version of the intervention in a randomized controlled trial with two control conditions (N=60). In phase 2, we are developing and testing three enhancements aimed at boosting retention and adherence to the Web-based intervention (N=75): facilitator contact, an online discussion board, and virtual badges. In phase 3, we are conducting a multifactorial, nine-arm pilot trial (N=600) to systematically test these enhancement strategies, individually and in combination. The primary outcome is depressive symptom severity. Secondary outcomes include positive and negative emotion, psychological well-being, and coping resources. Results: The project was funded in August 2014, and data collection was completed in May 2018. Data analysis is currently under way, and the first results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2018. Conclusions: Findings from this investigation will enable us to develop an optimal package of intervention content and enhancement strategies for individuals with elevated symptoms of depression. If this intervention proves to be effective, it will provide a cost-effective, anonymous, appealing, and flexible approach for reducing symptoms of depression and improving psychological adjustment through increasing positive emotion. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01964820 (Phase 1); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01964820 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6zpmKBcyX). ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02861755 (Phase 2); https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02861755 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6zpmLmy8k). Registered Report Identifier: RR1-10.2196/10494 %R 10.2196/10494 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2018/6/e10494/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10494 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e10425 %T Mobile Phone Intervention to Reduce Youth Suicide in Rural Communities: Field Test %A Pisani,Anthony R %A Wyman,Peter A %A Gurditta,Kunali %A Schmeelk-Cone,Karen %A Anderson,Carolyn L %A Judd,Emily %+ Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Box PSYC, 300 Crittenden Boulevard, Rochester, NY, 14642, United States, 1 (585) 275 3644, anthony_pisani@urmc.rochester.edu %K suicide prevention %K school-based program %K text messaging %K school health services %D 2018 %7 31.05.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death among 10- to 19-year-olds in the United States, with 5% to 8% attempting suicide each year. Suicide risk rises significantly during early adolescence and is higher in rural and underserved communities. School-based universal prevention programs offer a promising way of reducing suicide by providing strategies for emotion regulation and encouraging help-seeking behaviors and youth-adult connectedness. However, such programs frequently run into difficulties in trying to engage a broad range of students. Text messaging is a dominant medium of communication among youths, and studies show both efficacy and uptake in text messaging interventions aimed at adolescents. Text-based interventions may, thus, offer a means for school-based universal prevention programs to engage adolescents who would otherwise be difficult to reach. Objective: We field tested Text4Strength, an automated, interactive text messaging intervention that seeks to reach a broad range of early adolescents in rural communities. Text4Strength extends Sources of Strength, a peer-led school suicide prevention program, by encouraging emotion regulation, help-seeking behaviors, and youth-adult connectedness in adolescents. The study tested the appeal and feasibility of Text4Strength and its potential to extend universal school-based suicide prevention. Methods: We field tested Text4Strength with 42 ninth-grade students. Over 9 weeks, students received 28 interactive message sequences across 9 categories (Sources of Strength introduction, positive friend, mentors, family support, healthy activities, generosity, spirituality, medical access, and emotion regulation strategies). The message sequences included games, requests for advice, questions about students’ own experiences, and peer testimonial videos. We measured baseline mental health characteristics, frequency of replies, completion of sequences and video viewing, appeal to students, and their perception of having benefited from the program. Results: Of the 42 participating students, 38 (91%) responded to at least one sequence and 22 (52%) responded to more than a third of the sequences. The proportion of students who completed multistep sequences they had started ranged from 35% (6/17) to 100% (3/3 to 28/28), with responses dropping off when more than 4 replies were needed. With the exception of spirituality and generosity, each of the content areas generated at least a moderate number of student replies from both boys and girls. Students with higher and lower levels of risk and distress interacted with the sequences at similar rates. Contrary to expectations, few students watched videos. Students viewed the intervention as useful—even those who rarely responded to messages. More than 70% found the texts useful (3 items, n range 29-34) and 90% (36) agreed the program should be repeated. Conclusions: Text4Strength offers a potentially engaging way to extend school-based interventions that promote protective factors for suicide. Text4Strength is ready to be revised, based on findings and student feedback from this field test, and rigorously tested for efficacy. %R 10.2196/10425 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e10425/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10425 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e36 %T A Web-Based Transdiagnostic Intervention for Affective and Mood Disorders: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Tulbure,Bogdan Tudor %A Rusu,Andrei %A Sava,Florin Alin %A Sălăgean,Nastasia %A Farchione,Todd J %+ Psychology Department, West University of Timisoara, Blvd. V. Parvan 4, Timisoara, 300134, Romania, 40 0 745753061, bogdan.tulbure@e-uvt.ro %K transdiagnostic %K anxiety disorders %K depressive disorder %K cognitive therapy %D 2018 %7 24.05.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Research increasingly supports a transdiagnostic conceptualization of emotional disorders (ie applying the same underlying treatment principles across mental disorders, without tailoring the protocol to specific diagnoses), and many international researchers are currently investigating this issue. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and acceptability of a Web-based transdiagnostic program using a sample of Romanian adults diagnosed with anxiety and/or depression. Methods: Volunteer participants registered for the study and completed a series of online self-report measures. Participants who fulfilled basic inclusion criteria on these measures were contacted for a telephone diagnostic interview using the Structural Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). Enrolled participants were randomized to either the active treatment group (N=69) or the wait-list control group (N=36) using a 2:1 ratio. The transdiagnostic treatment was based on the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders (UP; Barlow et al, 2011) that addresses common underlying mechanisms of anxiety and depression. Participants randomized to the active treatment condition received 10 weeks of Web-based treatment based on the UP. Throughout treatment, graduate students in clinical psychology provided guidance that consisted of asynchronous written communication on a secure Web platform. After the intervention, participants in both study conditions were invited to complete a set of self-report measures and a postintervention SCID-I interview conducted by a different team of graduate students blinded to participants’ group and diagnostic status. Six months later, participants in the active treatment group were invited to complete an online follow-up assessment. Results: During the intervention, active treatment participants completed on average 19 homework assignments (SD 12.10), and we collected data from 79.0% (83/105) at postintervention and 51% (35/69) at follow-up for self-report measures. Postintervention SCID-I interviews were collected from 77.1% (81/105) participants. Relative to the wait-list control group, the transdiagnostic intervention yielded overall medium to large effect sizes for the primary outcome measures (within-group Hedges g=0.52-1.34 and between-group g=0.39-0.86), and also for anxiety sensitivity (g=0.80), symptom interference (g=0.48), and quality of life (g=0.38). Significant within-groups effects only were reported for the active treatment group on Panic Disorder Severity Scale-Self Report (PDSS-SR, g=0.58-0.65) and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS, g=0.52-0.58). Conclusions: Insignificant between-group differences for the Y-BOCS and PDSS-SR could be explained by the small number of participants with the associated primary diagnostic (eg, only 3 participants with obsessive compulsive disorder) by the choice of outcome measure (PDSS-SR was not rated among the evidence-based measures) and by the fact that these disorders may be more difficult to treat. However, the overall results suggest that the transdiagnostic intervention tested in this study represents an effective treatment option that may prove easier to disseminate through the use of Web-based delivery systems. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov CT02739607; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT02739607 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6yY1VeYIZ) %M 29798831 %R 10.2196/mental.8901 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e36/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8901 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29798831 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e43 %T Diurnal Variations of Depression-Related Health Information Seeking: Case Study in Finland Using Google Trends Data %A Tana,Jonas Christoffer %A Kettunen,Jyrki %A Eirola,Emil %A Paakkonen,Heikki %+ Department of Health and Welfare, Arcada University of Applied Sciences, Jan-Magnus Janssons plats 1, Helsinki, 00560, Finland, 358 400500090, jonas.tana@arcada.fi %K depression %K consumer health information %K information seeking behavior %K infoveillance %K infodemiology %K mental health %K search engine %D 2018 %7 23.05.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Some of the temporal variations and clock-like rhythms that govern several different health-related behaviors can be traced in near real-time with the help of search engine data. This is especially useful when studying phenomena where little or no traditional data exist. One specific area where traditional data are incomplete is the study of diurnal mood variations, or daily changes in individuals’ overall mood state in relation to depression-like symptoms. Objective: The objective of this exploratory study was to analyze diurnal variations for interest in depression on the Web to discover hourly patterns of depression interest and help seeking. Methods: Hourly query volume data for 6 depression-related queries in Finland were downloaded from Google Trends in March 2017. A continuous wavelet transform (CWT) was applied to the hourly data to focus on the diurnal variation. Longer term trends and noise were also eliminated from the data to extract the diurnal variation for each query term. An analysis of variance was conducted to determine the statistical differences between the distributions of each hour. Data were also trichotomized and analyzed in 3 time blocks to make comparisons between different time periods during the day. Results: Search volumes for all depression-related query terms showed a unimodal regular pattern during the 24 hours of the day. All queries feature clear peaks during the nighttime hours around 11 PM to 4 AM and troughs between 5 AM and 10 PM. In the means of the CWT-reconstructed data, the differences in nighttime and daytime interest are evident, with a difference of 37.3 percentage points (pp) for the term “Depression,” 33.5 pp for “Masennustesti,” 30.6 pp for “Masennus,” 12.8 pp for “Depression test,” 12.0 pp for “Masennus testi,” and 11.8 pp for “Masennus oireet.” The trichotomization showed peaks in the first time block (00.00 AM-7.59 AM) for all 6 terms. The search volumes then decreased significantly during the second time block (8.00 AM-3.59 PM) for the terms “Masennus oireet” (P<.001), “Masennus” (P=.001), “Depression” (P=.005), and “Depression test” (P=.004). Higher search volumes for the terms “Masennus” (P=.14), “Masennustesti” (P=.07), and “Depression test” (P=.10) were present between the second and third time blocks. Conclusions: Help seeking for depression has clear diurnal patterns, with significant rise in depression-related query volumes toward the evening and night. Thus, search engine query data support the notion of the evening-worse pattern in diurnal mood variation. Information on the timely nature of depression-related interest on an hourly level could improve the chances for early intervention, which is beneficial for positive health outcomes. %M 29792291 %R 10.2196/mental.9152 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e43/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9152 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29792291 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e44 %T Internet Use, Depression, and Anxiety in a Healthy Adolescent Population: Prospective Cohort Study %A Thom,Robyn Pauline %A Bickham,David S %A Rich,Michael %+ Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Brigham and Women's Hospital & Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 60 Fenwood Road, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA, 02115, United States, 1 857 307 5521, rthom@bidmc.harvard.edu %K mental health %K psychiatric disorders %K internet use %K social networking sites %D 2018 %7 22.05.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Psychiatric disorders, including conduct disturbances, substance abuse, and affective disorders, emerge in approximately 20% of adolescents. In parallel with the rise in internet use, the prevalence of depression among adolescents has increased. It remains unclear whether and how internet use impacts mental health in adolescents. Objective: We assess the association between patterns of internet use and two mental health outcomes (depression and anxiety) in a healthy adolescent population. Methods: A total of 126 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 years were recruited. Participants reported their typical computer and internet usage patterns. At baseline and one-year follow-up, they completed the Beck Depression Index for primary care (BDI-PC) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory for Primary Care (BAI-PC). Individual linear regressions were completed to determine the association between markers of internet use at baseline and mental health outcomes at one-year follow-up. All models controlled for age, gender, and ethnicity. Results: There was an inverse correlation between minutes spent on a favorite website per visit and BAI-PC score. No association was found between internet use and BDI-PC score. Conclusions: There is no relationship between internet use patterns and depression in adolescents, whereas internet use may mitigate anxiety in adolescents with higher levels of baseline anxiety. %R 10.2196/mental.8471 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e44/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8471 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e38 %T Temporal Associations Between Social Activity and Mood, Fatigue, and Pain in Older Adults With HIV: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study %A Paolillo,Emily W %A Tang,Bin %A Depp,Colin A %A Rooney,Alexandra S %A Vaida,Florin %A Kaufmann,Christopher N %A Mausbach,Brent T %A Moore,David J %A Moore,Raeanne C %+ Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, 220 Dickinson Street, Suite B, San Diego, CA, 92103, United States, 1 619 543 5378, r6moore@ucsd.edu %K AIDS %K ecological momentary assessment %K social isolation %K happiness %K quality of life %D 2018 %7 14.05.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Social isolation is associated with an increased risk for mental and physical health problems, especially among older persons living with HIV (PLWH). Thus, there is a need to better understand real-time temporal associations between social activity and mood- and health-related factors in this population to inform possible future interventions. Objective: This study aims to examine real-time relationships between social activity and mood, fatigue, and pain in a sample of older PLWH. Methods: A total of 20 older PLWH, recruited from the University of California, San Diego HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program in 2016, completed smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys 5 times per day for 1 week. Participants reported their current social activity (alone vs not alone and number of social interactions) and levels of mood (sadness, happiness, and stress), fatigue, and pain. Mixed-effects regression models were used to analyze concurrent and lagged associations among social activity, mood, fatigue, and pain. Results: Participants (mean age 58.8, SD 4.3 years) reported being alone 63% of the time, on average, (SD 31.5%) during waking hours. Being alone was related to lower concurrent happiness (beta=−.300; 95% CI −.525 to −.079; P=.008). In lagged analyses, social activity predicted higher levels of fatigue later in the day (beta=−1.089; 95% CI −1.780 to −0.396; P=.002), and higher pain levels predicted being alone in the morning with a reduced likelihood of being alone as the day progressed (odds ratio 0.945, 95% CI 0.901-0.992; P=.02). Conclusions: The use of EMA elucidated a high rate of time spent alone among older PLWH. Promoting social activity despite the presence of pain or fatigue may improve happiness and psychological well-being in this population. %M 29759960 %R 10.2196/mental.9802 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e38/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9802 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29759960 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 5 %P e168 %T Predicting Depression From Language-Based Emotion Dynamics: Longitudinal Analysis of Facebook and Twitter Status Updates %A Seabrook,Elizabeth M %A Kern,Margaret L %A Fulcher,Ben D %A Rickard,Nikki S %+ Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Clayton Campus, Melbourne, 3800, Australia, 61 0413170668, elizabeth.seabrook@monash.edu %K automated text analysis %K depression %K Facebook %K Twitter %K emotions %K variability %K instability %D 2018 %7 08.05.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Frequent expression of negative emotion words on social media has been linked to depression. However, metrics have relied on average values, not dynamic measures of emotional volatility. Objective: The aim of this study was to report on the associations between depression severity and the variability (time-unstructured) and instability (time-structured) in emotion word expression on Facebook and Twitter across status updates. Methods: Status updates and depression severity ratings of 29 Facebook users and 49 Twitter users were collected through the app MoodPrism. The average proportion of positive and negative emotion words used, within-person variability, and instability were computed. Results: Negative emotion word instability was a significant predictor of greater depression severity on Facebook (rs(29)=.44, P=.02, 95% CI 0.09-0.69), even after controlling for the average proportion of negative emotion words used (partial rs(26)=.51, P=.006) and within-person variability (partial rs(26)=.49, P=.009). A different pattern emerged on Twitter where greater negative emotion word variability indicated lower depression severity (rs(49)=−.34, P=.01, 95% CI −0.58 to 0.09). Differences between Facebook and Twitter users in their emotion word patterns and psychological characteristics were also explored. Conclusions: The findings suggest that negative emotion word instability may be a simple yet sensitive measure of time-structured variability, useful when screening for depression through social media, though its usefulness may depend on the social media platform. %M 29739736 %R 10.2196/jmir.9267 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/5/e168/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9267 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29739736 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e33 %T Ethical Issues in Addressing Social Media Posts About Suicidal Intentions During an Online Study Among Youth: Case Study %A Young,Sean D %A Garett,Renee %+ University of California Institute for Prediction Technology, Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Suite 1800, 10880 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA,, United States, 1 310 794 8530, sdyoung@mednet.ucla.edu %K suicide %K social media %K undergraduates %D 2018 %7 03.05.2018 %9 Case Study %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Due to the popularity of social media, researchers are increasingly conducting studies that monitor and analyze people’s health-related social media conversations. Because social media users can post about any topic at any time, no known best ethical practices exist as to whether and how to monitor participants’ posts for safety-related issues that might be unrelated to the study, such as expressions of suicidal intentions. This is a case study during a social media-based study on sleep and activity among freshman undergraduate students, where we by chance noticed that a student was using social media to express suicidal intentions. Although we connected the student to student psychological services in order to receive treatment, we encountered a number of barriers that initially prevented this from occurring, such as institutional review board and regulatory practices related to lack of experience with these newer types of studies. We discuss the implications of this experience for future research. %M 29724707 %R 10.2196/mental.8971 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e33/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8971 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29724707 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 5 %P e174 %T Behind the Scenes of Online Therapeutic Feedback in Blended Therapy for Depression: Mixed-Methods Observational Study %A Mol,Mayke %A Dozeman,Els %A Provoost,Simon %A van Schaik,Anneke %A Riper,Heleen %A Smit,Johannes H %+ Department of Psychiatry, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, VU University Medical Center, Van der Boechorststraat 7, Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Netherlands, 31 204448180, m.mol@ggzingeest.nl %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K eHealth %K depressive disorder %D 2018 %7 03.05.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: In Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapies (iCBT), written feedback by therapists is a substantial part of therapy. However, it is not yet known how this feedback should be given best and which specific therapist behaviors and content are most beneficial for patients. General instructions for written feedback are available, but the uptake and effectiveness of these instructions in iCBT have not been studied yet. Objective: This study aimed to identify therapist behaviors in written online communication with patients in blended CBT for adult depression in routine secondary mental health care, to identify the extent to which the therapists adhere to feedback instructions, and to explore whether therapist behaviors and adherence to feedback instructions are associated with patient outcome. Methods: Adults receiving blended CBT (10 online sessions in combination with 5 face-to-face sessions) for depression in routine mental health care were recruited in the context of the European implementation project MasterMind. A qualitative content analysis was used to identify therapist behaviors in online written feedback messages, and a checklist for the feedback instruction adherence of the therapists was developed. Correlations were explored between the therapist behaviors, therapist instruction adherence, and patient outcomes (number of completed online sessions and symptom change scores). Results: A total of 45 patients (73%, 33/45 female, mean age 35.9 years) received 219 feedback messages given by 19 therapists (84%, 16/19 female). The most frequently used therapist behaviors were informing, encouraging, and affirming. However, these were not related to patient outcomes. Although infrequently used, confronting was positively correlated with session completion (ρ=.342, P=.02). Therapists adhered to most of the feedback instructions. Only 2 feedback aspects were correlated with session completion: the more therapists adhere to instructions containing structure (limiting to 2 subjects and sending feedback within 3 working days) and readability (short sentences and short paragraphs), the less online sessions were completed (ρ=−.340, P=.02 and ρ=−.361, P=.02, respectively). No associations were found with depression symptom change scores. Conclusions: The therapist behaviors found in this study are comparable to previous research. The findings suggest that online feedback instructions for therapists provide sufficient guidance to communicate in a supportive and positive manner with patients. However, the instructions might be improved by adding more therapeutic techniques besides the focus on style and form. %M 29724708 %R 10.2196/jmir.9890 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/5/e174/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9890 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29724708 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 5 %P e10028 %T A Mental Health Storytelling Intervention Using Transmedia to Engage Latinas: Grounded Theory Analysis of Participants’ Perceptions of the Story’s Main Character %A Heilemann,MarySue V %A Martinez,Adrienne %A Soderlund,Patricia D %+ School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, Factor Building, Room 5252, Box 956919, Los Angeles, CA, 90095 6919, United States, 1 310 206 4735, mheilema@sonnet.ucla.edu %K depression %K anxiety %K transmedia storytelling %K Internet %K cell phone %K mental health %K eHealth %K mood disorders %K smartphone %D 2018 %7 02.05.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Transmedia storytelling was used to attract English-speaking Latina women with elevated symptoms of depression and anxiety to engage in an intervention that included videos and a webpage with links to symptom management resources. However, a main character for the storyline who was considered dynamic, compelling, and relatable by the target group was needed. Objective: We conducted interviews with 28 English-speaking Latinas (target group) with elevated symptoms of depression or anxiety who participated in an Internet-accessible transmedia storytelling intervention. The objective of this study was to examine participants’ perceptions of the lead character of the story. Development of this character was informed by deidentified data from previous studies with members of the target group. Critique of the character from a panel of therapists informed editing, as did input from women of the target group. Methods: All interviews were conducted via telephone, audio-recorded, and transcribed. Data analysis was guided by grounded theory methodology. Results: Participants embraced the main character, Catalina, related to her as a person with an emotional life and a temporal reality, reported that they learned from her and wanted more episodes that featured her and her life. Grounded theory analysis led to the development of one category (She “just felt so real”: relating to Catalina as a real person with a past, present, and future) with 4 properties. Properties included (1) relating emotionally to Catalina’s vulnerability, (2) recognizing shared experiences, (3) needing to support others while simultaneously lacking self-support, and (4) using Catalina as a springboard for imagining alternative futures. Participants found Catalina’s efforts to pursue mental health treatment to be meaningful and led them to compare themselves to her and consider how they might pursue treatment themselves. Conclusions: When creating a story-based mental health intervention to be delivered through an app, regardless of type, careful development of the main character is valuable. Theoretical guidance, previous deidentified data from the target group, critique from key stakeholders and members of the target group, and preliminary testing are likely to enhance the main character’s relatability and appropriateness, which can increase sustained engagement. %M 29720357 %R 10.2196/10028 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/5/e10028/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/10028 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29720357 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 4 %P e158 %T A Remote Collaborative Care Program for Patients with Depression Living in Rural Areas: Open-Label Trial %A Rojas,Graciela %A Guajardo,Viviana %A Martínez,Pablo %A Castro,Ariel %A Fritsch,Rosemarie %A Moessner,Markus %A Bauer,Stephanie %+ Escuela de Psicología, Facultad de Humanidades, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Tercer Piso, Av Ecuador 3650, Santiago, 9170197, Chile, 56 227182953, pablo.martinezd@usach.cl %K primary health care %K depression %K telemedicine %K rural health care %K medically underserved area %D 2018 %7 30.04.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: In the treatment of depression, primary care teams have an essential role, but they are most effective when inserted into a collaborative care model for disease management. In rural areas, the shortage of specialized mental health resources may hamper management of depressed patients. Objective: The aim was to test the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a remote collaborative care program for patients with depression living in rural areas. Methods: In a nonrandomized, open-label (blinded outcome assessor), two-arm clinical trial, physicians from 15 rural community hospitals recruited 250 patients aged 18 to 70 years with a major depressive episode (DSM-IV criteria). Patients were assigned to the remote collaborative care program (n=111) or to usual care (n=139). The remote collaborative care program used Web-based shared clinical records between rural primary care teams and a specialized/centralized mental health team, telephone monitoring of patients, and remote supervision by psychiatrists through the Web-based shared clinical records and/or telephone. Depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, service use, and patient satisfaction were measured 3 and 6 months after baseline assessment. Results: Six-month follow-up assessments were completed by 84.4% (221/250) of patients. The remote collaborative care program achieved higher user satisfaction (odds ratio [OR] 1.94, 95% CI 1.25-3.00) and better treatment adherence rates (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.02-3.19) at 6 months compared to usual care. There were no statically significant differences in depressive symptoms between the remote collaborative care program and usual care. Significant differences between groups in favor of remote collaborative care program were observed at 3 months for mental health-related quality of life (beta 3.11, 95% CI 0.19-6.02). Conclusions: Higher rates of treatment adherence in the remote collaborative care program suggest that technology-assisted interventions may help rural primary care teams in the management of depressive patients. Future cost-effectiveness studies are needed. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02200367; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02200367 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xtZ7OijZ) %M 29712627 %R 10.2196/jmir.8803 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/4/e158/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.8803 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29712627 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 4 %P e148 %T A Single-Session, Web-Based Parenting Intervention to Prevent Adolescent Depression and Anxiety Disorders: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Cardamone-Breen,Mairead C %A Jorm,Anthony F %A Lawrence,Katherine A %A Rapee,Ronald M %A Mackinnon,Andrew J %A Yap,Marie Bee Hui %+ Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Clayton, Melbourne, 3800, Australia, 61 399050723, marie.yap@monash.edu %K adolescent %K mental health %K depression, anxiety, parenting %K family %K preventive health services %K Internet %D 2018 %7 26.04.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression and anxiety disorders are significant contributors to burden of disease in young people, highlighting the need to focus preventive efforts early in life. Despite substantial evidence for the role of parents in the prevention of adolescent depression and anxiety disorders, there remains a need for translation of this evidence into preventive parenting interventions. To address this gap, we developed a single-session, Web-based, tailored psychoeducation intervention that aims to improve parenting practices known to influence the development of adolescent depression and anxiety disorders. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effects of the intervention on parenting risk and protective factors and symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescent participants. Methods: We conducted a single-blind, parallel group, superiority randomized controlled trial comparing the intervention with a 3-month waitlist control. The intervention is fully automated and consists of two components: (1) completion of an online self-assessment of current parenting practices against evidence-based parenting recommendations for the prevention of adolescent depression and anxiety disorders and (2) an individually tailored feedback report highlighting each parent’s strengths and areas for improvement based on responses to the self-assessment. A community sample of 349 parents, together with 327 adolescents (aged 12-15 years), were randomized to either the intervention or waitlist control condition. Parents and adolescents completed online self-reported assessments of parenting and adolescent symptoms of depression and anxiety at baseline, 1-month (parent-report of parenting only), and 3-month follow-up. Results: Compared with controls, intervention group parents showed significantly greater improvement in parenting risk and protective factors from baseline to 1-month and 3-month follow-up (F2,331.22=16.36, P<.001), with a small to medium effect size at 3-month follow-up (d=0.33). There were no significant effects of the intervention on adolescent-report of parenting or symptoms of depression or anxiety in the adolescents (all P>.05). Conclusions: Findings suggest that a single-session, individually tailored, Web-based parenting intervention can improve parenting factors that are known to influence the development of depression and anxiety in adolescents. However, our results do not support the effectiveness of the intervention in improving adolescent depression or anxiety symptoms in the short-term. Long-term studies are required to adequately assess the relationship between improving parenting factors and adolescent depression and anxiety outcomes. Nonetheless, this is a promising avenue for the translation of research into a low-cost, sustainable, universal prevention approach. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12615000247572; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12615000247572 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6v1ha19XG) %M 29699964 %R 10.2196/jmir.9499 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/4/e148/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9499 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29699964 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e30 %T Worker Preferences for a Mental Health App Within Male-Dominated Industries: Participatory Study %A Peters,Dorian %A Deady,Mark %A Glozier,Nick %A Harvey,Samuel %A Calvo,Rafael A %+ Wellbeing Technology Lab, Faculty of Engineering and IT, University of Sydney, Bldg J03, Electrical Engineering, Sydney, 2006, Australia, 61 0289015604, dorian.peters@sydney.edu.au %K mental health %K mhealth %K mobile apps %K workplace %K men %K participatory design %D 2018 %7 25.04.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Men are less likely to seek help for mental health problems, possibly because of stigma imposed by cultural masculine norms. These tendencies may be amplified within male-dominated workplaces such as the emergency services or transport industries. Mobile apps present a promising way to provide access to mental health support. However, little is known about the kinds of mental health technologies men would be willing to engage with, and no app can be effective if the intended users do not engage with it. Objective: The goal of this participatory user research study was to explore the perceptions, preferences, and ideas of workers in male-dominated workplaces to define requirements for a mental health app that would be engaging and effective at improving psychological well-being. Methods: Workers from male-dominated workplaces in rural, suburban, and urban locations took part in an exploratory qualitative study involving participatory workshops designed to elicit their perspectives and preferences for mental health support and the design of an app for mental health. Participants generated a number of artifacts (including draft screen designs and promotional material) designed to reify their perceptions, tacit knowledge, and ideas. Results: A total of 60 workers aged between 26 and 65 years, 92% (55/60) male, from male-dominated workplaces in rural (16/60, 27%), suburban (14/60, 23%), and urban (30/60, 50%) locations participated in one of the 6 workshops, resulting in 49 unique feature ideas and 81 participant-generated artifacts. Thematic analysis resulted in a set of feature, language, and style preferences, as well as characteristics considered important by participants for a mental health app. The term “mental health” was highly stigmatized and disliked by participants. Tools including a mood tracker, self-assessment, and mood-fix tool were highly valued, and app characteristics such as brevity of interactions, minimal on-screen text, and a solutions-oriented approach were considered essential by participants. Some implementation strategies based on these findings are included in the discussion. Conclusions: Future mental health mobile phone apps targeting workers in male-dominated workplaces need to consider language use and preferred features, as well as balance the preferences of users with the demands of evidence-based intervention. In addition to informing the development of mental health apps for workers in male-dominated industries, these findings may also provide insights for mental health technologies, for men in general, and for others in high-stigma environments. %M 29695371 %R 10.2196/mental.8999 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e30/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8999 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29695371 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 4 %P e95 %T Development of a Mobile Clinical Prediction Tool to Estimate Future Depression Severity and Guide Treatment in Primary Care: User-Centered Design %A Wachtler,Caroline %A Coe,Amy %A Davidson,Sandra %A Fletcher,Susan %A Mendoza,Antonette %A Sterling,Leon %A Gunn,Jane %+ Department of General Practice, The University of Melbourne, 200 Berkeley St, Carlton, 3053, Australia, 61 83444530, j.gunn@unimelb.edu.au %K user-centered design %K depression %K ehealth %K primary health care %K decision support techniques %K risk %K mental health %D 2018 %7 23.04.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Around the world, depression is both under- and overtreated. The diamond clinical prediction tool was developed to assist with appropriate treatment allocation by estimating the 3-month prognosis among people with current depressive symptoms. Delivering clinical prediction tools in a way that will enhance their uptake in routine clinical practice remains challenging; however, mobile apps show promise in this respect. To increase the likelihood that an app-delivered clinical prediction tool can be successfully incorporated into clinical practice, it is important to involve end users in the app design process. Objective: The aim of the study was to maximize patient engagement in an app designed to improve treatment allocation for depression. Methods: An iterative, user-centered design process was employed. Qualitative data were collected via 2 focus groups with a community sample (n=17) and 7 semistructured interviews with people with depressive symptoms. The results of the focus groups and interviews were used by the computer engineering team to modify subsequent protoypes of the app. Results: Iterative development resulted in 3 prototypes and a final app. The areas requiring the most substantial changes following end-user input were related to the iconography used and the way that feedback was provided. In particular, communicating risk of future depressive symptoms proved difficult; these messages were consistently misinterpreted and negatively viewed and were ultimately removed. All participants felt positively about seeing their results summarized after completion of the clinical prediction tool, but there was a need for a personalized treatment recommendation made in conjunction with a consultation with a health professional. Conclusions: User-centered design led to valuable improvements in the content and design of an app designed to improve allocation of and engagement in depression treatment. Iterative design allowed us to develop a tool that allows users to feel hope, engage in self-reflection, and motivate them to treatment. The tool is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. %M 29685864 %R 10.2196/mhealth.9502 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/4/e95/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.9502 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29685864 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 4 %P e147 %T Comparative Effectiveness of a Technology-Facilitated Depression Care Management Model in Safety-Net Primary Care Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: 6-Month Outcomes of a Large Clinical Trial %A Wu,Shinyi %A Ell,Kathleen %A Jin,Haomiao %A Vidyanti,Irene %A Chou,Chih-Ping %A Lee,Pey-Jiuan %A Gross-Schulman,Sandra %A Sklaroff,Laura Myerchin %A Belson,David %A Nezu,Arthur M %A Hay,Joel %A Wang,Chien-Ju %A Scheib,Geoffrey %A Di Capua,Paul %A Hawkins,Caitlin %A Liu,Pai %A Ramirez,Magaly %A Wu,Brian W %A Richman,Mark %A Myers,Caitlin %A Agustines,Davin %A Dasher,Robert %A Kopelowicz,Alex %A Allevato,Joseph %A Roybal,Mike %A Ipp,Eli %A Haider,Uzma %A Graham,Sharon %A Mahabadi,Vahid %A Guterman,Jeffrey %+ Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 1150 S Olive Street, Suite 1400, Los Angeles, CA, 90015, United States, 1 2138216442, shinyiwu@usc.edu %K primary care %K disease management %K depression %K diabetes mellitus %K health information technology %K telemedicine %K comparative effectiveness research %K propensity score %K population health %K patient reported outcome measures %D 2018 %7 23.04.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Comorbid depression is a significant challenge for safety-net primary care systems. Team-based collaborative depression care is effective, but complex system factors in safety-net organizations impede adoption and result in persistent disparities in outcomes. Diabetes-Depression Care-management Adoption Trial (DCAT) evaluated whether depression care could be significantly improved by harnessing information and communication technologies to automate routine screening and monitoring of patient symptoms and treatment adherence and allow timely communication with providers. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare 6-month outcomes of a technology-facilitated care model with a usual care model and a supported care model that involved team-based collaborative depression care for safety-net primary care adult patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: DCAT is a translational study in collaboration with Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, the second largest safety-net care system in the United States. A comparative effectiveness study with quasi-experimental design was conducted in three groups of adult patients with type 2 diabetes to compare three delivery models: usual care, supported care, and technology-facilitated care. Six-month outcomes included depression and diabetes care measures and patient-reported outcomes. Comparative treatment effects were estimated by linear or logistic regression models that used generalized propensity scores to adjust for sampling bias inherent in the nonrandomized design. Results: DCAT enrolled 1406 patients (484 in usual care, 480 in supported care, and 442 in technology-facilitated care), most of whom were Hispanic or Latino and female. Compared with usual care, both the supported care and technology-facilitated care groups were associated with significant reduction in depressive symptoms measured by scores on the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (least squares estimate, LSE: usual care=6.35, supported care=5.05, technology-facilitated care=5.16; P value: supported care vs usual care=.02, technology-facilitated care vs usual care=.02); decreased prevalence of major depression (odds ratio, OR: supported care vs usual care=0.45, technology-facilitated care vs usual care=0.33; P value: supported care vs usual care=.02, technology-facilitated care vs usual care=.007); and reduced functional disability as measured by Sheehan Disability Scale scores (LSE: usual care=3.21, supported care=2.61, technology-facilitated care=2.59; P value: supported care vs usual care=.04, technology-facilitated care vs usual care=.03). Technology-facilitated care was significantly associated with depression remission (technology-facilitated care vs usual care: OR=2.98, P=.04); increased satisfaction with care for emotional problems among depressed patients (LSE: usual care=3.20, technology-facilitated care=3.70; P=.05); reduced total cholesterol level (LSE: usual care=176.40, technology-facilitated care=160.46; P=.01); improved satisfaction with diabetes care (LSE: usual care=4.01, technology-facilitated care=4.20; P=.05); and increased odds of taking an glycated hemoglobin test (technology-facilitated care vs usual care: OR=3.40, P<.001). Conclusions: Both the technology-facilitated care and supported care delivery models showed potential to improve 6-month depression and functional disability outcomes. The technology-facilitated care model has a greater likelihood to improve depression remission, patient satisfaction, and diabetes care quality. %M 29685872 %R 10.2196/jmir.7692 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/4/e147/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7692 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29685872 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 4 %P e129 %T Self-Harm, Suicidal Behaviours, and Cyberbullying in Children and Young People: Systematic Review %A John,Ann %A Glendenning,Alexander Charles %A Marchant,Amanda %A Montgomery,Paul %A Stewart,Anne %A Wood,Sophie %A Lloyd,Keith %A Hawton,Keith %+ Population Psychiatry, Suicide and Informatics, Medical School, Swansea University, Institute of Life Science 2, Swansea, SA2 8PP, United Kingdom, 44 01792602568 ext 2568, A.John@swansea.ac.uk %K cyberbullying %K bullying %K self-injurious behavior %K suicide %K suicide, attempted %K suicidal ideation %D 2018 %7 19.04.2018 %9 Review %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Given the concerns about bullying via electronic communication in children and young people and its possible contribution to self-harm, we have reviewed the evidence for associations between cyberbullying involvement and self-harm or suicidal behaviors (such as suicidal ideation, suicide plans, and suicide attempts) in children and young people. Objective: The aim of this study was to systematically review the current evidence examining the association between cyberbullying involvement as victim or perpetrator and self-harm and suicidal behaviors in children and young people (younger than 25 years), and where possible, to meta-analyze data on the associations. Methods: An electronic literature search was conducted for all studies published between January 1, 1996, and February 3, 2017, across sources, including MEDLINE, Cochrane, and PsycINFO. Articles were included if the study examined any association between cyberbullying involvement and self-harm or suicidal behaviors and reported empirical data in a sample aged under 25 years. Quality of included papers was assessed and data were extracted. Meta-analyses of data were conducted. Results: A total of 33 eligible articles from 26 independent studies were included, covering a population of 156,384 children and young people. A total of 25 articles (20 independent studies, n=115,056) identified associations (negative influences) between cybervictimization and self-harm or suicidal behaviors or between perpetrating cyberbullying and suicidal behaviors. Three additional studies, in which the cyberbullying, self-harm, or suicidal behaviors measures had been combined with other measures (such as traditional bullying and mental health problems), also showed negative influences (n=44,526). A total of 5 studies showed no significant associations (n=5646). Meta-analyses, producing odds ratios (ORs) as a summary measure of effect size (eg, ratio of the odds of cyber victims who have experienced SH vs nonvictims who have experienced SH), showed that, compared with nonvictims, those who have experienced cybervictimization were OR 2.35 (95% CI 1.65-3.34) times as likely to self-harm, OR 2.10 (95% CI 1.73-2.55) times as likely to exhibit suicidal behaviors, OR 2.57 (95% CI 1.69-3.90) times more likely to attempt suicide, and OR 2.15 (95% CI 1.70-2.71) times more likely to have suicidal thoughts. Cyberbullying perpetrators were OR 1.21 (95% CI 1.02-1.44) times more likely to exhibit suicidal behaviors and OR 1.23 (95% CI 1.10-1.37) times more likely to experience suicidal ideation than nonperpetrators. Conclusions: Victims of cyberbullying are at a greater risk than nonvictims of both self-harm and suicidal behaviors. To a lesser extent, perpetrators of cyberbullying are at risk of suicidal behaviors and suicidal ideation when compared with nonperpetrators. Policy makers and schools should prioritize the inclusion of cyberbullying involvement in programs to prevent traditional bullying. Type of cyberbullying involvement, frequency, and gender should be assessed in future studies. %M 29674305 %R 10.2196/jmir.9044 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/4/e129/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9044 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29674305 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e22 %T “Wish You Were Here”: Examining Characteristics, Outcomes, and Statistical Solutions for Missing Cases in Web-Based Psychotherapeutic Trials %A Karin,Eyal %A Dear,Blake F %A Heller,Gillian Z %A Crane,Monique F %A Titov,Nickolai %+ eCentreClinic, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, 4 First Walk, Sydney, 2109, Australia, 61 298508657, eyal.karin@mq.edu.au %K psychotherapy %K treatment adherence and compliance %K missing data %K treatment efficacy %K statistical bias %D 2018 %7 19.04.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Missing cases following treatment are common in Web-based psychotherapy trials. Without the ability to directly measure and evaluate the outcomes for missing cases, the ability to measure and evaluate the effects of treatment is challenging. Although common, little is known about the characteristics of Web-based psychotherapy participants who present as missing cases, their likely clinical outcomes, or the suitability of different statistical assumptions that can characterize missing cases. Objective: Using a large sample of individuals who underwent Web-based psychotherapy for depressive symptoms (n=820), the aim of this study was to explore the characteristics of cases who present as missing cases at posttreatment (n=138), their likely treatment outcomes, and compare between statistical methods for replacing their missing data. Methods: First, common participant and treatment features were tested through binary logistic regression models, evaluating the ability to predict missing cases. Second, the same variables were screened for their ability to increase or impede the rate symptom change that was observed following treatment. Third, using recontacted cases at 3-month follow-up to proximally represent missing cases outcomes following treatment, various simulated replacement scores were compared and evaluated against observed clinical follow-up scores. Results: Missing cases were dominantly predicted by lower treatment adherence and increased symptoms at pretreatment. Statistical methods that ignored these characteristics can overlook an important clinical phenomenon and consequently produce inaccurate replacement outcomes, with symptoms estimates that can swing from −32% to 70% from the observed outcomes of recontacted cases. In contrast, longitudinal statistical methods that adjusted their estimates for missing cases outcomes by treatment adherence rates and baseline symptoms scores resulted in minimal measurement bias (<8%). Conclusions: Certain variables can characterize and predict missing cases likelihood and jointly predict lesser clinical improvement. Under such circumstances, individuals with potentially worst off treatment outcomes can become concealed, and failure to adjust for this can lead to substantial clinical measurement bias. Together, this preliminary research suggests that missing cases in Web-based psychotherapeutic interventions may not occur as random events and can be systematically predicted. Critically, at the same time, missing cases may experience outcomes that are distinct and important for a complete understanding of the treatment effect. %M 29674311 %R 10.2196/mental.8363 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e22/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8363 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29674311 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 4 %P e95 %T Recruitment of Participants and Delivery of Online Mental Health Resources for Depressed Individuals Using Tumblr: Pilot Randomized Control Trial %A Kelleher,Erin %A Moreno,Megan %A Wilt,Megan Pumper %+ Seattle Children's Research Institute, Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development, 2001 8th Ave, Seattle, WA, 98121, United States, 1 8479329259, erin.kelleher6@gmail.com %K adolescents %K depression %K intervention %K social media %K tumblr %D 2018 %7 12.04.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Adolescents and young adults frequently post depression symptom references on social media; previous studies show positive associations between depression posts and self-reported depression symptoms. Depression is common among young people and this population often experiences many barriers to mental health care. Thus, social media may be a new resource to identify, recruit, and intervene with young people at risk for depression. Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to test a social media intervention on Tumblr. We used social media to identify and recruit participants and to deliver the intervention of online depression resources. Methods: This randomized pilot intervention identified Tumblr users age 15-23 who posted about depression using the search term “#depress”. Eligible participants were recruited via Tumblr messages; consented participants completed depression surveys and were then randomized to an intervention of online mental health resources delivered via a Tumblr message, while control participants did not receive resources. Postintervention online surveys assessed resource access and usefulness and control groups were asked whether they would have liked to receive resources. Analyses included t tests. Results: A total of 25 participants met eligibility criteria. The mean age of the participants was 17.5 (SD 1.9) and 65% were female with average score on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 of 17.5 (SD 5.9). Among the 11 intervention participants, 36% (4/11) reported accessing intervention resources and 64% (7/11) felt the intervention was acceptable. Among the 14 control participants, only 29% (4/14) of reported that receiving resources online would be acceptable (P=.02). Participants suggested anonymity and ease of use as important characteristics in an online depression resource. Conclusions: The intervention was appropriately targeted to young people at risk for depression, and recruitment via Tumblr was feasible. Most participants in the intervention group felt the social media approach was acceptable, and about a third utilized the online resources. Participants who had not experienced the intervention were less likely to find it acceptable. Future studies should explore this approach in larger samples. Social media may be an appropriate platform for online depression interventions for young people. %M 29650507 %R 10.2196/resprot.9421 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2018/4/e95/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.9421 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29650507 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e26 %T Impact of Mental Health Screening on Promoting Immediate Online Help-Seeking: Randomized Trial Comparing Normative Versus Humor-Driven Feedback %A Choi,Isabella %A Milne,David N %A Deady,Mark %A Calvo,Rafael A %A Harvey,Samuel B %A Glozier,Nick %+ Brain and Mind Centre, Central Clinical School, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, 2050, Australia, 61 029515 ext 1593, isabella.choi@sydney.edu.au %K online help-seeking %K screening %K feedback %K randomized trial %K mental health %K resilience %K depression %D 2018 %7 05.04.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Given the widespread availability of mental health screening apps, providing personalized feedback may encourage people at high risk to seek help to manage their symptoms. While apps typically provide personal score feedback only, feedback types that are user-friendly and increase personal relevance may encourage further help-seeking. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of providing normative and humor-driven feedback on immediate online help-seeking, defined as clicking on a link to an external resource, and to explore demographic predictors that encourage help-seeking. Methods: An online sample of 549 adults were recruited using social media advertisements. Participants downloaded a smartphone app known as “Mindgauge” which allowed them to screen their mental wellbeing by completing standardized measures on Symptoms (Kessler 6-item Scale), Wellbeing (World Health Organization [Five] Wellbeing Index), and Resilience (Brief Resilience Scale). Participants were randomized to receive normative feedback that compared their scores to a reference group or humor-driven feedback that presented their scores in a relaxed manner. Those who scored in the moderate or poor ranges in any measure were encouraged to seek help by clicking on a link to an external online resource. Results: A total of 318 participants scored poorly on one or more measures and were provided with an external link after being randomized to receive normative or humor-driven feedback. There was no significant difference of feedback type on clicking on the external link across all measures. A larger proportion of participants from the Wellbeing measure (170/274, 62.0%) clicked on the links than the Resilience (47/179, 26.3%) or Symptoms (26/75, 34.7%) measures (χ2=60.35, P<.001). There were no significant demographic factors associated with help-seeking for the Resilience or Wellbeing measures. Participants with a previous episode of poor mental health were less likely than those without such history to click on the external link in the Symptoms measure (P=.003, odds ratio [OR] 0.83, 95% CI 0.02-0.44), and younger adults were less likely to click on the link compared to older adults across all measures (P=.005, OR 0.44, 95% CI 0.25-0.78). Conclusions: This pilot study found that there was no difference between normative and humor-driven feedback on promoting immediate clicks to an external resource, suggesting no impact on online help-seeking. Limitations included: lack of personal score control group, limited measures of predictors and potential confounders, and the fact that other forms of professional help-seeking were not assessed. Further investigation into other predictors and factors that impact on help-seeking is needed. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616000707460; https://www.anzctr.org.au/ Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=370187 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6y8m8sVxr) %M 29622528 %R 10.2196/mental.9480 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/2/e26/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9480 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29622528 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-9279 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 2 %P e6 %T Gamified Cognitive Control Training for Remitted Depressed Individuals: User Requirements Analysis %A Vervaeke,Jasmien %A Van Looy,Jan %A Hoorelbeke,Kristof %A Baeken,Chris %A Koster,Ernst HW %+ Psychopathology and Affective Neuroscience Lab, Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Henri Dunantlaan 2, Ghent, 9000, Belgium, 32 92649446, jasmien.vervaeke@ugent.be %K depression %K cognitive dysfunction %K cognitive remediation %K relapse prevention %K qualitative research %K secondary prevention %D 2018 %7 05.04.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Serious Games %G English %X Background: The high incidence and relapse rates of major depressive disorder demand novel treatment options. Standard treatments (psychotherapy, medication) usually do not target cognitive control impairments, although these seem to play a crucial role in achieving stable remission. The urgent need for treatment combined with poor availability of adequate psychological interventions has instigated a shift toward internet interventions. Numerous computerized programs have been developed that can be presented online and offline. However, their uptake and adherence are oftentimes low. Objective: The aim of this study was to perform a user requirements analysis for an internet-based training targeting cognitive control. This training focuses on ameliorating cognitive control impairments, as these are still present during remission and can be a risk factor for relapse. To facilitate uptake of and adherence to this intervention, a qualitative user requirements analysis was conducted to map mandatory and desirable requirements. Methods: We conducted a user requirements analysis through a focus group with 5 remitted depressed individuals and individual interviews with 6 mental health care professionals. All qualitative data were transcribed and examined using a thematic analytic approach. Results: Results showed mandatory requirements for the remitted sample in terms of training configuration, technological and personal factors, and desirable requirements regarding knowledge and enjoyment. Furthermore, knowledge and therapeutic benefits were key requirements for therapists. Conclusions: The identified requirements provide useful information to be integrated in interventions targeting cognitive control in depression. %M 29622525 %R 10.2196/games.8609 %U http://games.jmir.org/2018/2/e6/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/games.8609 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29622525 %0 Journal Article %@ 2292-9495 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e12 %T General Practitioners’ Attitudes Toward a Web-Based Mental Health Service for Adolescents: Implications for Service Design and Delivery %A Subotic-Kerry,Mirjana %A King,Catherine %A O'Moore,Kathleen %A Achilles,Melinda %A O'Dea,Bridianne %+ Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, Sydney, 2031, Australia, 61 2 9382 8509, m.subotic-kerry@blackdog.org.au %K anxiety %K depression %K adolescent %K general practitioners %K internet %D 2018 %7 23.03.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Hum Factors %G English %X Background: Anxiety disorders and depression are prevalent among youth. General practitioners (GPs) are often the first point of professional contact for treating health problems in young people. A Web-based mental health service delivered in partnership with schools may facilitate increased access to psychological care among adolescents. However, for such a model to be implemented successfully, GPs’ views need to be measured. Objective: This study aimed to examine the needs and attitudes of GPs toward a Web-based mental health service for adolescents, and to identify the factors that may affect the provision of this type of service and likelihood of integration. Findings will inform the content and overall service design. Methods: GPs were interviewed individually about the proposed Web-based service. Qualitative analysis of transcripts was performed using thematic coding. A short follow-up questionnaire was delivered to assess background characteristics, level of acceptability, and likelihood of integration of the Web-based mental health service. Results: A total of 13 GPs participated in the interview and 11 completed a follow-up online questionnaire. Findings suggest strong support for the proposed Web-based mental health service. A wide range of factors were found to influence the likelihood of GPs integrating a Web-based service into their clinical practice. Coordinated collaboration with parents, students, school counselors, and other mental health care professionals were considered important by nearly all GPs. Confidence in Web-based care, noncompliance of adolescents and GPs, accessibility, privacy, and confidentiality were identified as potential barriers to adopting the proposed Web-based service. Conclusions: GPs were open to a proposed Web-based service for the monitoring and management of anxiety and depression in adolescents, provided that a collaborative approach to care is used, the feedback regarding the client is clear, and privacy and security provisions are assured. %M 29572203 %R 10.2196/humanfactors.8913 %U http://humanfactors.jmir.org/2018/1/e12/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/humanfactors.8913 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29572203 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e20 %T Improving Implementation of eMental Health for Mood Disorders in Routine Practice: Systematic Review of Barriers and Facilitating Factors %A Vis,Christiaan %A Mol,Mayke %A Kleiboer,Annet %A Bührmann,Leah %A Finch,Tracy %A Smit,Jan %A Riper,Heleen %+ Department of Clinical, Neuro-, & Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, van der Boechorststraat 1, Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Netherlands, 31 646098094, p.d.c.vis@vu.nl %K eMental health %K implementation %K routine practice %K determinants of practices %K RE-AIM %K barriers and facilitators %K mood disorders %K review %D 2018 %7 16.03.2018 %9 Review %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Electronic mental health interventions (eMental health or eMH) can be used to increase accessibility of mental health services for mood disorders, with indications of comparable clinical outcomes as face-to-face psychotherapy. However, the actual use of eMH in routine mental health care lags behind expectations. Identifying the factors that might promote or inhibit implementation of eMH in routine care may help to overcome this gap between effectiveness studies and routine care. Objective: This paper reports the results of a systematic review of the scientific literature identifying those determinants of practices relevant to implementing eMH for mood disorders in routine practice. Methods: A broad search strategy was developed with high sensitivity to four key terms: implementation, mental health care practice, mood disorder, and eMH. The reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework was applied to guide the review and structure the results. Thematic analysis was applied to identify the most important determinants that facilitate or hinder implementation of eMH in routine practice. Results: A total of 13,147 articles were screened, of which 48 studies were included in the review. Most studies addressed aspects of the reach (n=33) of eMH, followed by intervention adoption (n=19), implementation of eMH (n=6), and maintenance (n=4) of eMH in routine care. More than half of the studies investigated the provision of mental health services through videoconferencing technologies (n=26), followed by Internet-based interventions (n=20). The majority (n=44) of the studies were of a descriptive nature. Across all RE-AIM domains, we identified 37 determinants clustered in six main themes: acceptance, appropriateness, engagement, resources, work processes, and leadership. The determinants of practices are expressed at different levels, including patients, mental health staff, organizations, and health care system level. Depending on the context, these determinants hinder or facilitate successful implementation of eMH. Conclusions: Of the 37 determinants, three were reported most frequently: (1) the acceptance of eMH concerning expectations and preferences of patients and professionals about receiving and providing eMH in routine care, (2) the appropriateness of eMH in addressing patients’ mental health disorders, and (3) the availability, reliability, and interoperability with other existing technologies such as the electronic health records are important factors for mental health care professionals to remain engaged in providing eMH to their patients in routine care. On the basis of the taxonomy of determinants of practices developed in this review, implementation-enhancing interventions can be designed and applied to achieve better implementation outcomes. Suggestions for future research and implementation practice are provided. %M 29549072 %R 10.2196/mental.9769 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e20/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9769 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29549072 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 3 %P e87 %T Treatment Activity, User Satisfaction, and Experienced Usability of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adults With Depression and Anxiety After a Myocardial Infarction: Mixed-Methods Study %A Wallin,Emma %A Norlund,Fredrika %A Olsson,Erik Martin Gustaf %A Burell,Gunilla %A Held,Claes %A Carlsson,Tommy %+ Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Box 1225, Uppsala, 75142, Sweden, 46 0706606118, emma.wallin@psyk.uu.se %K mental health %K internet %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K computer-assisted therapy %K myocardial infarction %K attrition %K adherence %D 2018 %7 16.03.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Knowledge about user experiences may lead to insights about how to improve treatment activity in Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety among people with a somatic disease. There is a need for studies conducted alongside randomized trials, to explore treatment activity and user experiences related to such interventions, especially among people with older age who are recruited in routine care. Objective: The aim of the study was to explore treatment activity, user satisfaction, and usability experiences among patients allocated to treatment in the U-CARE Heart study, a randomized clinical trial of an iCBT intervention for treatment of depression and anxiety following a recent myocardial infarction. Methods: This was a mixed methods study where quantitative and qualitative approaches were used. Patients were recruited consecutively from 25 cardiac clinics in Sweden. The study included 117 patients allocated to 14 weeks of an iCBT intervention in the U-CARE Heart study. Quantitative data about treatment activity and therapist communication were collected through logged user patterns, which were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Qualitative data with regard to positive and negative experiences, and suggestions for improvements concerning the intervention, were collected through semistructured interviews with 21 patients in the treatment arm after follow-up. The interviews were analyzed with qualitative manifest content analysis. Results: Treatment activity was low with regard to number of completed modules (mean 0.76, SD 0.93, range 0-5) and completed assignments (mean 3.09, SD 4.05, range 0-29). Most of the participants initiated the introduction module (113/117, 96.6%), and about half (63/117, 53.9%) of all participants completed the introductory module, but only 18 (15.4%, 18/117) continued to work with any of the remaining 10 modules, and each of the remaining modules was completed by 7 or less of the participants. On average, patients sent less than 2 internal messages to their therapist during the intervention (mean 1.42, SD 2.56, range 0-16). Interviews revealed different preferences with regard to the internet-based portal, the content of the treatment program, and the therapist communication. Aspects related to the personal situation and required skills included unpleasant emotions evoked by the intervention, lack of time, and technical difficulties. Conclusions: Patients with a recent myocardial infarction and symptoms of depression and anxiety showed low treatment activity in this guided iCBT intervention with regard to completed modules, completed assignments, and internal messages sent to their therapist. The findings call attention to the need for researchers to carefully consider the preferences, personal situation, and technical skills of the end users during the development of these interventions. The study indicates several challenges that need to be addressed to improve treatment activity, user satisfaction, and usability in internet-based interventions in this population. %M 29549067 %R 10.2196/jmir.9690 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/3/e87/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9690 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29549067 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 3 %P e64 %T Self-Directed Engagement with a Mobile App (Sinasprite) and Its Effects on Confidence in Coping Skills, Depression, and Anxiety: Retrospective Longitudinal Study %A Silva Almodovar,Armando %A Surve,Swatee %A Axon,David Rhys %A Cooper,David %A Nahata,Milap C %+ Institute of Therapeutic Innovations and Outcomes, The College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, 500 West 12 Ave, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States, 1 6142922472, nahata.1@osu.edu %K mental health %K retrospective studies %K longitudinal studies %K mobile apps %K anxiety %K depression %D 2018 %7 16.03.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Inadequacies in mental health care coverage remain an enormous problem in the United States. Barriers include scarcity of accessible mental health care professionals. Use of a mental health mobile app incorporating social cognitive theory may help improve confidence in coping skills and improve anxiety and depression. Sinasprite is a mobile app that recruited users via self-referral and clinician referral. Users completed questionnaires to obtain demographic and medical histories. At baseline and 6-week follow-up, users completed the Patient Health Questionnaire 8 (PHQ-8), General Anxiety Disorder 7-Item (GAD-7), and the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSE). It is unknown how self-directed use of a mobile app improves confidence in coping skills and its effects on self-reported depression and anxiety. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the Sinasprite database to assess self-directed engagement and how use of this mobile app impacted self-reported confidence in coping skills and severity of depression and anxiety. Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study involved users recruited via clinician referral and self-referral through social media and news media. Questionnaires were used to record demographic, medical, and prescription medication histories. Mental health status was assessed via PHQ-8, GAD-7, and CSE questionnaires. A deidentified dataset reporting mobile app use data was provided to investigators. Individuals with verifiable usage data and at least one completed questionnaire at 6 weeks of use were included. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to assess whether demographic data and psychotherapy were related to baseline questionnaire scores and usage. A Spearman rho (ρ) test was used to assess the relationship between improvement in the CSE and GAD-7 and PHQ-8 questionnaires. Changes in mental health status were assessed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A mixed-effects repeated-measures linear regression model assessed the main effects of time, concomitant counseling, and psychotropic prescription medication use on mental health status. Results: Thirty-four users were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. Users were predominantly female, white, married, and college educated. At baseline, 35% (12/34) of respondents reported the use of individual/group counseling, and 38% (19/34) reported using prescription medications for their mental health. The median user completed 5.7 (interquartile range 2.7-14.1) trackable activities per week. Statistically significant improvements using a Wilcoxon signed-ranked test were observed in the PHQ-8 (P<.001), GAD-7 (P=.002), and CSE (P<.001) questionnaire scores. A strong positive correlation between improvement in the GAD-7 and CSE questionnaire scores (ρ=.572, P=.001, n=28) was observed. The mixed-effects repeated-measures regression model revealed a statistically significant effect of time on improvements in the PHQ-8 (P<.001), GAD-7 (P=.007), and CSE (P=.001). Conclusions: This 6-week retrospective study showed that self-directed use of the mobile app, Sinasprite, resulted in significant improvements in self-reported questionnaire scores reflecting depression, anxiety, and confidence in coping skills. %M 29549066 %R 10.2196/mhealth.9612 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/3/e64/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.9612 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29549066 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 3 %P e81 %T Evaluation of Technology-Based Peer Support Intervention Program for Preventing Postnatal Depression: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Shorey,Shefaly %A Chee,Cornelia %A Chong,Yap-Seng %A Ng,Esperanza Debby %A Lau,Ying %A Dennis,Cindy-Lee %+ National University of Singapore, Level 2, Clinical Research Centre, 10 Medical Drive, Singapore, Singapore, 117597, Singapore, 65 66011294, nurssh@nus.edu.sg %K anxiety %K loneliness %K peer group %K postpartum depression %K social support %K technology %D 2018 %7 14.03.2018 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Multiple international agencies, including the World Health Organization and the International Monetary Fund, have emphasized the importance of maternal mental health for optimal child health and development. Adequate social support is vital for the most vulnerable to postpartum mood disorders. Hence, an urgent need for sustainable social support programs to aid mothers ease into their new parenting role exists. Objective: This study protocol aims to examine the effectiveness of a technology-based peer support intervention program among mothers at risk for postnatal depression in the early postpartum period. Methods: A randomized controlled 2-group pretest and repeated posttest experimental design will be used. The study will recruit 118 mothers from the postnatal wards of a tertiary public hospital in Singapore. Eligible mothers will be randomly allocated to receive either the peer support intervention program or routine perinatal care from the hospital. Peer volunteers will be mothers who have experienced self-reported depression and will be receiving face-to-face training to support new mothers at risk of depression. Outcome measures include postnatal depression, anxiety, loneliness, and social support. Data will be collected at immediate postnatal period (day of discharge from the hospital), at fourth week and twelfth week post childbirth. Results: The recruitment and training of peer support volunteers (N=20) ended in June 2017, whereas recruitment of study participants commenced in July 2017 and is still ongoing. The current recruitment for new mothers stands at 73, with 36 in the control group and 37 in the intervention group. Data collection is projected to be completed by May 2018. Conclusions: This study will identify a potentially effective and clinically useful method to prevent postnatal depression in new mothers, which is the top cause of maternal morbidity. Receiving social support from others who share similar experiences may enhance the positive parenting experiences of mothers, which in turn can improve the psychosocial well-being of the mothers, tighten mother-child bond, and enhance overall family dynamics for mothers and infants. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number ISRCTN14864807; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN14864807 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xtBNvBTX) %M 29540338 %R 10.2196/resprot.9416 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2018/3/e81/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.9416 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29540338 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 3 %P e88 %T Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Among Patients With a Recent Myocardial Infarction: The U-CARE Heart Randomized Controlled Trial %A Norlund,Fredrika %A Wallin,Emma %A Olsson,Erik Martin Gustaf %A Wallert,John %A Burell,Gunilla %A von Essen,Louise %A Held,Claes %+ Clinical Psychology in Healthcare, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Uppsala University, Akademiska sjukhuset, Uppsala, 75185, Sweden, 46 737441304, fredrika.norlund@kbh.uu.se %K eHealth %K treatment adherence and compliance %K patient acceptance of health care %K patient selection %K cardiac rehabilitation %D 2018 %7 08.03.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Symptoms of depression and anxiety are common after a myocardial infarction (MI). Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) has shown good results in other patient groups. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an iCBT treatment to reduce self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety among patients with a recent MI. Methods: In total, 3928 patients were screened for eligibility in 25 Swedish hospitals. Of these, 239 patients (33.5%, 80/239 women, mean age 60 years) with a recent MI and symptoms of depression or anxiety were randomly allocated to a therapist-guided, 14-week iCBT treatment (n=117), or treatment as usual (TAU; n=122). The iCBT treatment was designed for post-MI patients. The primary outcome was the total score of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) 14 weeks post baseline, assessed over the internet. Treatment effect was evaluated according to the intention-to-treat principle, with multiple imputations. For the main analysis, a pooled treatment effect was estimated, controlling for age, sex, and baseline HADS. Results: There was a reduction in HADS scores over time in the total study sample (mean delta=−5.1, P<.001) but no difference between the study groups at follow-up (beta=−0.47, 95% CI −1.95 to 1.00, P=.53). Treatment adherence was low. A total of 46.2% (54/117) of the iCBT group did not complete the introductory module. Conclusions: iCBT treatment for an MI population did not result in lower levels of symptoms of depression or anxiety compared with TAU. Low treatment adherence might have influenced the result. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01504191; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01504191 (Archived at Webcite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xWWSEQ22) %M 29519777 %R 10.2196/jmir.9710 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/3/e88/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9710 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29519777 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 2 %P e62 %T Help-Seeking on Facebook Versus More Traditional Sources of Help: Cross-Sectional Survey of Military Veterans %A Teo,Alan R %A Marsh,Heather E %A Liebow,Samuel B L %A Chen,Jason I %A Forsberg,Christopher W %A Nicolaidis,Christina %A Saha,Somnath %A Dobscha,Steven K %+ Health Services Research and Development Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, Department of Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System, 3710 SW US Veterans Hospital Rd (R&D 66), Portland, OR,, United States, 1 503 220 8262 ext 52461, teoa@ohsu.edu %K social media %K social networking sites %K internet %K Facebook %K service use %K utilization %K treatment-seeking %D 2018 %7 26.02.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: The media has devoted significant attention to anecdotes of individuals who post messages on Facebook prior to suicide. However, it is unclear to what extent social media is perceived as a source of help or how it compares to other sources of potential support for mental health problems. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the degree to which military veterans with depression use social media for help-seeking in comparison to other more traditional sources of help. Methods: Cross-sectional self-report survey of 270 adult military veterans with probable major depression. Help-seeking intentions were measured with a modified General Help-Seeking Questionnaire. Facebook users and nonusers were compared via t tests, Chi-square, and mixed effects regression models. Associations between types of help-seeking were examined using mixed effects models. Results: The majority of participants were users of social media, primarily Facebook (n=162). Mean overall help-seeking intentions were similar between Facebook users and nonusers, even after adjustment for potential confounders. Facebook users were very unlikely to turn to Facebook as a venue for support when experiencing either emotional problems or suicidal thoughts. Compared to help-seeking intentions for Facebook, help-seeking intentions for formal (eg, psychologists), informal (eg, friends), or phone helpline sources of support were significantly higher. Results did not substantially change when examining users of other social media, women, or younger adults. Conclusions: In its current form, the social media platform Facebook is not seen as a venue to seek help for emotional problems or suicidality among veterans with major depression in the United States. %M 29483064 %R 10.2196/jmir.9007 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/2/e62/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9007 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29483064 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e17 %T Supporting Our Valued Adolescents (SOVA), a Social Media Website for Adolescents with Depression and/or Anxiety: Technological Feasibility, Usability, and Acceptability Study %A Radovic,Ana %A Gmelin,Theresa %A Hua,Jing %A Long,Cassandra %A Stein,Bradley D %A Miller,Elizabeth %+ Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3420 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, United States, 1 412 692 7227, ana.radovic@chp.edu %K adolescent %K adolescent health services %K technology %K depression %K anxiety %D 2018 %7 26.02.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Supporting Our Valued Adolescents (SOVA), a social media website for adolescents, was designed to increase mental health literacy and address negative health beliefs toward depression and/or anxiety diagnosis and treatment. This stakeholder-informed site underwent iterative user testing to evolve into its current version with daily blog posts, round-the-clock site moderation, and Web-based peer interaction to create an online support community. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the technological feasibility (at least 100 users on the site, logging in 12 to 18 times in the first 6 weeks) and acceptability of the SOVA site determined by the System Usability Scale (SUS). Methods: Adolescents and young adults (aged 14-26 years) with a self-reported history of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms were recruited to access the research website (sova.pitt.edu). Participants were screened out if they reported active suicidality or a prior suicide attempt. Baseline survey measures included demographics, symptomatology using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 modified for adolescents (PHQ-9A) and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED-C), and mental health treatment history. The 6-week follow-up measures taken in addition to the symptomatology, included feasibility (total number of log-ins), usability, and acceptability of SOVA using SUS. Results: Most of the 96 participants identified as female (75% [72/96]) and white (67% [64/96]). Most participants (73% [70/96]) reported having taken prior professional psychological help. The average PHQ-9A score was 11.8 (SD 5.5), and for SCARED-C, 85% (80/94) of the participants reported a score consistent with being susceptible to a diagnosed anxiety disorder. There were 46% (41/90) of eligible users who ever logged in. Out of the total users who ever logged in, the mean of total log-ins over the entire study was 4.1 (SD 6.9). Median number of users rated the user-friendliness of the site as “good.” The average SUS score was 71.2% (SD 18.7), or a “C-grade,” which correlated to an acceptable range. The participants reported to have liked the “easy-to-understand format” and “positive, helpful atmosphere,” but they also reported a desire for greater social interaction. Iterative recruitment resulted in incremental improvements to the site. Conclusions: The SOVA site met feasibility goals of recruiting almost 100 users and establishing acceptable usability. Subsequent interventions are planned to increase site engagement and to evaluate efficacy in increasing uptake of primary care–recommended depression and/or anxiety treatment. %M 29483067 %R 10.2196/mental.9441 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e17/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9441 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29483067 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e14 %T Influencing the Conversation About Masculinity and Suicide: Evaluation of the Man Up Multimedia Campaign Using Twitter Data %A Schlichthorst,Marisa %A King,Kylie %A Turnure,Jackie %A Sukunesan,Suku %A Phelps,Andrea %A Pirkis,Jane %+ Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, 207 Bouverie Street, Parkville, 3010, Australia, 61 390353508, marisa.schlichthorst@unimelb.edu.au %K mental health %K suicide %K masculinity %K men’s health %D 2018 %7 15.02.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: It has been suggested that some dominant aspects of traditional masculinity are contributing to the high suicide rates among Australian men. We developed a three-episode documentary called Man Up, which explores the complex relationship between masculinity and suicide and encourages men to question socially imposed rules about what it means to be a man and asks them to open up, express difficult emotions, and seek help if and when needed. We ran a three-phase social media campaign alongside the documentary using 5 channels (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tumblr). Objective: This study aimed to examine the extent to which the Man Up Twitter campaign influenced the social media conversation about masculinity and suicide. Methods: We used Twitter insights data to assess the reach of and engagement with the campaign (using metrics on followers, likes, retweets, and impressions) and to determine the highest and lowest performing tweets in the campaign (using an aggregated performance measure of reactions). We used original content tweets to determine whether the campaign increased the volume of relevant Twitter conversations (aggregating the number of tweets for selected campaign hashtags over time), and we used a subset of these data to gain insight into the main content themes with respect to audience engagement. Results: The campaign generated a strong following that was engaged with the content of the campaign; over its whole duration, the campaign earned approximately 5000 likes and 2500 retweets and gained around 1,022,000 impressions. The highest performing tweets posted by the host included video footage and occurred during the most active period of the campaign (around the screening of the documentary). The volume of conversations in relation to commonly used hashtags (#MANUP, #ABCMANUP, #LISTENUP, and #SPEAKUP) grew in direct relation to the campaign activities, achieving strongest growth during the 3 weeks when the documentary was aired. Strongest engagement was found with content related to help-seeking, masculinity, and expressing emotions. A number of followers tweeted personal stories that revealed overwhelmingly positive perceptions of the content of the documentary and strongly endorsed its messages. Conclusions: The Man Up Twitter campaign triggered conversations about masculinity and suicide that otherwise may not have happened. For some, this may have been game-changing in terms of shifting attitudes toward expressing emotions and reaching out to others for help. The campaign was particularly effective in disseminating information and promoting conversations in real time, an advantage that it had over more traditional health promotion campaigns. This sort of approach could well be adapted to other areas of mental (and physical) health promotion campaigns to increase their reach and effectiveness. %M 29449203 %R 10.2196/mental.9120 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e14/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9120 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29449203 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e13 %T A Web-Based Psychoeducational Intervention for Adolescent Depression: Design and Development of MoodHwb %A Bevan Jones,Rhys %A Thapar,Anita %A Rice,Frances %A Beeching,Harriet %A Cichosz,Rachel %A Mars,Becky %A Smith,Daniel J %A Merry,Sally %A Stallard,Paul %A Jones,Ian %A Thapar,Ajay K %A Simpson,Sharon A %+ Division of Psychological Medicine and Clinical Neurosciences, Medical Research Council Centre for Neuropsychiatric Genetics and Genomics, Cardiff University, Hadyn Ellis Building, Maindy Rd, Cardiff, Wales, CF24 4HQ, United Kingdom, 44 02920688451, bevanjonesr1@cardiff.ac.uk %K adolescent %K depression %K internet %K education %K preventive psychiatry %K early medical intervention %D 2018 %7 15.02.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Depression is common in adolescence and leads to distress and impairment in individuals, families and carers. Treatment and prevention guidelines highlight the key role of information and evidence-based psychosocial interventions not only for individuals but also for their families and carers. Engaging young people in prevention and early intervention programs is a challenge, and early treatment and prevention of adolescent depression is a major public health concern. There has been growing interest in psychoeducational interventions to provide accurate information about health issues and to enhance and develop self-management skills. However, for adolescents with, or at high risk of depression, there is a lack of engaging Web-based psychoeducation programs that have been developed with user input and in line with research guidelines and targeted at both the individual and their family or carer. There are also few studies published on the process of development of Web-based psychoeducational interventions. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe the process underlying the design and development of MoodHwb (HwbHwyliau in Welsh): a Web-based psychoeducation multimedia program for young people with, or at high risk of, depression and their families, carers, friends, and professionals. Methods: The initial prototype was informed by (1) a systematic review of psychoeducational interventions for adolescent depression; (2) findings from semistructured interviews and focus groups conducted with adolescents (with depressive symptoms or at high risk), parents or carers, and professionals working with young people; and (3) workshops and discussions with a multimedia company and experts (in clinical, research, and multimedia work). Twelve interviews were completed (four each with young people, parents or carers, and professionals) and six focus groups (three with young people, one with parents and carers, one with professionals, and one with academics). Results: Key themes from the interviews and focus groups were: aims of the program, design and content issues, and integration and context of the program. The prototype was designed to be person-centered, multiplatform, engaging, interactive, and bilingual. It included mood-monitoring and goal-setting components and was available as a Web-based program and an app for mobile technologies. Conclusions: MoodHwb is a Web-based psychoeducational intervention developed for young people with, or at high risk of, depression and their families and carers. It was developed with user input using qualitative methods as well as user-centered design and educational and psychological theory. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the program in a randomized controlled trial. If found to be effective, it could be implemented in health, education, youth and social services, and charities, to not only help young people but also families, carers, friends, and professionals involved in their care. %M 29449202 %R 10.2196/mental.8894 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e13/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8894 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29449202 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 2 %P e15 %T Effectiveness of a Web-Based Self-Help Program for Suicidal Thinking in an Australian Community Sample: Randomized Controlled Trial %A van Spijker,Bregje AJ %A Werner-Seidler,Aliza %A Batterham,Philip J %A Mackinnon,Andrew %A Calear,Alison L %A Gosling,John A %A Reynolds,Julia %A Kerkhof,Ad JFM %A Solomon,Daniela %A Shand,Fiona %A Christensen,Helen %+ Black Dog Institute, Department of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick,, Australia, 61 293 823 717, h.christensen@blackdog.org.au %K psychosocial interventions %K randomized controlled trial %K suicide %D 2018 %7 14.02.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Treatment for suicidality can be delivered online, but evidence for its effectiveness is needed. Objective: The goal of our study was to examine the effectiveness of an online self-help intervention for suicidal thinking compared to an attention-matched control program. Methods: A 2-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted with assessment at postintervention, 6, and, 12 months. Through media and community advertizing, 418 suicidal adults were recruited to an online portal and were delivered the intervention program (Living with Deadly Thoughts) or a control program (Living Well). The primary outcome was severity of suicidal thinking, assessed using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale. Results: Intention-to-treat analyses showed significant reductions in the severity of suicidal thinking at postintervention, 6, and 12 months. However, no overall group differences were found. Conclusions: Living with Deadly Thoughts was of no greater effectiveness than the control group. Further investigation into the conditions under which this program may be beneficial is now needed. Limitations of this trial include it being underpowered given the effect size ultimately observed, a high attrition rate, and the inability of determining suicide deaths or of verifying self-reported suicide attempts. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12613000410752; https://www.anzctr.org.au/ Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=364016 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6vK5FvQXy); Universal Trial Number U1111-1141-6595 %M 29444769 %R 10.2196/jmir.8595 %U https://www.jmir.org/2018/2/e15/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.8595 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29444769 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 2 %P e38 %T Digital Peer-Support Platform (7Cups) as an Adjunct Treatment for Women With Postpartum Depression: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy Study %A Baumel,Amit %A Tinkelman,Amanda %A Mathur,Nandita %A Kane,John M %+ Department of Community Mental Health, University of Haifa, Abba Khoushy Ave 199, Haifa,, Israel, 972 482 4011, abaumel@univ.haifa.ac.il %K mhealth %K postpartum depression %K perinatal mood disorder %K peer support %K online %K self-help %D 2018 %7 13.02.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Peer support is considered to be an important framework of support for mothers experiencing postpartum depression (PPD); however, some barriers exist that may limit its use including peer availability and mothers’ lack of time due to child care. Objective: This non-randomized study was designed to examine the feasibility, acceptance, and preliminary clinical outcomes of using 7 Cups of Tea (7Cups), a digital platform that delivers self-help tools and 24/7 emotional support delivered by trained volunteers, as an adjunct treatment for mothers diagnosed with PPD. Methods: Mothers with PPD were referred during intake to the study coach who provided guidance about 7Cups. 7Cups features included self-help tools and chats with trained volunteers who had experienced a perinatal mood disorder in their past. Acceptability was measured by examining self-reports and user engagement with the program. The primary outcome was the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) change score between pre- and postintervention at 2 months, as collected in usual care by clinicians blinded to the study questions. Using a propensity score matching to control for potential confounders, we compared women receiving 7Cups to women receiving treatment as usual (TAU). Results: Participants (n=19) proactively logged into 7Cups for a median of 12 times and 175 minutes. Program use was mostly through the mobile app (median of mobile use 94%) and between 18:00 and 08:00 when clinicians are unavailable (68% of total program use time). Participants chatted with volunteers for a total of 3064 minutes and have indicated in their responses 0 instances in which they felt unsafe. Intent-to-treat analysis revealed that 7Cups recipients experienced significant decreases in EPDS scores (P<.001, Cohen d=1.17). No significant difference in EPDS decrease over time was found between 7Cups and TAU, yet the effect size was medium favoring 7Cups (P=.05, Cohen d=0.58). Conclusions: This study supports using a computerized method to train lay people, without any in-person guidance or screening, and engage them with patients diagnosed with mental illness as part of usual care. The medium effect size (d=0.58) favoring the 7Cups group relative to TAU suggests that 7Cups might enhance treatment outcomes. A fully powered trial has to be conducted to examine this effect. %M 29439944 %R 10.2196/mhealth.9482 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/2/e38/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.9482 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29439944 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 2 %P e37 %T Text-Based Program Addressing the Mental Health of Soon-to-be and New Fathers (SMS4dads): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Fletcher,Richard %A May,Chris %A Attia,John %A Garfield,Craig Franklin %A Skinner,Geoff %+ Family Action Centre, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Academic Office Block, University Drive, Callaghan, 2308, Australia, 61 0429152405, richard.fletcher@newcastle.edu.au %K perinatal %K fathers %K online intervention %K randomized controlled trial %K mental health %D 2018 %7 06.02.2018 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Recent estimates indicating that approximately 10% of fathers experience Paternal Perinatal Depression (PPND) and the increasing evidence of the impact of PPND on child development suggest that identifying and assisting distressed fathers is justified on public health grounds. However, addressing new fathers’ mental health needs requires overcoming men’s infrequent contact with perinatal health services and their reluctance to seek help. Text-based interventions delivering information and support have the potential to reach such groups in order to reduce the impact of paternal perinatal distress and to improve the wellbeing of their children. While programs utilising mobile phone technology have been developed for mothers, fathers have not been targeted. Since text messages can be delivered to individual mobile phones to be accessed at a time that is convenient, it may provide a novel channel for engaging with “hard-to-reach” fathers in a critical period of their parenting. Objective: The study will test the efficacy of SMS4dads, a text messaging program designed specifically for fathers including embedded links to online information and regular invitations (Mood Tracker) to monitor their mood, in order to reduce self-reported depression, anxiety and stress over the perinatal period. Methods: A total of 800 fathers-to-be or new fathers from within Australia will be recruited via the SMS4dads website and randomized to the intervention or control arm. The intervention arm will receive 14 texts per month addressing fathers’ physical and mental health, their relationship with their child, and coparenting with their partner. The control, SMS4health, delivers generic health promotion messages twice per month. Messages are timed according to the babies’ expected or actual date of birth and fathers can enroll from 16 weeks into the pregnancy until their infant is 12 weeks of age. Participants complete questionnaires assessing depression, anxiety, stress, and alcohol at baseline and 24 weeks postenrolment. Measures of coparenting and parenting confidence are also completed at baseline and 24 weeks for postbirth enrolments. Results: Participant were recruited between October 2016 and September 2017. Follow-up data collection has commenced and will be completed in March 2018 with results expected in June 2018. Conclusions: This study’s findings will assess the efficacy of a novel text-based program specifically targeting fathers in the perinatal period to improve their depression, anxiety and distress symptoms, coparenting quality, and parenting self-confidence. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616000261415; https://www.anzctr.org.au/ Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=370085 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wav55wII). %M 29410387 %R 10.2196/resprot.8368 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2018/2/e37/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.8368 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29410387 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 1 %P e35 %T The Effectiveness and Cost-Effectiveness of Web-Based and Home-Based Postnatal Psychoeducational Interventions for First-Time Mothers: Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol %A He,Honggu %A Zhu,Lixia %A Chan,Sally Wai Chi %A Chong,Yap-Seng %A Jiao,Nana %A Chan,Yiong Huak %A Luo,Nan %A Shorey,Shefaly %+ Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, National University of Singapore, Level 2 Clinical Research Centre, Block MD 11, 10 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117597, Singapore, 65 66011294 ext 1294, nurssh@nus.edu.sg %K mothers %K education %K postpartum period %K Internet %D 2018 %7 31.01.2018 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: In addition to recuperating from the physical and emotional demands of childbirth, first-time mothers are met with demands of adapting to their social roles while picking up new skills to take care of their newborn. Mothers may not feel adequately prepared for parenthood if they are situated in an unsupported environment. Postnatal psychoeducational interventions have been shown to be useful and can offer a cost-effective solution for improving maternal outcomes. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Web-based and home-based postnatal psychoeducational programs for first-time mothers on maternal outcomes. Methods: A randomized controlled three-group pre- and posttests experimental design is proposed. This study plans to recruit 204 first-time mothers on their day of discharge from a public tertiary hospital in Singapore. Eligible first-time mothers will be randomly allocated to either a Web-based psychoeducation group, a home-based psychoeducation group, or a control group receiving standard care. The outcomes include maternal parental self-efficacy, social support, psychological well-being (anxiety and postnatal depression), and cost evaluation. Data will be collected at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-delivery. Results: The recruitment (n=204) commenced in October 2016 and was completed in February 2017, with 68 mothers in each group. The 6-month follow-up data collection was completed in August 2017. Conclusions: This study may identify an effective and cost-effective Web-based postnatal psychoeducational program to improve first-time mothers’ health outcomes. The provision of a widely-accessed Web-based postnatal psychoeducational program will eventually lead to more positive postnatal experiences for first-time mothers and positively influence their future birth plans. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 45202278; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN45202278 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6whx0pQ2F). %M 29386175 %R 10.2196/resprot.9042 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2018/1/e35/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.9042 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29386175 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 1 %P e38 %T Remote Collaborative Depression Care Program for Adolescents in Araucanía Region, Chile: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Martínez,Vania %A Rojas,Graciela %A Martínez,Pablo %A Zitko,Pedro %A Irarrázaval,Matías %A Luttges,Carolina %A Araya,Ricardo %+ Departamento de Psiquiatría y Salud Mental, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Av. La Paz 1003, Recoleta, Santiago,, Chile, 56 229788601, graciela.rojas.castillo@gmail.com %K primary health care %K depression %K adolescents %K Internet %K telemedicine %K medically underserved area %D 2018 %7 31.01.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Despite evidence on efficacious interventions, a great proportion of depressed adolescents do not receive evidence-based treatment and have no access to specialized mental health care. Remote collaborative depression care (RCDC) may help to reduce the gap between needs and specialized mental health services. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of an RCDC intervention for adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) living in the Araucanía Region, Chile. Methods: A cluster randomized, assessor-blind trial was carried out at 16 primary care centers in the Araucanía Region, Chile. Before randomization, all participating primary care teams were trained in clinical guidelines for the treatment of adolescent depression. Adolescents (N=143; 13-19 years) with MDD were recruited. The intervention group (RCDC, N=65) received a 3-month RCDC treatment that included continuous remote supervision by psychiatrists located in Santiago, Chile’s capital city, through shared electronic health records (SEHR) and phone patient monitoring. The control group (enhanced usual care or EUC; N=78) received EUC by clinicians who were encouraged to follow clinical guidelines. Recruitment and response rates and the use of the SEHR system were registered; patient adherence and satisfaction with the treatment and clinician satisfaction with RCDC were assessed at 12-week follow-up; and depressive symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were evaluated at baseline and 12-weeks follow-up. Results: More than 60.3% (143/237) of the original estimated sample size was recruited, and a response rate of 90.9% (130/143) was achieved at 12-week follow-up. A mean (SD) of 3.5 (4.0) messages per patient were written on the SEHR system by primary care teams. A third of the patients showed an optimal adherence to psychopharmacological treatment, and adolescents in the RCDC intervention group were more satisfied with psychological assistance than those in EUC group. Primary care clinicians were satisfied with the RCDC intervention, valuing its usefulness. There were no significant differences in depressive symptoms or HRQoL between groups. Satisfaction with psychological care, in both groups, was related to a significant change in depressive symptomatology at 12-weeks follow-up (beta=−4.3, 95% CI −7.2 to −1.3). Conclusions: This is the first trial of its kind in Latin America that includes adolescents from vulnerable backgrounds, with an intervention that proved to be feasible and well accepted by both patients and primary care clinicians. Design and implementation issues may explain similar effectiveness across arms. The effectiveness of the intervention seems to be comparable with an already nationwide established treatment program that proved to be highly efficacious under controlled conditions. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01860443; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01860443 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wafMKlTY) %M 29386172 %R 10.2196/jmir.8021 %U https://www.jmir.org/2018/1/e38/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.8021 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29386172 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 7 %N 1 %P e28 %T Mobile Health Technology Interventions for Suicide Prevention: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis %A Melia,Ruth %A Francis,Kady %A Duggan,Jim %A Bogue,John %A O'Sullivan,Mary %A Chambers,Derek %A Young,Karen %+ Psychology Department, Health Service Executive Mid-West, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Quin Road, Ennis, V95HV18, Ireland, 353 656706601, ruth.melia@hse.ie %K mHealth %K suicide prevention %K systematic review %K meta-analysis %D 2018 %7 26.01.2018 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Previous research has reported that two of the major barriers to help-seeking for individuals at risk of suicide are stigma and geographical isolation. Mobile technology offers a potential means of delivering evidence-based interventions with greater specificity to the individual, and at the time that it is needed. Despite documented motivation by at-risk individuals to use mobile technology to track mental health and to support psychological interventions, there is a shortfall of outcomes data on the efficacy of mobile health (mHealth) technology on suicide-specific outcomes. Objective: The objective of this study is to develop a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis that aims to evaluate the effectiveness of mobile technology-based interventions for suicide prevention. Methods: The search includes the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL: The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, CRESP and relevant sources of gray literature. Studies that have evaluated psychological or nonpsychological interventions delivered via mobile computing and communication technology, and have suicidality as an outcome measure will be included. Two authors will independently extract data and assess the study suitability in accordance with the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Studies will be included if they measure at least one suicide outcome variable (ie, suicidal ideation, suicidal intent, nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior, suicidal behavior). Secondary outcomes will be measures of symptoms of depression. Where studies are sufficiently homogenous and reported outcomes are amenable for pooled synthesis, meta-analysis will be performed. A narrative synthesis will be conducted if the data is unsuitable for a meta-analysis. Results: The review is in progress, with findings expected by summer 2018. Conclusions: To date, evaluations of mobile technology-based interventions in suicide prevention have focused on evaluating content as opposed to efficacy. Indeed, previous research has identified mobile applications that appear to present harmful content. The current review will address a gap in the literature by evaluating the efficacy of stand-alone mobile technology tools in suicide prevention. It is imperative that research identifies the evidence base for such tools in suicide prevention in order to inform policy, guide clinical practice, inform users and focus future research. Trial Registration: PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42017072899; https:// www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.asp?ID=CRD42017072899  (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/ 6tZAj0yqJ) %M 29374003 %R 10.2196/resprot.8635 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2018/1/e28/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.8635 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29374003 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e7 %T Facilitating Factors and Barriers to the Use of Emerging Technologies for Suicide Prevention in Europe: Multicountry Exploratory Study %A Muñoz-Sánchez,Juan-Luis %A Delgado,Carmen %A Sánchez-Prada,Andrés %A Parra-Vidales,Esther %A de Leo,Diego %A Franco-Martín,Manuel %+ Department of Psychiatry, Zamora Hospital, Av Hernán Cortes, 44, Zamora, 49021, Spain, 34 980521816, jlmusa@icloud.com %K suicide %K prevention %K technology %D 2018 %7 24.1.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: This study provides an analysis on the use of emerging technologies for the prevention of suicide in 8 different European countries. Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the potentiality of using emerging technologies in the area of suicide prevention based on the opinion of different professionals involved in suicide prevention. Methods: Opinions of 3 groups of stakeholders (ie, relevant professionals in suicide field) were gathered using a specifically designed questionnaire to explore dimensions underlying perceptions of facilitating factors and barriers in relation to the use of emerging technologies for suicide prevention. Results: Goal 1 involved facilitating factors for the use of emerging technologies in suicide prevention. Northern European countries, except for Belgium, attach greater relevance to those that optimize implementation and benefits. On the other hand, Southern European countries attach greater importance to professionally oriented and user-centered facilitating factors. According to different stakeholders, the analysis of these facilitating factors suggest that professionals in the field of social work attach greater relevance to those that optimize implementation and benefits. However, professionals involved in the area of mental health, policy makers, and political decision makers give greater importance to professionally oriented and user-centered facilitating factors. Goal 2 was related to barriers to the usability of emerging technologies for suicide prevention. Both countries and stakeholders attach greater importance to barriers associated with resource constraints than to those centered on personal limitations. There are no differences between countries or between stakeholders. Nevertheless, there is a certain stakeholders-countries interaction that indicates that the opinions on resource constraints expressed by different stakeholders do not follow a uniform pattern in different countries, but they differ depending on the country. Conclusions: Although all countries and stakeholders agree in identifying resource constraints as the main barrier to the use of emerging technologies, factors facilitating their use in suicide prevention differ among countries and among stakeholders. %R 10.2196/mental.7784 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e7/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7784 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e9 %T Youth Codesign of a Mobile Phone App to Facilitate Self-Monitoring and Management of Mood Symptoms in Young People With Major Depression, Suicidal Ideation, and Self-Harm %A Hetrick,Sarah Elisabeth %A Robinson,Jo %A Burge,Eloise %A Blandon,Ryan %A Mobilio,Bianca %A Rice,Simon M %A Simmons,Magenta B %A Alvarez-Jimenez,Mario %A Goodrich,Simon %A Davey,Christopher G %+ Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Locked Bag 10, Parkville, Victoria, Melbourne, 3052, Australia, 61 3 9342 2880, shetrick@unimelb.edu.au %K depression %K suicidal ideation %K suicide, attempted %K self-injurious behavior %K adolescent %K young adult %K cell phone %D 2018 %7 23.01.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Effective treatment of depression in young people is critical, given its prevalence, impacts, and link to suicide. Clinical practice guidelines point to the need for regular monitoring of depression symptom severity and the emergence of suicidal ideation to track treatment progress and guide intervention delivery. Yet, this is seldom integrated in clinical practice. Objective: The objective of this study was to address the gap between guidelines about monitoring and real-world practice by codesigning an app with young people that allows for self-monitoring of mood and communication of this monitoring with a clinician. Methods: We engaged young people aged 18 to 25 years who had experienced depression, suicidal ideation including those who self-harm, as well as clinicians in a codesign process. We used a human-centered codesign design studio methodology where young people designed the features of the app first individually and then as a group. This resulted in a minimal viable product design, represented through low-fidelity hand-drawn wireframes. Clinicians were engaged throughout the process via focus groups. Results: The app incorporated a mood monitoring feature with innovative design aspects that allowed customization, and was named a “well-being tracker” in response to the need for a positive approach to this function. Brief personalized interventions designed to support young people in the intervals between face-to-face appointments were embedded in the app and were immediately available via pop-ups generated by a back-end algorithm within the well-being tracker. Issues regarding the safe incorporation of alerts generated by the app into face-to-face clinical services were raised by clinicians (ie, responding in a timely manner) and will need to be addressed during the full implementation of the app into clinical services. Conclusions: The potential to improve outcomes for young people via technology-based enhancement to interventions is enormous. Enhancing communication between young people and their clinicians about symptoms and treatment progress and increasing access to timely and evidence-based interventions are desirable outcomes. To achieve positive outcomes for young people using technology- (app) based interventions, it is critical to understand and incorporate, in a meaningful way, the expectations and motivations of both young people and clinicians. %M 29362208 %R 10.2196/mental.9041 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e9/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9041 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29362208 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e5 %T Web-based Therapy Plus Support by a Coach in Depressed Patients Referred to Secondary Mental Health Care: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Hatcher,Simon %A Whittaker,Robyn %A Patton,Murray %A Miles,Wayne Sylvester %A Ralph,Nicola %A Kercher,Katharina %A Sharon,Cynthia %+ Brain and Mind Research Institute, Department of Psychiatry, The University of Ottawa, Room 4418, 501 Smyth Road, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada, 1 (613) 798 5555, shatcher@uottawa.ca %K Internet %K major depressive disorder %K secondary care %K randomized controlled trial %K New Zealand %D 2018 %7 23.01.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: The evidence for the effectiveness of Web-based therapies comes mainly from nonclinical populations, with a few studies in primary care. There is little evidence from patients referred to secondary mental health care with depression. Adherence to Web-based therapies is often poor. One way to increase this is to create a new health service role of a coach to guide people through the therapy. Objective: This study aimed to test in people referred to secondary care with depression if a Web-based therapy (The Journal) supported by a coach plus usual care would be more effective in reducing depression compared with usual care plus an information leaflet about Web-based resources after 12 weeks. Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled trial with two parallel arms and a process evaluation that included structured qualitative interviews analyzed using thematic analysis. The coach had a background in occupational therapy. Participants were recruited face-to-face at community mental health centers. Results: We recruited 63 people into the trial (intervention 35, control 28). There were no statistically significant differences in the change from baseline in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores at 12 weeks comparing The Journal with usual care (mean change in PHQ-9 score 9.4 in the intervention group and 7.1 in the control group, t41=1.05, P=.30; mean difference=2.3, 95% CI −2.1 to 6.7). People who were offered The Journal attended on average about one less outpatient appointment compared with usual care, although this difference was not statistically significant (intervention mean number of visits 2.8 (SD 5.5) compared with 4.1 (SD 6.7) in the control group, t45=−0.80, P=.43; mean difference=1.3, 95% CI −4.5 to 2.0). The process evaluation found that the mean number of lessons completed in the intervention group was 2.5 (SD=1.9; range=0-6) and the number of contacts with the coach was a mean of 8.1 (SD=4.4; range=0-17). The qualitative interviews highlighted the problem of engaging clinicians in research and their resistance to recruitment: technical difficulties with The Journal, which prevented people logging in easily; difficulty accessing The Journal as it was not available on mobile devices; participants finding some lessons difficult; and participants saying they were too busy to complete the sessions. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that it is feasible to use a coach in this setting, that people found it helpful, and that it did not conflict with other care that participants were receiving. Future trials need to engage clinicians at an early stage to articulate where Web-based therapies fit into existing clinical pathways; Web-based therapies should be available on mobile devices, and logging in should be easy. The role of the coach should be explored in larger trials. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN): 12613000015741; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=363351&isReview=true (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wEyCc6Ss). %M 29362207 %R 10.2196/mental.8510 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e5/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8510 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29362207 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e8 %T Employees’ Perspectives on the Facilitators and Barriers to Engaging With Digital Mental Health Interventions in the Workplace: Qualitative Study %A Carolan,Stephany %A de Visser,Richard O %+ School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QH, United Kingdom, 44 1273876638, sc587@sussex.ac.uk %K anxiety %K depression %K eHealth %K Internet %K mental health %K mHealth %K occupational %K online %K stress %K workplace %D 2018 %7 19.01.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Prevalence rates of work-related stress, depression, and anxiety are high, resulting in reduced productivity and increased absenteeism. There is evidence that these conditions can be successfully treated in the workplace, but take-up of psychological treatments among workers is low. Digital mental health interventions delivered in the workplace may be one way to address this imbalance, but although there is evidence that digital mental health is effective at treating stress, depression, and anxiety in the workplace, uptake of and engagement with these interventions remains a concern. Additionally, there is little research on the appropriateness of the workplace for delivering these interventions or on what the facilitators and barriers to engagement with digital mental health interventions in an occupational setting might be. Objective: The aim of this research was to get a better understanding of the facilitators and barriers to engaging with digital mental health interventions in the workplace. Methods: Semistructured interviews were held with 18 participants who had access to an occupational digital mental health intervention as part of a randomized controlled trial. The interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis was used to develop an understanding of the data. Results: Digital mental health interventions were described by interviewees as convenient, flexible, and anonymous; these attributes were seen as being both facilitators and barriers to engagement in a workplace setting. Convenience and flexibility could increase the opportunities to engage with digital mental health, but in a workplace setting they could also result in difficulty in prioritizing time and ensuring a temporal and spatial separation between work and therapy. The anonymity of the Internet could encourage use, but that benefit may be lost for people who work in open-plan offices. Other facilitators to engagement included interactive and interesting content and design features such as progress trackers and reminders to log in. The main barrier to engagement was the lack of time. The perfect digital mental health intervention was described as a website that combined a short interactive course that was accessed alongside time-unlimited information and advice that was regularly updated and could be dipped in and out of. Participants also wanted access to e-coaching support. Conclusions: Occupational digital mental health interventions may have an important role in delivering health care support to employees. Although the advantages of digital mental health interventions are clear, they do not always fully translate to interventions delivered in an occupational setting and further work is required to identify ways of minimizing potential barriers to access and engagement. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02729987; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02729987?term=NCT02729987& rank=1 (Archived at WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wZJge9rt) %M 29351900 %R 10.2196/mental.9146 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e8/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9146 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29351900 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 1 %P e17 %T A Tailored Web-Based Intervention to Improve Parenting Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescent Depression and Anxiety Problems: Postintervention Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Yap,Marie Bee Hui %A Mahtani,Shireen %A Rapee,Ronald M %A Nicolas,Claire %A Lawrence,Katherine A %A Mackinnon,Andrew %A Jorm,Anthony F %+ Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Clayton, 3800, Australia, 61 399050723, marie.yap@monash.edu %K family %K anxiety %K parenting %K depression %K adolescent %K Internet %K mental health %K preventive health services %D 2018 %7 19.01.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression and anxiety disorders in young people are a global health concern. Parents have an important role in reducing the risk of these disorders, but cost-effective, evidence-based interventions for parents that can be widely disseminated are lacking. Objective: This study aimed to examine the postintervention effects of the Partners in Parenting (PiP) program on parenting risk and protective factors for adolescent depression and anxiety, and on adolescent depression and anxiety symptoms. Methods: A two-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted with 359 parent-adolescent dyads, recruited primarily through schools across Australia. Parents and adolescents were assessed at baseline and 3 months later (postintervention). Parents in the intervention condition received PiP, a tailored Web-based parenting intervention designed following Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) principles to target parenting factors associated with adolescents’ risk for depression and anxiety problems. PiP comprises a tailored feedback report highlighting each parent’s strengths and areas for improvement, followed by a set of interactive modules (up to nine) that is specifically recommended for the parent based on individually identified areas for improvement. Parents in the active-control condition received a standardized package of five Web-based factsheets about adolescent development and well-being. Parents in both conditions received a 5-min weekly call to encourage progress through their allocated program to completion. Both programs were delivered weekly via the trial website. The primary outcome measure at postintervention was parent-reported changes in parenting risk and protective factors, which were measured using the Parenting to Reduce Adolescent Depression and Anxiety Scale (PRADAS). Secondary outcome measures were the adolescent-report PRADAS, the parent- and child-report Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (depressive symptoms), and parent- and child-report Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (anxiety symptoms). Results: Parents in the intervention condition completed a mean of 73.7% of their intended personalized PiP program. A total of 318 parents (88.6%, 318/359) and 308 adolescents (92.8%, 308/332) completed the postintervention assessment. Attrition was handled using mixed model of repeated measures analysis of variance. As hypothesized, we found a significant condition-by-time interaction on the PRADAS, with a medium effect size, Cohen d=0.57, 95% CI 0.34-0.79. No significant differences between conditions were found at postintervention on any of the secondary outcome measures, with adolescent depressive (parent-report only) and anxiety (both parent- and adolescent-report) symptoms decreasing significantly from baseline to postintervention in both conditions. Conclusions: The fully automated PiP intervention showed promising short-term effects on parenting behaviors that are associated with adolescents’ risk for depression and anxiety. Long-term follow-up is required to ascertain whether these effects translate into reduced adolescent depression and anxiety problems. The intervention may be useful as a low-cost universal public health program to increase parenting practices believed to benefit adolescents’ mental health. Trial Registration: Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12615000328572; https://www.anzctr.org.au/ Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx? id=368274 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6qgsZ3Aqj) %M 29351895 %R 10.2196/jmir.9139 %U http://www.jmir.org/2018/1/e17/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.9139 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29351895 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 20 %N 1 %P e9 %T Turning Good Intentions Into Actions by Using the Health Action Process Approach to Predict Adherence to Internet-Based Depression Prevention: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Zarski,Anna-Carlotta %A Berking,Matthias %A Reis,Dorota %A Lehr,Dirk %A Buntrock,Claudia %A Schwarzer,Ralf %A Ebert,David Daniel %+ Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nägelsbachstraße 25a, Erlangen,, Germany, 49 9131 85 67570, Anna-Carlotta.Zarski@fau.de %K health action process approach %K adherence %K Internet intervention %K depression prevention %D 2018 %7 11.01.2018 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Many individuals engaging in Internet-based interventions fail to complete these treatments as intended. The processes responsible for treatment adherence in Internet-based interventions are still poorly understood. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent adherence in an Internet-based intervention can be predicted by motivational and volitional factors outlined in the health action process approach (HAPA). Methods: This study investigated motivational and volitional factors included in HAPA in a randomized controlled trial to predict treatment adherence of N=101 individuals with subclinical depression in the intervention group of a depression prevention intervention (GET.ON Mood Enhancer). Adherence was operationalized as the number of completed treatment modules. Using longitudinal structural equation modeling, HAPA variables (motivational, maintenance, and recovery self-efficacy, outcome expectancies, intention, and planning) were assessed at baseline and their associations with adherence 7 weeks later. Results: Planning predicted adherence. Better planning was, in turn, associated with higher levels of maintenance self-efficacy, and the latter significantly affected treatment adherence via planning. The other hypothesized direct associations were not significant. In total, the HAPA variables accounted for 14% of variance in treatment adherence. Conclusions: Planning emerged as the strongest predictor of treatment adherence in highly motivated participants in an Internet-based intervention out of all HAPA variables investigated. Findings are in line with the hypothesis that planning facilitates the translation of good intentions into actions. The findings imply that systematically fostering planning skills and maintenance self-efficacy prior to or during Internet-based interventions would help participants to successfully complete these treatments. Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00005973; https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do? navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00005973 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6uxCy64sy). %M 29326097 %R 10.2196/jmir.8814 %U https://www.jmir.org/2018/1/e9/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.8814 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29326097 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e4 %T Cognitive and Behavioral Skills Exercises Completed by Patients with Major Depression During Smartphone Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Furukawa,Toshi A %A Horikoshi,Masaru %A Fujita,Hirokazu %A Tsujino,Naohisa %A Jinnin,Ran %A Kako,Yuki %A Ogawa,Sei %A Sato,Hirotoshi %A Kitagawa,Nobuki %A Shinagawa,Yoshihiro %A Ikeda,Yoshio %A Imai,Hissei %A Tajika,Aran %A Ogawa,Yusuke %A Akechi,Tatsuo %A Yamada,Mitsuhiko %A Shimodera,Shinji %A Watanabe,Norio %A Inagaki,Masatoshi %A Hasegawa,Akio %+ Department of Psychiatry and Cognitive-Behavioral Medicine, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kawasumi 1, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku,, Nagoya, 467-8601, Japan, 81 52 753 9491, furukawa@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp %K major depressive disorder %K smartphone %K cognitive therapy %K telemedicine %D 2018 %7 11.01.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: A strong and growing body of evidence has demonstrated the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), either face-to-face, in person, or as self-help via the Internet, for depression. However, CBT is a complex intervention consisting of several putatively effective components, and how each component may or may not contribute to the overall effectiveness of CBT is poorly understood. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate how the users of smartphone CBT use and benefit from various components of the program. Methods: This is a secondary analysis from a 9-week, single-blind, randomized controlled trial that has demonstrated the effectiveness of adjunctive use of smartphone CBT (Kokoro-App) over antidepressant pharmacotherapy alone among patients with drug-resistant major depressive disorder (total n=164, standardized mean difference in depression severity at week 9=0.40, J Med Internet Res). Kokoro-App consists of three cognitive behavioral skills of self-monitoring, behavioral activation, and cognitive restructuring, with corresponding worksheets to fill in. All activities of the participants learning each session of the program and completing each worksheet were uploaded onto Kokoro-Web, which each patient could use for self-check. We examined what use characteristics differentiated the more successful users of the CBT app from the less successful ones, split at the median of change in depression severity. Results: A total of 81 patients with major depression were allocated to the smartphone CBT. On average, they completed 7.0 (standard deviation [SD] 1.4) out of 8 sessions of the program; it took them 10.8 (SD 4.2) days to complete one session, during which they spent 62 min (SD 96) on the app. There were no statistically significant differences in the number of sessions completed, time spent for the program, or the number of completed self-monitoring worksheets between the beneficiaries and the nonbeneficiaries. However, the former completed more behavioral activation tasks, engaged in different types of activities, and also filled in more cognitive restructuring worksheets than the latter. Activities such as “test-drive a new car,” “go to a coffee shop after lunch,” or “call up an old friend” were found to be particularly rewarding. All cognitive restructuring strategies were found to significantly decrease the distress level, with “What would be your advice to a friend who has a similar problem?” found more helpful than some other strategies. Conclusions: The CBT program offered via smartphone and connected to the remote server is not only effective in alleviating depression but also opens a new avenue in gathering information of what and how each participant may utilize the program. The activities and strategies found useful in this analysis will provide valuable information in brush-ups of the program itself and of mobile health (mHealth) in general. Trial Registration: Japanese Clinical Trials Registry UMIN CTR 000013693; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000015984 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6u6pxVwik) %M 29326098 %R 10.2196/mental.9092 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e4/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.9092 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29326098 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 1 %P e8 %T Toward mHealth Brief Contact Interventions in Suicide Prevention: Case Series From the Suicide Intervention Assisted by Messages (SIAM) Randomized Controlled Trial %A Berrouiguet,Sofian %A Larsen,Mark Erik %A Mesmeur,Catherine %A Gravey,Michel %A Billot,Romain %A Walter,Michel %A , %A Lemey,Christophe %A Lenca,Philippe %+ IMT Atlantique, Lab-STICC, Université Bretagne Loire F-29238 Brest, Brest Medical University Hospital at Bohars, Adult Psychiatry, Route de Ploudalmezeau, Brest, 29820, France, 33 668204178, sofian.berrouiguet@gmail.com %K Suicide %K Text Messaging %K Electronic Health Records %K Cell Phone %K Secondary Prevention %K Tertiary Prevention %D 2018 %7 10.01.2018 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Research indicates that maintaining contact either via letter or postcard with at-risk adults following discharge from care services after a suicide attempt (SA) can reduce reattempt risk. Pilot studies have demonstrated that interventions using mobile health (mHealth) technologies are feasible in a suicide prevention setting. Objective: The aim of this study was to report three cases of patients recruited in the Suicide Intervention Assisted by Messages (SIAM) study to describe how a mobile intervention may influence follow-up. Methods: SIAM is a 2-year, multicenter randomized controlled trial conducted by the Brest University Hospital, France. Participants in the intervention group receive SIAM text messages 48 hours after discharge, then at day 8 and day 15, and months 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. The study includes participants aged 18 years or older, who have attended a participating hospital for an SA, and have been discharged from the emergency department (ED) or a psychiatric unit (PU) for a stay of less than 7 days. Eligible participants are randomized between the SIAM intervention messages and a control group. In this study, we present three cases from the ongoing SIAM study that demonstrate the capability of a mobile-based brief contact intervention for triggering patient-initiated contact with a crisis support team at various time points throughout the mobile-based follow-up period. Results: Out of the 244 patients recruited in the SIAM randomized controlled trial, three cases were selected to illustrate the impact of mHealth on suicide risk management. Participants initiated contact with the emergency crisis support service after receiving text messages up to 6 months following discharge from the hospital. Contact was initiated immediately following receipt of a text message or up to 6 days following a message. Conclusions: This text message–based brief contact intervention has demonstrated the potential to reconnect suicidal individuals with crisis support services while they are experiencing suicidal ideation as well as in a period after receiving messages. As follow-up phone calls over an extended period of time may not be feasible, this intervention has the potential to offer simple technological support for individuals following discharge from the ED. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02106949; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02106949 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wMtAFL49) %M 29321126 %R 10.2196/mhealth.7780 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2018/1/e8/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.7780 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29321126 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 1 %P e1 %T Effect of a Gender-Tailored eHealth Weight Loss Program on the Depressive Symptoms of Overweight and Obese Men: Pre-Post Study %A Young,Myles D %A Morgan,Philip J %+ Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, ATC301, University Drive, Callaghan, 2308, Australia, 61 249216096, myles.young@newcastle.edu.au %K male %K weight loss %K depression %K behavior change %K obesity %K gender-sensitive %D 2018 %7 09.01.2018 %9 Short Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Obesity and depression are of two of the largest contributors to the global burden of disease in men. Although lifestyle behavior change programs can improve participants’ weight and depressive symptoms, the evidence is limited by a lack of male participants and a reliance on face-to-face treatment approaches, which are not accessible or appealing for many men. Objective: This study examined the effect of a gender-tailored electronic health (eHealth) program on the depressive symptoms of a community sample of overweight and obese men with or without depression. A secondary aim was to determine whether the eHealth, self-directed format of the program was a feasible and acceptable treatment approach for the subgroup of men with depression at baseline. Methods: In total, 209 overweight/obese men from the Hunter Region of Australia were assessed before and after completing a self-administered eHealth weight loss program over 3 months. To increase engagement, most program elements were socio-culturally targeted to appeal specifically to men and included printed materials, a DVD, motivational text messages, online- or app-based self-monitoring, and other weight loss tools (eg, pedometer). Depressive symptoms were measured with the validated 8-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8). Program feasibility and acceptability were assessed with a process questionnaire plus recruitment and retention rates. Changes in depressive symptoms and weight were examined using intention-to-treat linear mixed models, adjusted for the centered baseline score and other covariates. Effect sizes were estimated with Cohen’s d. Results: At baseline, the mean weight and age of the sample was 105.7 kg (standard deviation [SD] 14.0) and 46.6 years (SD 11.3), respectively. Overall, 36 men (36/209, 17.2%) were experiencing depression (PHQ-8 score ≥10). Retention rates were comparable between men with and without depression (32/36, 88.9% vs 145/173, 83.8%; P=.44). At posttest, depressive symptoms had reduced by 1.8 units (95% CI 1.3 to 2.3; P<.001; d=0.5) for the whole sample. These improvements were particularly notable in the subgroup of men with depression (-5.5 units; P<.001; d=1.0) and 72.2% (26/36) of this subgroup no longer met the criterion for depression at posttest. A corresponding, albeit smaller, intervention effect on depressive symptoms was also observed in men without depression (-1.0 units; P<.001; d=0.4). The overall intervention effect on weight was -4.7 kg (d=1.3), which did not vary significantly by depression status. Program acceptability, feasibility, and online engagement metrics were also comparable between men with and without depression. Conclusions: A gender-tailored eHealth lifestyle program generated short-term improvements in the mental health of overweight and obese men, particularly for men with depression at baseline. Despite receiving no personalized support, men with depression reported high levels of satisfaction and engagement with the program. As such, a longer-term controlled trial testing an adapted version of the program for this subgroup is warranted. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12612000749808; https://www.anzctr.org.au/ Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=362575 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6wJvbRsNW) %M 29317379 %R 10.2196/mental.8920 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2018/1/e1/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8920 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29317379 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 4 %P e59 %T Partners in Parenting: A Multi-Level Web-Based Approach to Support Parents in Prevention and Early Intervention for Adolescent Depression and Anxiety %A Yap,Marie BH %A Lawrence,Katherine A %A Rapee,Ronald M %A Cardamone-Breen,Mairead C %A Green,Jacqueline %A Jorm,Anthony F %+ Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Level 5, 18 Innovation Walk, Clayton, 3800, Australia, 61 399050723, marie.yap@monash.edu %K family %K tailored %K internet %K mental health %K preventive health services %D 2017 %7 19.12.2017 %9 Viewpoint %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Depression and anxiety disorders in young people are a global health concern. Various risk and protective factors for these disorders are potentially modifiable by parents, underscoring the important role parents play in reducing the risk and impact of these disorders in their adolescent children. However, cost-effective, evidence-based interventions for parents that can be widely disseminated are lacking. In this paper, we propose a multi-level public health approach involving a Web-based parenting intervention, Partners in Parenting (PIP). We describe the components of the Web-based intervention and how each component was developed. Development of the intervention was guided by principles of the persuasive systems design model to maximize parental engagement and adherence. A consumer-engagement approach was used, including consultation with parents and adolescents about the content and presentation of the intervention. The PIP intervention can be used at varying levels of intensity to tailor to the different needs of parents across the population. Challenges and opportunities for the use of the intervention are discussed. The PIP Web-based intervention was developed to address the dearth of evidence-based resources to support parents in their important role in their adolescents’ mental health. The proposed public health approach utilizes this intervention at varying levels of intensity based on parents’ needs. Evaluation of each separate level of the model is ongoing. Further evaluation of the whole approach is required to assess the utility of the intervention as a public health approach, as well as its broader effects on adolescent functioning and socioeconomic outcomes. %M 29258974 %R 10.2196/mental.8492 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/4/e59/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8492 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29258974 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 12 %P e231 %T Direct to Public Peer Support and e-Therapy Program Versus Information to Aid Self-Management of Depression and Anxiety: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Kaylor-Hughes,Catherine J %A Rawsthorne,Mat %A Coulson,Neil S %A Simpson,Sandra %A Simons,Lucy %A Guo,Boliang %A James,Marilyn %A Moran,Paul %A Simpson,Jayne %A Hollis,Chris %A Avery,Anthony J %A Tata,Laila J %A Williams,Laura %A , %A Morriss,Richard K %+ National Institute for Health Research: Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care East Midlands, University of Nottingham, Institute of Mental Health Building, Triumph Road, Nottingham, NG7 2TU, United Kingdom, 44 01158232478, richard.morriss@nottingham.ac.uk %K depression %K anxiety %K peer support %K online %K self-management %D 2017 %7 18.12.2017 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Regardless of geography or income, effective help for depression and anxiety only reaches a small proportion of those who might benefit from it. The scale of the problem suggests a role for effective, safe, anonymized public health–driven Web-based services such as Big White Wall (BWW), which offer immediate peer support at low cost. Objective: Using Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) methodology, the aim of this study was to determine the population reach, effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and barriers and drivers to implementation of BWW compared with Web-based information compiled by UK’s National Health Service (NHS, NHS Choices Moodzone) in people with probable mild to moderate depression and anxiety disorder. Methods: A pragmatic, parallel-group, single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) is being conducted using a fully automated trial website in which eligible participants are randomized to receive either 6 months access to BWW or signposted to the NHS Moodzone site. The recruitment of 2200 people to the study will be facilitated by a public health engagement campaign involving general marketing and social media, primary care clinical champions, health care staff, large employers, and third sector groups. People will refer themselves to the study and will be eligible if they are older than 16 years, have probable mild to moderate depression or anxiety disorders, and have access to the Internet. Results: The primary outcome will be the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale at 6 weeks. We will also explore the reach, maintenance, cost-effectiveness, and barriers and drivers to implementation and possible mechanisms of actions using a range of qualitative and quantitative methods. Conclusions: This will be the first fully digital trial of a direct to public online peer support program for common mental disorders. The potential advantages of adding this to current NHS mental health services and the challenges of designing a public health campaign and RCT of two digital interventions using a fully automated digital enrollment and data collection process are considered for people with depression and anxiety. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 12673428; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN12673428/12673428 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6uw6ZJk5a) %M 29254909 %R 10.2196/resprot.8061 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/12/e231/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.8061 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29254909 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 4 %P e56 %T A Mobile Text Message Intervention to Reduce Repeat Suicidal Episodes: Design and Development of Reconnecting After a Suicide Attempt (RAFT) %A Larsen,Mark Erik %A Shand,Fiona %A Morley,Kirsten %A Batterham,Philip J %A Petrie,Katherine %A Reda,Bill %A Berrouiguet,Sofian %A Haber,Paul S %A Carter,Gregory %A Christensen,Helen %+ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Sydney, 2031, Australia, 61 293828508, mark.larsen@blackdog.org.au %K suicide, attempted %K emergency service, hospital %K continuity of patient care %K text messaging %K Internet %D 2017 %7 13.12.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Suicide is a leading cause of death, particularly among young people. Continuity of care following discharge from hospital is critical, yet this is a time when individuals often lose contact with health care services. Offline brief contact interventions following a suicide attempt can reduce the number of repeat attempts, and text message (short message service, SMS) interventions are currently being evaluated. Objective: The aim of this study was to extend postattempt caring contacts by designing a brief Web-based intervention targeting proximal risk factors and the needs of this population during the postattempt period. This paper details the development process and describes the realized system. Methods: To inform the design of the intervention, a lived experience design group was established. Participants were asked about their experiences of support following their suicide attempt, their needs during this time, and how these could be addressed in a brief contact eHealth intervention. The intervention design was also informed by consultation with lived experience panels external to the project and a clinical design group. Results: Prompt outreach following discharge, initial distraction activities with low cognitive demands, and ongoing support over an extended period were identified as structural requirements of the intervention. Key content areas identified included coping with distressing feelings, safety planning, emotional regulation and acceptance, coping with suicidal thoughts, connecting with others and interpersonal relationships, and managing alcohol consumption. Conclusions: The RAFT (Reconnecting AFTer a suicide attempt) text message brief contact intervention combines SMS contacts with additional Web-based brief therapeutic content targeting key risk factors. It has the potential to reduce the number of repeat suicidal episodes and to provide accessible, acceptable, and cost-effective support for individuals who may not otherwise seek face-to-face treatment. A pilot study to test the feasibility and acceptability of the RAFT intervention is underway. %M 29237584 %R 10.2196/mental.7500 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/4/e56/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7500 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29237584 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 12 %P e381 %T Designing Microblog Direct Messages to Engage Social Media Users With Suicide Ideation: Interview and Survey Study on Weibo %A Tan,Ziying %A Liu,Xingyun %A Liu,Xiaoqian %A Cheng,Qijin %A Zhu,Tingshao %+ Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 16th Lincui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China, Beijing,, China, 86 15010965509, tszhu@psych.ac.cn %K microblog direct message %K social media %K suicide prevention %D 2017 %7 12.12.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: While Web-based interventions can be efficacious, engaging a target population’s attention remains challenging. We argue that strategies to draw such a population’s attention should be tailored to meet its needs. Increasing user engagement in online suicide intervention development requires feedback from this group to prevent people who have suicide ideation from seeking treatment. Objective: The goal of this study was to solicit feedback on the acceptability of the content of messaging from social media users with suicide ideation. To overcome the common concern of lack of engagement in online interventions and to ensure effective learning from the message, this research employs a customized design of both content and length of the message. Methods: In study 1, 17 participants suffering from suicide ideation were recruited. The first (n=8) group conversed with a professional suicide intervention doctor about its attitudes and suggestions for a direct message intervention. To ensure the reliability and consistency of the result, an identical interview was conducted for the second group (n=9). Based on the collected data, questionnaires about this intervention were formed. Study 2 recruited 4222 microblog users with suicide ideation via the Internet. Results: The results of the group interviews in study 1 yielded little difference regarding the interview results; this difference may relate to the 2 groups’ varied perceptions of direct message design. However, most participants reported that they would be most drawn to an intervention where they knew that the account was reliable. Out of 4222 microblog users, we received responses from 725 with completed questionnaires; 78.62% (570/725) participants were not opposed to online suicide intervention and they valued the link for extra suicide intervention information as long as the account appeared to be trustworthy. Their attitudes toward the intervention and the account were similar to those from study 1, and 3 important elements were found pertaining to the direct message: reliability of account name, brevity of the message, and details of the phone numbers of psychological intervention centers and psychological assessment. Conclusions: This paper proposed strategies for engaging target populations in online suicide interventions. %M 29233805 %R 10.2196/jmir.8729 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/12/e381/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.8729 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29233805 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 12 %P e250 %T The Effect of Group Support Psychotherapy Delivered by Trained Lay Health Workers for Depression Treatment Among People with HIV in Uganda: Protocol of a Pragmatic, Cluster Randomized Trial %A Nakimuli-Mpungu,Etheldreda %A Musisi,Seggane %A Wamala,Kizito %A Okello,James %A Ndyanabangi,Sheila %A Mojtabai,Ramin %A Nachega,Jean %A Harari,Ofir %A Mills,Edward %+ Department of Psychiatry, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, Old Mulago Hospital Complex, Mulago Hill Road, Kampala, 256, Uganda, 256 788994050, ethelmpungu@yahoo.com %K cluster randomized trial %K group support psychotherapy %K lay health workers %K depression %K persons living with HIV/AIDS %K Uganda %D 2017 %7 11.12.2017 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: There is limited information on the effectiveness of task shifting of mental health services in populations with HIV. Objective: This trial aims to evaluate the effectiveness of group support psychotherapy delivered by trained lay health workers to persons living with HIV (PLWH) with depression in primary care. Methods: Thirty eligible primary care health centers across three districts were randomly allocated to have their lay health workers trained to deliver group support psychotherapy (intervention arm) or group HIV education and treatment as usual (control arm) to PLWH with depression. Treated PLWH will be evaluated at baseline, after the end of treatment, and at 6-month intervals thereafter for 2 years. Primary outcomes will be the difference in follow-up proportions of participants with Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview criteria for major depression and difference in follow-up function scores of participants in the intervention and control arms 6 months after the end of treatment. Secondary outcomes will include measures of self-esteem, posttraumatic stress symptoms, social support, stigma, adherence to antiretroviral therapy, viral load, and number of disability days, asset possession indices, and cost-effectiveness data. Primary and secondary outcomes as well as subgroup analyses will be conducted at the individual level using multilevel random effects regression analyses adjusting for clustering in health centers. A process evaluation using mixed methods to assess acceptability, feasibility, fidelity, causal mediating processes, and contextual influences in the trial will be conducted. Results: The trial has been approved by the Makerere College of Health Sciences School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee, the AIDS Support Organization, and the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology. A data and safety monitoring board has been put in place to monitor trial progress. A total of 1140 persons living with HIV have been recruited to the trial. An analysis of baseline and 6-month data is in progress. The results of this trial will not only be presented at national and international conferences but also submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and as a report to the funding agencies. Conclusions: This cluster randomized trial will provide critical evidence to support culturally sensitive group-based psychotherapy for depression treatment in sub-Saharan Africa. Process evaluation outcomes will provide contextual information that health care and public health stakeholders can use to guide implementation decisions for their particular setting. Trial Registration: Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR): 201608001738234; http://www.pactr.org/ATMWeb/ appmanager/atm/atmregistry?dar=true&tNo=PACTR201608001738234 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/ 6vUAgAQlj) %M 29229589 %R 10.2196/resprot.8925 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/12/e250/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.8925 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29229589 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 12 %P e180 %T Web-Based Interventions Supporting Adolescents and Young People With Depressive Symptoms: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis %A Välimäki,Maritta %A Anttila,Katriina %A Anttila,Minna %A Lahti,Mari %+ Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China (SAR), 86 40 689 054, mava@utu.fi %K Internet %K adolescent %K depression %K meta-analysis %K information and communication technology %K intervention %K systematic review %K treatment as usual %D 2017 %7 08.12.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Although previous studies on information and communication technology (ICT)–based intervention on mental health among adolescents with depressive symptoms have already been combined in a number of systematic reviews, coherent information is still missing about interventions used, participants’ engagement of these interventions, and how these interventions work. Objective: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials to describe the effectiveness of Web-based interventions to support adolescents with depression or depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress. We also explored the content of the interventions, as there has previously been a lack of coherent understanding of the detailed content of the Web-based interventions for these purposes. Methods: We included parallel randomized controlled trials targeted at adolescents, or young people in the age range of 10 and 24 years, with symptoms or diagnoses of depression and anxiety. The interventions were from original studies aimed to support mental health among adolescents, and they were delivered via Web-based information and communication technology. Results: Out of 2087 records identified, 27 papers (22 studies) met the inclusion criteria. On the basis of a narrative analysis of 22 studies, a variety of Web-based interventions were found; the most commonly used intervention was based on cognitive behavioral therapy. Meta-analysis was further conducted with 15 studies (4979 participants). At the end of the intervention, a statistically significant improvement was found in the intervention group (10 studies) regarding depressive symptoms (P=.02, median 1.68, 95% CI 3.11-0.25) and after 6 months (3 studies; P=.01, median 1.78, 95% CI 3.20-0.37). Anxiety symptoms (8 studies; P<.001, median 1.47, 95% CI 2.36-0.59) and moods and feelings (2 studies; P=.04, median 5.55, 95% CI 10.88-0.22) improved as well in the Web-based intervention group, but there was no difference in stress scores. However, adolescents in the intervention group left the study early more often, both in short-term studies (11 studies; P=.007, median 1.31, 95% CI 1.08-1.58) and mid-term studies (3 studies; P=.02, median 1.65, 95% CI 1.09-2.49). We did not find any studies that had assessed the costs of the Web-based interventions. Conclusions: Despite widely reported promises that information technology use is beneficial to adolescents with depression, the results of our review show only short-term effects on adolescents’ mental well-being, whereas long-term effects remain questionable because of the limited number of studies reviewed. Information about the economic benefits of Web-based interventions is still lacking. The quality of the studies, especially biases related to attrition rates and selective reporting, still needs serious attention. %M 29222079 %R 10.2196/mhealth.8624 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2017/12/e180/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.8624 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29222079 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 12 %P e183 %T The Impact of a Mobile Diabetes Health Intervention on Diabetes Distress and Depression Among Adults: Secondary Analysis of a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial %A Quinn,Charlene C %A Swasey,Krystal K %A Crabbe,J Christopher F %A Shardell,Michelle D %A Terrin,Michael L %A Barr,Erik A %A Gruber-Baldini,Ann L %+ Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 660 W Redwood Street, Howard Hall Suite 200, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States, 1 410 706 2406, cquinn@som.umaryland.edu %K diabetes distress %K mobile health %K depression %K diabetes %K Diabetes Distress Scale %K Patient Health Questionnaire %K women %K emotional well-being %D 2017 %7 07.12.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Diabetes is a complex, demanding disease that requires the constant attention of patients. The burden of self-management, including different medication regimens, routine self-care activities, and provider visits, has an impact on patients’ emotional well-being. Diabetes distress and depression are two important components of emotional well-being that may negatively affect diabetes outcomes. Objective: The aim was to determine the impact of the 1-year Mobile Diabetes Intervention Study cluster randomized clinical trial on emotional well-being measured by diabetes distress and depression among adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: A total of 163 adults with not-well-managed T2D were enrolled from community primary care practices. Primary care practices were cluster randomized into either a usual care control group or intervention group. Intervention participants were given a mobile phone with coaching software including a Web portal to communicate with providers. A priori established secondary outcomes included distress measured by the Diabetes Distress Scale (DDS), with subscales measuring emotional burden, interpersonal distress, physician-related distress, and regimen-related distress, as well as depression measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Linear mixed models were used to calculate the effect of the intervention on diabetes distress levels over time, both overall and separately by sex, and to determine if the intervention affected distress or depression. The impact of total DDS on changes in HbA1c was also studied. Results: There were no significant treatment group effects for DDS total (baseline: P=.07; differences over time: P=.38) or for depression (P=.06 over time). Significant declines in total DDS were observed over the 12-month intervention period (P=.01). Regimen-related distress significantly decreased for all study participants (P<.001), but no significant change over time was observed for emotional burden (P=.83), interpersonal distress (P=.64), or physician-related distress (P=.73). Women in both the usual care and intervention groups were more likely to have higher overall DDS, emotional burden, physician-related distress, and regimen-related distress, but not interpersonal distress. Women also reported higher baseline depression compared to men (P=.006). Overall, depression decreased over the treatment period (P=.007), but remained unaffected by group assignment (P=.06) or by sex (P=.97). Diabetes distress had no effect on the change in HbA1c (P=.91) over the treatment period. Conclusions: Although we found no definitive overall or sex-specific effect of the intervention on diabetes distress or depression, this study makes an important contribution to the understanding of mobile health interventions and the impact on emotional health. Our study verified previous work that although diabetes distress and depression are highly correlated, these measures are not evaluating the same construct. Design of future mobile technology provides an opportunity to personalize, contextualize, and intervene in the emotional well-being of persons with diabetes. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01107015; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01107015 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6vVgRCLAF) %M 29217502 %R 10.2196/mhealth.8910 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2017/12/e183/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.8910 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29217502 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 12 %P e187 %T Mobile Phone Apps for Quality of Life and Well-Being Assessment in Breast and Prostate Cancer Patients: Systematic Review %A Rincon,Esther %A Monteiro-Guerra,Francisco %A Rivera-Romero,Octavio %A Dorronzoro-Zubiete,Enrique %A Sanchez-Bocanegra,Carlos Luis %A Gabarron,Elia %+ Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, Universidad San Pablo Centro de Estudios Universitarios, Campus de Montepríncipe, Urbanización Montepríncipe, Pabellón MED, Despacho 0022, Alcorcón (Madrid), 28925, Spain, 34 913 724 700 ext 4609, maria.rinconfernande@ceu.es %K cancer %K mHealth %K app %K mobile phone %K quality of life %K well-being %D 2017 %7 04.12.2017 %9 Review %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Mobile phone health apps are increasingly gaining attention in oncological care as potential tools for supporting cancer patients. Although the number of publications and health apps focusing on cancer is increasing, there are still few specifically designed for the most prevalent cancers diagnosed: breast and prostate cancers. There is a need to review the effect of these apps on breast and prostate cancer patients’ quality of life (QoL) and well-being. Objective: The purposes of this study were to review the scientific literature on mobile phone apps targeting breast or prostate cancer patients and involving QoL and well-being (anxiety and depression symptoms) and analyze the clinical and technological characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses of these apps, as well as patients’ user experience with them. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature from The Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica Database, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, and MEDLINE to identify studies involving apps focused on breast and/or prostate cancer patients and QoL and/or well-being published between January 1, 2000, and July 12, 2017. Only trial studies which met the inclusion criteria were selected. The systematic review was completed with a critical analysis of the apps previously identified in the health literature research that were available from the official app stores. Results: The systematic review of the literature yielded 3862 articles. After removal of duplicates, 3229 remained and were evaluated on the basis of title and abstract. Of these, 3211 were discarded as not meeting the inclusion criteria, and 18 records were selected for full text screening. Finally, 5 citations were included in this review, with a total of 644 patients, mean age 52.16 years. Four studies targeted breast cancer patients and 1 focused on prostate cancer patients. Four studies referred to apps that assessed QoL. Only 1 among the 5 analyzed apps was available from the official app store. In 3 studies, an app-related intervention was carried out, and 2 of them reported an improvement on QoL. The lengths of the app-related interventions varied from 4 to 12 weeks. Because 2 of the studies only tracked use of the app, no effect on QoL or well-being was found. Conclusions: Despite the existence of hundreds of studies involving cancer-focused mobile phone apps, there is a lack of rigorous trials regarding the QoL and/or well-being assessment in breast and/or prostate cancer patients. A strong and collective effort should be made by all health care providers to determine those cancer-focused apps that effectively represent useful, accurate, and reliable tools for cancer patients’ disease management. Trial Registration: PROSPERO CRD42017073069; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID= CRD42017073069 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6v38Clb9T) %M 29203459 %R 10.2196/mhealth.8741 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2017/12/e187/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.8741 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29203459 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 4 %P e53 %T A Web-Based Study of Dog Ownership and Depression Among People Living With HIV %A Muldoon,Abigail L %A Kuhns,Lisa M %A Supple,Julie %A Jacobson,Kristen C %A Garofalo,Robert %+ Division of Adolescent Medicine, Ann & Robert H Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, 225 East Chicago Avenue, Box 161, Chicago, IL, 60611-2991, United States, 1 7733036058, RGarofalo@luriechildrens.org %K HIV %K depression %K pet-human bonding %D 2017 %7 08.11.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: People living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) are approximately twice as likely to be depressed compared with HIV-negative individuals. Depression is consistently associated with low antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, an important step within the HIV care continuum related to HIV disease progression and overall health. One factor that may have positive psychosocial benefits and promote ART adherence is dog ownership. Research indicates that dog ownership is associated with lower depression, and initial evidence suggests its positive impact on psychosocial outcomes for PLHIV. Objective: The aim of our study was to expand the existing research by examining the relationship between current dog ownership and depression for a sample of PLHIV while controlling for demographic characteristics and other potential confounders. Methods: Participants aged 18 years or older and who self-reported an HIV diagnosis were recruited via social media into When Dogs Heal, a cross-sectional Web-based survey to collect data among adult PLHIV. The research visit was conducted via a Web-based survey, and there was no in-person interaction with the participant. Primary outcome measures included demographic questions (age, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation), pet ownership (type of pet owned and current dog ownership), depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, 10 items), and resilience (Resilience Research Centre Adult Resilience Measure, 28 items). Results: A total of 252 participants were enrolled into the study in January 2016, with a final analytic sample of 199 participants. Mean age was 49 years, 86.4% (172/199) of participants were male, and 80.4% (160/199) were white. Current dog ownership was prevalent among the sample (68.3%, 136/199). Bivariate analysis indicated that there was no significant relationship between depression and demographic characteristics (age, race, ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation), with P>.05. The multivariate logistic regression, including age, race, ethnicity, gender, resilience, and current dog ownership, was significant, with P<.001. Of the 6 predictor variables, only 2 were statistically significant: dog ownership and resilience. Noncurrent dog owners had 3 times higher odds of depression in comparison with current dog owners: odds ratio 3.01; 95% CI 1.54-6.21. Conclusions: Growing evidence suggests that dog ownership reduces the likelihood of depression and, therefore, may confer long-term health benefits on PLHIV. Future studies should explore whether dog-specific interventions are a feasible and efficacious intervention to improve outcomes among PLHIV. %M 29117933 %R 10.2196/mental.8180 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/4/e53/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8180 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29117933 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 11 %P e373 %T Smartphone Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an Adjunct to Pharmacotherapy for Refractory Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Mantani,Akio %A Kato,Tadashi %A Furukawa,Toshi A %A Horikoshi,Masaru %A Imai,Hissei %A Hiroe,Takahiro %A Chino,Bun %A Funayama,Tadashi %A Yonemoto,Naohiro %A Zhou,Qi %A Kawanishi,Nao %+ Department of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, School of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 6068501, Japan, 81 757538941, furukawa@kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp %K major depressive disorder %K pharmacotherapy-resistant depression %K mobile phone app %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K eHealth %D 2017 %7 03.11.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: In the treatment of major depression, antidepressants are effective but not curative. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is also effective, alone or in combination with pharmacotherapy, but accessibility is a problem. Objective: The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of a smartphone CBT app as adjunctive therapy among patients with antidepressant-resistant major depression. Methods: A multisite, assessor-masked, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted in 20 psychiatric clinics and hospitals in Japan. Participants were eligible if they had a primary diagnosis of major depression and were antidepressant-refractory after taking one or more antidepressants at an adequate dosage for four or more weeks. After a 1-week run-in in which participants started the medication switch and had access to the welcome session of the app, patients were randomized to medication switch alone or to medication switch plus smartphone CBT app via the centralized Web system. The smartphone app, called Kokoro-app (“kokoro” means “mind” in Japanese), included sessions on self-monitoring, behavioral activation, and cognitive restructuring presented by cartoon characters. The primary outcome was depression severity as assessed by masked telephone assessors with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) at week 9. The secondary outcomes included the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Frequency, Intensity, and Burden of Side Effects Ratings (FIBSER). Results: In the total sample (N=164), 81 participants were allocated to the smartphone CBT in addition to medication change and 83 to medication change alone. In the former group, all but one participant (80/81, 99%) completed at least half, and 71 (88%) completed at least six of eight sessions. In the intention-to-treat analysis, patients allocated the CBT app scored 2.48 points (95% CI 1.23-3.72, P<.001; standardized mean difference 0.40) lower on PHQ-9 than the control at week 9. The former group also scored 4.1 points (95% CI 1.5-6.6, P=.002) lower on BDI-II and 0.76 points (95% CI –0.05 to 1.58, P=.07) lower on FIBSER. In the per-protocol sample (comfortable with the smartphone app, still symptomatic, and adherent to medication with mild or less side effects after run-in), the intervention group (n=60) scored 1.72 points (95% CI 0.25-3.18, P=.02) lower on PHQ-9, 3.2 points (95% CI –0.01 to 6.3, P=.05) lower on BDI-II, and 0.75 points (95% CI 0.03-1.47, P=.04) lower on FIBSER than the control (n=57). The treatment benefits were maintained up to week 17. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate the effectiveness of a smartphone CBT in the treatment of clinically diagnosed depression. Given the merits of the mobile mental health intervention, including accessibility, affordability, quality control, and effectiveness, it is clinically worthwhile to consider adjunctive use of a smartphone CBT app when treating patients with antidepressant-resistant depression. Research into its effectiveness in wider clinical contexts is warranted. Trial Registration: Japanese Clinical Trials Registry UMIN CTR 000013693; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000015984 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6u6pxVwik) %M 29101095 %R 10.2196/jmir.8602 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/11/e373/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.8602 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29101095 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 11 %P e369 %T Preventing Depression in Final Year Secondary Students: School-Based Randomized Controlled Trial %A Perry,Yael %A Werner-Seidler,Aliza %A Calear,Alison %A Mackinnon,Andrew %A King,Catherine %A Scott,Jan %A Merry,Sally %A Fleming,Theresa %A Stasiak,Karolina %A Christensen,Helen %A Batterham,Philip J %+ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick,, Australia, 61 2 9382 8208, h.christensen@blackdog.org.au %K prevention %K depression %K adolescent %K digital cognitive behavior therapy %D 2017 %7 02.11.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression often emerges for the first time during adolescence. There is accumulating evidence that universal depression prevention programs may have the capacity to reduce the impact of depression when delivered in the school environment. Objective: This trial investigated the effectiveness of SPARX-R, a gamified online cognitive behavior therapy intervention for the prevention of depression relative to an attention-matched control intervention delivered to students prior to facing a significant stressor—final secondary school exams. It was hypothesized that delivering a prevention intervention in advance of a stressor would reduce depressive symptoms relative to the control group. Methods: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted in 10 government schools in Sydney, Australia. Participants were 540 final year secondary students (mean 16.7 [SD 0.51] years), and clusters at the school level were randomly allocated to SPARX-R or the control intervention. Interventions were delivered weekly in 7 modules, each taking approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete. The primary outcome was symptoms of depression as measured by the Major Depression Inventory. Intention-to-treat analyses were performed. Results: Compared to controls, participants in the SPARX-R condition (n=242) showed significantly reduced depression symptoms relative to the control (n=298) at post-intervention (Cohen d=0.29) and 6 months post-baseline (d=0.21) but not at 18 months post-baseline (d=0.33). Conclusions: This is the first trial to demonstrate a preventive effect on depressive symptoms prior to a significant and universal stressor in adolescents. It demonstrates that an online intervention delivered in advance of a stressful experience can reduce the impact of such an event on the potential development or exacerbation of depression. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12614000316606; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=365986 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/ 6u7ou1aI9) %M 29097357 %R 10.2196/jmir.8241 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/11/e369/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.8241 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29097357 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 10 %P e207 %T Internet-Delivered Dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Training for Suicidal and Heavy Episodic Drinkers: Protocol and Preliminary Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Wilks,Chelsey %A Yin,Qingqing %A Ang,Sin Yee %A Matsumiya,Brandon %A Lungu,Anita %A Linehan,Marsha %+ Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, 3935 University Way, Seattle, WA, 98195, United States, 1 7027156241, wilksc@u.washington.edu %K dialectical behavioral therapy %K randomized controlled trial %K eMental health %K suicide %K heavy episodic drinking %K emotion dysregulation %D 2017 %7 25.10.2017 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: The need to develop effective and accessible interventions for suicidal individuals engaging in heavy episodic drinking (HED) cannot be understated. While the link between alcohol use and suicidality is a complex one that remains to be elucidated, emotion dysregulation may play a key role in alcohol-related suicide risk in these individuals. Objective: In the current study, an 8-week Internet-delivered dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) skills training intervention was developed and preliminarily evaluated for suicidal individuals who engage in HED to regulate emotions. The aim of the study is to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the therapist-assisted and Internet-delivered intervention, and to inform the design of a subsequent full-scale study. Methods: The study was a pilot randomized controlled trial comparing participants receiving immediate-treatment (n=30) to waitlist controls (n=29) over a period of 16 weeks. Intervention effects will be assessed longitudinally using hierarchical linear modeling and generalized estimating equations, along with analyses of effect sizes and clinically significant change. The primary outcomes are suicidal ideation, alcohol problems, and emotion dysregulation. Secondary outcomes include alcohol-related consequences, reasons for living, skills use, and depression. Results: The trial is ongoing. A total of 60 individuals returned their informed consent and were randomized, of whom 59 individuals were intended to treat. A total of 50 participants in the study were retained through the 16-week enrollment. Conclusions: There is a dearth of evidence-based treatment for individuals presenting with high risk and complex behaviors. Furthermore, computerized interventions may provide a beneficial alternative to traditional therapies. The particular clinical features and treatment needs of suicidal individuals who also engage in HED constitute key domains for further investigation that are needed to consolidate the design of appropriate interventions for this high-risk population. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02932241; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02932241 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6uJHdQsC2) %M 29070480 %R 10.2196/resprot.7767 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/10/e207/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.7767 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29070480 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 4 %P e42 %T Pregnant Women’s Perceptions of the Risks and Benefits of Disclosure During Web-Based Mental Health E-Screening Versus Paper-Based Screening: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Kingston,Dawn %A Biringer,Anne %A Veldhuyzen van Zanten,Sander %A Giallo,Rebecca %A McDonald,Sarah %A MacQueen,Glenda %A Vermeyden,Lydia %A Austin,Marie-Paule %+ University of Calgary, 2500 University Ave NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada, 1 4032202634, dawn.kingston@ucalgary.ca %K pregnancy %K mental health %K screening %K prenatal care %K computers %D 2017 %7 20.10.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Pregnant women’s perceptions of the risks and benefits during mental health screening impact their willingness to disclose concerns. Early research in violence screening suggests that such perceptions may vary by mode of screening, whereby women view the anonymity of e-screening as less risky than other approaches. Understanding whether mode of screening influences perceptions of risk and benefit of disclosure is important in screening implementation. Objective: The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to compare the perceptions of pregnant women randomized to a Web-based screening intervention group and a paper-based screening control group on the level of risk and benefit they perceive in disclosing mental health concerns to their prenatal care provider. A secondary objective was to identify factors associated with women’s perceptions of risk and benefit of disclosure. Methods: Pregnant women recruited from maternity clinics, hospitals, and prenatal classes were computer-randomized to a fully automated Web-based e-screening intervention group or a paper-based control. The intervention group completed the Antenatal Psychosocial Health Assessment and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale on a computer tablet, whereas the control group completed them on paper. The primary outcome was women’s perceptions of the risk and benefits of mental health screening using the Disclosure Expectations Scale (DES). A completer analysis was conducted. Statistical significance was set at P<.05. We used t tests to compare the means of the risk and benefit subscales between groups. Results: Of the 675 eligible women approached, 636 (94.2%) agreed to participate and were randomized to the intervention (n=305) and control (n=331) groups. There were no significant baseline differences between groups. The mode of screening was not associated with either perceived risk or benefit of screening. There were no differences in groups in the mean scores of the risk and benefit of disclosure subscales. Over three-quarters of women in both intervention and control groups perceived that mental health screening was beneficial. However, 43.1% (272/631) of women in both groups reported feeling very, moderately, or somewhat vulnerable during mental health screening. We found that women of low income, those treated previously for depression or anxiety, and those pregnant with their first child were more likely to perceive greater risk. However, these associations were very small. Conclusions: Pregnant women in both the e-screening and paper-based screening groups perceived benefit and risk of disclosure similarly, suggesting that providers can implement the mode of screening that is most ideal for their clinical setting. Regardless of the mode of screening, a substantial number of women reported feeling vulnerable during mental health screening, highlighting the importance of the need to reduce women’s vulnerability throughout the screening process with strategies such as addressing women’s concerns, explaining the rationale for screening, and discussing how results will be used. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01899534; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01899534 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6tRKtGC4M) %M 29054833 %R 10.2196/mental.6888 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/4/e42/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.6888 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29054833 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 4 %P e47 %T A Transmedia Storytelling Intervention With Interactive Elements to Benefit Latinas’ Mental Health: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Efficacy %A Heilemann,MarySue V %A Soderlund,Patricia D %A Kehoe,Priscilla %A Brecht,Mary-Lynn %+ School of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, Factor Building, Room 5252, Box 956919, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-6919, United States, 1 310 206 4735, mheilema@sonnet.ucla.edu %K depression %K anxiety %K transmedia %K Internet %K mental health %K mood disorders %K smartphone %D 2017 %7 19.10.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Latinos report higher rates of depression and anxiety than US whites but are less likely to receive care. Transmedia storytelling interventions accessible on the Internet via smartphones, tablets, and computers hold promise for reducing reluctance to explore or get help for symptoms because they are private, convenient, and can reach large numbers of people, including Latinas with mental health needs. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a mental health transmedia intervention for Latinas with elevated symptoms of depression, anxiety, or both. Methods: A total of 28 symptomatic English-speaking Latina women aged 21 to 48 years participated in a 6-week study using a within-group design. All aspects of the study were completed via telephone or Internet. Participants used their personal devices to engage the Web-based transmedia intervention (in English) that included story-based videos, a data-informed psychotherapeutic video, an interactive video sequence, and a blog written from the point of view of one of the characters with links to mental health resources. Perceived confidence to get help and perceived importance for seeking immediate help were both measured using single-item questions. Participants completed surveys at baseline (via telephone) and 1 and 6 weeks after media engagement that measured various factors, including depression (Patient Health Questionnaire; PHQ-9 and PHQ-8) and anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale; GAD-7). A telephone interview was conducted within 72 hours of media engagement. Action taken or intentions to get help (single-item question) and talking about the videos with others (single-item question) were measured 1 and 6 weeks after media engagement. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to assess change in depression (PHQ-8) and anxiety (GAD-7) before transmedia engagement and 1 and 6 weeks after. Spearman correlations evaluated the association of confidence and importance of getting help with action taken, anxiety, and depression. Results: All 28 Latinas (English speakers) who engaged with the transmedia remained in the 6-week study. Within 1 week of transmedia engagement, 39% of women took action to get help, and 82% discussed the media with others. Symptoms of depression (F2,54=9.0, P<.001) and anxiety (F2,54=18.7, P<.001) significantly reduced across time. Higher levels of confidence were significantly associated with actions taken at 1 (P=.005) and 6 weeks (P=.04), and higher levels of importance were significantly associated with actions taken at 1 (P=.009) and 6 weeks (P=.003). Higher levels of confidence were associated with lower levels of depression (P=.04) and anxiety (P=.01) at 6 weeks. Conclusions: Preliminary findings indicate a culturally tailored mental health transmedia intervention is a feasible approach that holds promise for engaging large numbers of symptomatic English-speaking Latina women to begin the process of seeking help, as well as decreasing symptoms of anxiety and depression. %M 29051135 %R 10.2196/mental.8571 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/4/e47/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8571 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29051135 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 4 %P e43 %T #MyDepressionLooksLike: Examining Public Discourse About Depression on Twitter %A Lachmar,E Megan %A Wittenborn,Andrea K %A Bogen,Katherine W %A McCauley,Heather L %+ Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Michigan State University, 552 W. Circle Dr., East Lansing, MI, 48823, United States, 1 5174323852, andreaw@msu.edu %K social media %K depression %K community networks %K social stigma %D 2017 %7 18.10.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Social media provides a context for billions of users to connect, express sentiments, and provide in-the-moment status updates. Because Twitter users tend to tweet emotional updates from daily life, the platform provides unique insights into experiences of mental health problems. Depression is not only one of the most prevalent health conditions but also carries a social stigma. Yet, opening up about one’s depression and seeking social support may provide relief from symptoms. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the public discourse of the trending hashtag #MyDepressionLooksLike to look more closely at how users talk about their depressive symptoms on Twitter. Methods: We captured 3225 original content tweets for the hashtag #MyDepressionLooksLike that circulated in May of 2016. Eliminating public service announcements, spam, and tweets with links to pictures or videos resulted in a total of 1978 tweets. Using qualitative content analysis, we coded the tweets to detect themes. Results: The content analysis revealed seven themes: dysfunctional thoughts, lifestyle challenges, social struggles, hiding behind a mask, apathy and sadness, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and seeking relief. Conclusions: The themes revealed important information about the content of the public messages that people share about depression on Twitter. More research is needed to understand the effects of the hashtag on increasing social support for users and reducing social stigma related to depression. %M 29046270 %R 10.2196/mental.8141 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/4/e43/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.8141 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29046270 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 4 %P e41 %T Transdiagnostic, Psychodynamic Web-Based Self-Help Intervention Following Inpatient Psychotherapy: Results of a Feasibility Study and Randomized Controlled Trial %A Zwerenz,Rüdiger %A Becker,Jan %A Johansson,Robert %A Frederick,Ronald J %A Andersson,Gerhard %A Beutel,Manfred E %+ Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8, Mainz, 55131, Germany, 49 6131175981, ruediger.zwerenz@unimedizin-mainz.de %K psychoanalytic psychotherapy %K emotion-focused therapy %K inpatients %K aftercare %K Internet %K clinical trial %D 2017 %7 16.10.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Mental disorders have become a major health issue, and a substantial number of afflicted individuals do not get appropriate treatment. Web-based interventions are promising supplementary tools for improving health care for patients with mental disorders, as they can be delivered at low costs and used independently of time and location. Although psychodynamic treatments are used frequently in the face-to-face setting, there has been a paucity of studies on psychodynamic Web-based self-help interventions. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a transdiagnostic affect-focused psychodynamic Web-based self-help intervention designed to increase emotional competence of patients with mental disorders. Methods: A total of 82 psychotherapy inpatients with mixed diagnoses were randomized into two groups. Following discharge, the intervention group (IG) got access to a guided version of the intervention for 10 weeks. After a waiting period of 10 weeks, the wait-list control group (WLCG) got access to an unguided version of the intervention. We reported the assessments at the beginning (T0) and at the end of the intervention, resp. the waiting period (T1). The primary outcome was satisfaction with the treatment at T1. Secondary outcome measures included emotional competence, depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Statistical analyses were performed with descriptive statistics (primary outcome) and analysis of covariance; a repeated measurement analysis of variance was used for the secondary outcomes. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen d and data were analyzed as per protocol, as well as intention-to-treat (ITT). Results: Patients were chronically ill, diagnosed with multiple diagnoses, most frequently with depression (84%, 58/69), anxiety (68%, 47/69), personality disorder (38%, 26/69), and depersonalization-derealization disorder (22%, 15/69). A majority of the patients (86%, 36/42) logged into the program, of which 86% (31/36) completed the first unit. Satisfaction with the units mastered was rated as good (52%, 16/31) and very good (26%, 9/31). However, there was a steady decline of participation over the course of the program; only 36% of the participants (13/36) participated throughout the trial completing at least 50% of the sessions. According to the ITT analysis, participants improved statistically significantly and with moderate effect sizes (Cohen d) compared with the WLCG regarding depression (d=0.60), quality of life (d=0.53), and emotional competence (d=0.49). Effects were considerably stronger for the completers with respect to depression (d=1.33), quality of life (d=0.83), emotional competence (d=0.68), and general anxiety (d=0.62). Conclusions: Although overall program satisfaction and benefit of the program were favorable with respect to the indicators of emotional disorders, the rate of completion was low. Our findings point to the need to target the intervention more specifically to the needs and capabilities of participants and to the context of the intervention. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02671929; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02671929 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ntWg1yWb) %M 29038094 %R 10.2196/mental.7889 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/4/e41/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7889 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29038094 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 10 %P e130 %T Mobile Apps for Suicide Prevention: Review of Virtual Stores and Literature %A de la Torre,Isabel %A Castillo,Gema %A Arambarri,Jon %A López-Coronado,Miguel %A Franco,Manuel A %+ Department of Signal Theory and Communications, and Telematics Engineering, University of Valladolid, Paseo de Belén 15, Valladolid, 47011, Spain, 34 983423000 ext 3703, isator@tel.uva.es %K app %K literature %K prevention %K suicide %K virtual stores %D 2017 %7 10.10.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: The best manner to prevent suicide is to recognize suicidal signs and signals, and know how to respond to them. Objective: We aim to study the existing mobile apps for suicide prevention in the literature and the most commonly used virtual stores. Methods: Two reviews were carried out. The first was done by searching the most commonly used commercial app stores, which are iTunes and Google Play. The second was a review of mobile health (mHealth) apps in published articles within the last 10 years in the following 7 scientific databases: Science Direct, Medline, PsycINFO, Embase, The Cochrane Library, IEEE Xplore, and Google Scholar. Results: A total of 124 apps related to suicide were found in the cited virtual stores but only 20 apps were specifically designed for suicide prevention. All apps were free and most were designed for Android. Furthermore, 6 relevant papers were found in the indicated scientific databases; in these studies, some real experiences with physicians, caregivers, and families were described. The importance of these people in suicide prevention was indicated. Conclusions: The number of apps regarding suicide prevention is small, and there was little information available from literature searches, indicating that technology-based suicide prevention remains understudied. Many of the apps provided no interactive features. It is important to verify the accuracy of the results of different apps that are available on iOS and Android. The confidence generated by these apps can benefit end users, either by improving their health monitoring or simply to verify their body condition. %M 29017992 %R 10.2196/mhealth.8036 %U https://mhealth.jmir.org/2017/10/e130/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.8036 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29017992 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 4 %P e40 %T Developing Social Media-Based Suicide Prevention Messages in Partnership With Young People: Exploratory Study %A Robinson,Jo %A Bailey,Eleanor %A Hetrick,Sarah %A Paix,Steve %A O'Donnell,Matt %A Cox,Georgina %A Ftanou,Maria %A Skehan,Jaelea %+ Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, 35 Poplar Road, Parkville, 3052, Australia, 61 9342 2866, jo.robinson@orygen.org.au %K suicide %K suicidal ideation %K social media %K youth %K adolescents %K mass media %D 2017 %7 04.10.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Social media is increasingly being used by young people for health-related issues, including communicating about suicide. Due to the concerns about causing distress or inducing suicidal thoughts or behaviors, to date young people neither have been engaged in the development of social media–based suicide prevention interventions nor have interventions focused on educating young people about safe ways to communicate about suicide online. Given the potential that social media holds to deliver messages to vast numbers of people across space and time and the fact that young people often prefer to seek help from their friends and peers, safely educating and engaging young people to develop suicide prevention messages that can be delivered via social media is an obvious next step. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) provide education to a small number of secondary school students about safe ways to communicate about suicide via social media; (2) engage the same young people in the development of a suite of social media–based suicide prevention multimedia messages; (3) assess the impact of this on participants; and (4) assess the acceptability and safety of the messages developed. Methods: This study involved two phases. In phase 1, 20 participants recruited from two schools took part in an 8- to 10-week program during which they were provided with psychoeducation about mental health and suicide, including how to talk safely about suicide online, and they were then supported to design and develop their own media messages. These participants completed an evaluation questionnaire at the conclusion of the program. In phase 2, a larger group of participants (n=69), recruited via an opt-in process, viewed the media messages and completed a short questionnaire about each one. Results: Participants in phase 1 enjoyed the program and reported that they learned new skills, such as how to talk safely about suicide online, and felt more able to provide emotional support to others (16/20, 80%). No participants reported that the program made them feel suicidal. Participants in phase 2 generally rated the media messages as safe and acceptable, although some messages were rated more highly than others. Conclusions: This study suggests that young people can be safely engaged in developing suicide prevention messages, which can be disseminated via social media. Engaging young people in this process may improve the traction that such campaigns will have with other young people. The study also suggests that educating young people regarding how to talk safely about suicide online has multiple benefits and is not associated with distress. Overall, these findings pave the way for new approaches to prevent suicide among young people. %M 28978499 %R 10.2196/mental.7847 %U https://mental.jmir.org/2017/4/e40/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7847 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28978499 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 9 %P e302 %T Computerized Adaptive Testing Provides Reliable and Efficient Depression Measurement Using the CES-D Scale %A Loe,Bao Sheng %A Stillwell,David %A Gibbons,Chris %+ The Psychometrics Centre, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge,, United Kingdom, 44 01223765203, cg598@cam.ac.uk %K depression %K assessment %K psychometrics %K patient reported outcome measures %K patient outcome assessment %D 2017 %7 20.09.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a measure of depressive symptomatology which is widely used internationally. Though previous attempts were made to shorten the CES-D scale, few have attempted to develop a Computerized Adaptive Test (CAT) version for the CES-D. Objective: The aim of this study was to provide evidence on the efficiency and accuracy of the CES-D when administered using CAT using an American sample group. Methods: We obtained a sample of 2060 responses to the CESD-D from US participants using the myPersonality application. The average age of participants was 26 years (range 19-77). We randomly split the sample into two groups to evaluate and validate the psychometric models. We used evaluation group data (n=1018) to assess dimensionality with both confirmatory factor and Mokken analysis. We conducted further psychometric assessments using item response theory (IRT), including assessments of item and scale fit to Samejima’s graded response model (GRM), local dependency and differential item functioning. We subsequently conducted two CAT simulations to evaluate the CES-D CAT using the validation group (n=1042). Results: Initial CFA results indicated a poor fit to the model and Mokken analysis revealed 3 items which did not conform to the same dimension as the rest of the items. We removed the 3 items and fit the remaining 17 items to GRM. We found no evidence of differential item functioning (DIF) between age and gender groups. Estimates of the level of CES-D trait score provided by the simulated CAT algorithm and the original CES-D trait score derived from original scale were correlated highly. The second CAT simulation conducted using real participant data demonstrated higher precision at the higher levels of depression spectrum. Conclusions: Depression assessments using the CES-D CAT can be more accurate and efficient than those made using the fixed-length assessment. %M 28931496 %R 10.2196/jmir.7453 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/9/e302/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7453 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28931496 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 9 %P e309 %T User Acceptance of Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: Systematic Review %A Rost,Theresia %A Stein,Janine %A Löbner,Margrit %A Kersting,Anette %A Luck-Sikorski,Claudia %A Riedel-Heller,Steffi G %+ Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Building A, 3rd Fl., Philipp-Rosenthal-Str. 55, Leipzig, 04103, Germany, 49 3419715408, Steffi.Riedel-Heller@medizin.uni-leipzig.de %K computerized cognitive behavior therapy %K depression %K user acceptance %K systematic review %K review %K behavior therapy %K depressive disorder %D 2017 %7 13.09.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) has been proven to be effective in depression care. Moreover, cCBT packages are becoming increasingly popular. A central aspect concerning the take-up and success of any treatment is its user acceptance. Objective: The aim of this study was to update and expand on earlier work on user acceptance of cCBT for depression. Methods: This paper systematically reviewed quantitative and qualitative studies regarding the user acceptance of cCBT for depression. The initial search was conducted in January 2016 and involved the following databases: Web of Science, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and PsycINFO. Studies were retained if they described the explicit examination of the user acceptance, experiences, or satisfaction related to a cCBT intervention, if they reported depression as a primary outcome, and if they were published in German or English from July 2007 onward. Results: A total of 1736 studies were identified, of which 29 studies were eligible for review. User acceptance was operationalized and analyzed very heterogeneously. Eight studies reported a very high level of acceptance, 17 indicated a high level of acceptance, and one study showed a moderate level of acceptance. Two qualitative studies considered the positive and negative aspects concerning the user acceptance of cCBT. However, a substantial proportion of reviewed studies revealed several methodical shortcomings. Conclusions: In general, people experience cCBT for depression as predominantly positive, which supports the potential role of these innovative treatments. However, methodological challenges do exist in terms of defining user acceptance, clear operationalization of concepts, and measurement. %M 28903893 %R 10.2196/jmir.7662 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/9/e309/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7662 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28903893 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 3 %P e36 %T Assessing the Equivalence of Paper, Mobile Phone, and Tablet Survey Responses at a Community Mental Health Center Using Equivalent Halves of a ‘Gold-Standard’ Depression Item Bank %A Brodey,Benjamin B %A Gonzalez,Nicole L %A Elkin,Kathryn Ann %A Sasiela,W Jordan %A Brodey,Inger S %+ TeleSage, Inc., 201 E Rosemary Street, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, United States, 1 886 942 8849, bb@telesage.com %K mobile phone %K tablet %K PROMIS %K depression %K item response theory %K outcomes tracking %K PORTAL %K TeleSage %K behavioral health %K special issue on computing and mental health %D 2017 %7 06.09.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: The computerized administration of self-report psychiatric diagnostic and outcomes assessments has risen in popularity. If results are similar enough across different administration modalities, then new administration technologies can be used interchangeably and the choice of technology can be based on other factors, such as convenience in the study design. An assessment based on item response theory (IRT), such as the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) depression item bank, offers new possibilities for assessing the effect of technology choice upon results. Objective: To create equivalent halves of the PROMIS depression item bank and to use these halves to compare survey responses and user satisfaction among administration modalities—paper, mobile phone, or tablet—with a community mental health care population. Methods: The 28 PROMIS depression items were divided into 2 halves based on content and simulations with an established PROMIS response data set. A total of 129 participants were recruited from an outpatient public sector mental health clinic based in Memphis. All participants took both nonoverlapping halves of the PROMIS IRT-based depression items (Part A and Part B): once using paper and pencil, and once using either a mobile phone or tablet. An 8-cell randomization was done on technology used, order of technologies used, and order of PROMIS Parts A and B. Both Parts A and B were administered as fixed-length assessments and both were scored using published PROMIS IRT parameters and algorithms. Results: All 129 participants received either Part A or B via paper assessment. Participants were also administered the opposite assessment, 63 using a mobile phone and 66 using a tablet. There was no significant difference in item response scores for Part A versus B. All 3 of the technologies yielded essentially identical assessment results and equivalent satisfaction levels. Conclusions: Our findings show that the PROMIS depression assessment can be divided into 2 equivalent halves, with the potential to simplify future experimental methodologies. Among community mental health care recipients, the PROMIS items function similarly whether administered via paper, tablet, or mobile phone. User satisfaction across modalities was also similar. Because paper, tablet, and mobile phone administrations yielded similar results, the choice of technology should be based on factors such as convenience and can even be changed during a study without adversely affecting the comparability of results. %M 28877861 %R 10.2196/mental.6805 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/3/e36/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.6805 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28877861 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 3 %P e35 %T A Validation Study of the Web Screening Questionnaire (WSQ) Compared With the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus (MINI-Plus) %A Meuldijk,Denise %A Giltay,Erik J %A Carlier,Ingrid VE %A van Vliet,Irene M %A van Hemert,Albert M %A Zitman,Frans G %+ School of Psychology, Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, New South Wales,, Australia, 61 242214086, meuldijk@uow.edu.au %K depressive disorders %K anxiety disorders %K surveys and questionnaires %K diagnostic, brief %K clinical practice %D 2017 %7 29.08.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: There is a need for brief screening methods for psychiatric disorders in clinical practice. This study assesses the validity and accuracy of a brief self-report screening questionnaire, the Web Screening Questionnaire (WSQ), in detecting psychiatric disorders in a study group comprising the general population and psychiatric outpatients aged 18 years and older. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the WSQ is an adequate test to screen for the presence of depressive and anxiety disorders in clinical practice. Methods: Participants were 1292 adults (1117 subjects from the general population and 175 psychiatric outpatients), aged 18 to 65 years. The discriminant characteristics of the WSQ were examined in relation to the (“gold standard”) Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus (MINI-Plus) disorders, by means of sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC), and positive and negative predictive values (PPVs, NPVs). Results: The specificity of the WSQ to individually detect depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and alcohol abuse or dependence ranged from 0.89 to 0.97 for most disorders, with the exception of post-traumatic stress disorder (0.52) and specific phobia (0.73). The sensitivity values ranged from 0.67 to 1.00, with the exception of depressive disorder (0.56) and alcohol abuse or dependence (0.56). Given the low prevalence of separate disorders in the general population sample, NPVs were extremely high across disorders (≥0.97), whereas PPVs were of poor strength (range 0.02-0.33). Conclusions: In this study group, the WSQ was a relatively good screening tool to identify individuals without a depressive or anxiety disorder, as it accurately identified those unlikely to suffer from these disorders (except for post-traumatic stress disorders and specific phobias). However, in case of a positive WSQ screening result, further diagnostic procedures are required. %M 28851674 %R 10.2196/mental.5453 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/3/e35/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5453 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28851674 %0 Journal Article %@ 2292-9495 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 3 %P e22 %T Usability of a Culturally Informed mHealth Intervention for Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression: Feedback From Young Sexual Minority Men %A Fleming,John B %A Hill,Yvette N %A Burns,Michelle Nicole %+ Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 750 North Lake Shore Drive, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States, 1 503 3114, jbfleming@gmail.com %K mHealth %K eHealth %K homosexuality, male %K adolescents, male %K anxiety %K depression %D 2017 %7 25.08.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Hum Factors %G English %X Background: To date, we are aware of no interventions for anxiety and depression developed as mobile phone apps and tailored to young sexual minority men, a group especially at risk of anxiety and depression. We developed TODAY!, a culturally informed mobile phone intervention for young men who are attracted to men and who have clinically significant symptoms of anxiety or depression. The core of the intervention consists of daily psychoeducation informed by transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and a set of tools to facilitate putting these concepts into action, with regular mood ratings that result in tailored feedback (eg, tips for current distress and visualizations of mood by context). Objective: The aim of this study was to conduct usability testing to understand how young sexual minority men interact with the app, to inform later stages of intervention development. Methods: Participants (n=9) were young sexual minority men aged 18-20 years (Mean=19.00, standard deviation [SD]=0.71; 44% black, 44% white, and 11.1% Latino), who endorsed at least mild depression and anxiety symptoms. Participants were recruited via flyers, emails to college lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) organizations, Web-based advertisements, another researcher’s database of sexual minority youth interested in research participation, and word of mouth. During recorded interviews, participants were asked to think out loud while interacting with the TODAY! app on a mobile phone or with paper prototypes. Feedback identified from these recordings and from associated field notes were subjected to thematic analysis using a general inductive approach. To aid interpretation of results, methods and results are reported according to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ). Results: Thematic analysis of usability feedback revealed a theme of general positive feedback, as well as six recurring themes that informed continued development: (1) functionality (eg, highlight new material when available), (2) personalization (eg, more tailored feedback), (3) presentation (eg, keep content brief), (4) aesthetics (eg, use brighter colors), (5) LGBT or youth content (eg, add content about coming out), and (6) barriers to use (eg, perceiving psychoeducation as homework). Conclusions: Feedback from usability testing was vital to understanding what young sexual minority men desire from a mobile phone intervention for symptoms of anxiety and depression and was used to inform the ongoing development of such an intervention. %M 28842389 %R 10.2196/humanfactors.7392 %U http://humanfactors.jmir.org/2017/3/e22/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/humanfactors.7392 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28842389 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 8 %P e295 %T The Use of Mobile Apps and SMS Messaging as Physical and Mental Health Interventions: Systematic Review %A Rathbone,Amy Leigh %A Prescott,Julie %+ School of Education and Psychology, University of Bolton, Deane Road, Bolton, BL3 5AB, United Kingdom, 44 01204903676, alr3wss@bolton.ac.uk %K mHealth %K smartphone %K health %K review %K systematic %K short message service %K treatment efficacy %K portable electronic applications %K intervention study %D 2017 %7 24.08.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: The initial introduction of the World Wide Web in 1990 brought around the biggest change in information acquisition. Due to the abundance of devices and ease of access they subsequently allow, the utility of mobile health (mHealth) has never been more endemic. A substantial amount of interactive and psychoeducational apps are readily available to download concerning a wide range of health issues. mHealth has the potential to reduce waiting times for appointments; eradicate the need to meet in person with a clinician, successively diminishing the workload of mental health professionals; be more cost effective to practices; and encourage self-care tactics. Previous research has given valid evidence with empirical studies proving the effectiveness of physical and mental health interventions using mobile apps. Alongside apps, there is evidence to show that receiving short message service (SMS) messages, which entail psychoeducation, medication reminders, and links to useful informative Web pages can also be advantageous to a patient’s mental and physical well-being. Available mHealth apps and SMS services and their ever improving quality necessitates a systematic review in the area in reference to reduction of symptomology, adherence to intervention, and usability. Objective: The aim of this review was to study the efficacy, usability, and feasibility of mobile apps and SMS messages as mHealth interventions for self-guided care. Methods: A systematic literature search was carried out in JMIR, PubMed, PsychINFO, PsychARTICLES, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and SAGE. The search spanned from January 2008 to January 2017. The primary outcome measures consisted of weight management, (pregnancy) smoking cessation, medication adherence, depression, anxiety and stress. Where possible, adherence, feasibility, and usability outcomes of the apps or SMS services were evaluated. Between-group and within-group effect sizes (Cohen d) for the mHealth intervention method group were determined. Results: A total of 27 studies, inclusive of 4658 participants were reviewed. The papers included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n=19), within-group studies (n=7), and 1 within-group study with qualitative aspect. Studies show improvement in physical health and significant reductions of anxiety, stress, and depression. Within-group and between-group effect sizes ranged from 0.05-3.37 (immediately posttest), 0.05-3.25 (1-month follow-up), 0.08-3.08 (2-month follow-up), 0.00-3.10 (3-month follow-up), and 0.02-0.27 (6-month follow-up). Usability and feasibility of mHealth interventions, where reported, also gave promising, significant results. Conclusions: The review shows the promising and emerging efficacy of using mobile apps and SMS text messaging as mHealth interventions. %M 28838887 %R 10.2196/jmir.7740 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/8/e295/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7740 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28838887 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 8 %P e158 %T Conventional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Facilitated by an Internet-Based Support System: Feasibility Study at a Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic %A Månsson,Kristoffer NT %A Klintmalm,Hugo %A Nordqvist,Ragnar %A Andersson,Gerhard %+ Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Frescati Hagväg 8, Stockholm, 106 91, Sweden, 46 (0)705803267, kristoffer.mansson@psychology.su.se %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K Internet-treatment %K psychiatry %K blended therapy %D 2017 %7 24.08.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Cognitive behavioral therapies have been shown to be effective for a variety of psychiatric and somatic disorders, but some obstacles can be noted in regular psychiatric care; for example, low adherence to treatment protocols may undermine effects. Treatments delivered via the Internet have shown promising results, and it is an open question if the blend of Internet-delivered and conventional face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapies may help to overcome some of the barriers of evidence-based treatments in psychiatric care. Objective: We evaluated the feasibility of an Internet-based support system at an outpatient psychiatric clinic in Sweden. For instance, the support system made it possible to send messages and share information between the therapist and the patient before and after therapy sessions at the clinic. Methods: Nine clinical psychologists participated and 33 patients were enrolled in the current study. We evaluated the usability and technology acceptance after 12 weeks of access. Moreover, clinical data on common psychiatric symptoms were assessed before and after the presentation of the support system. Results: In line with our previous study in a university setting, the Internet-based support system has the potential to be feasible also when delivered in a regular psychiatric setting. Notably, some components in the system were less frequently used. We also found that patients improved on common outcome measures for depressive and anxious symptoms (effect sizes, as determined by Cohen d, ranged from 0.20-0.69). Conclusions: This study adds to the literature suggesting that modern information technology could be aligned with conventional face-to-face services. %M 28838884 %R 10.2196/resprot.6035 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/8/e158/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.6035 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28838884 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 8 %P e149 %T The Spanish Version of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) Adapted as a School-Based Anxiety and Depression Prevention Program: Study Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial %A García-Escalera,Julia %A Valiente,Rosa M %A Chorot,Paloma %A Ehrenreich-May,Jill %A Kennedy,Sarah M %A Sandín,Bonifacio %+ Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia, Juan del Rosal, 10, Madrid, 28040, Spain, 34 913987940, pchorot@psi.uned.es %K universal prevention %K transdiagnostic %K cluster %K randomized controlled trial %K unified protocol %K adolescents %K anxiety %K depression %K emotional disorders %K school intervention %D 2017 %7 21.08.2017 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Anxiety and depression are common, impairing conditions that evidence high comorbidity rates in adolescence. The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A) is one of the few existing resources aimed at applying transdiagnostic treatment principles to target core dysfunctions associated with both anxiety and depression within a single protocol. To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the efficacy of the UP-A adapted as a universal preventive intervention program. Objective: The primary aim of this study is to examine whether the Spanish version of the UP-A is more effective than a waitlist (WL) control group in reducing and preventing symptoms of anxiety and depression when employed as a universal, classroom-based preventive intervention. The secondary aim is to investigate changes in a broad range of secondary outcome measures, including negative and positive affect, anxiety sensitivity, emotional avoidance, top problems ratings, school grades, depression and anxiety-related interference, self-esteem, life satisfaction, quality of life, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention symptoms, peer problems, prosocial behavior, school adjustment, and discipline problems. Other aims are to assess a range of possible predictors of intervention effects and to examine the feasibility and the acceptability of implementing UP-A in a prevention group format and in a school setting. Methods: A cluster, randomized, WL, controlled trial design with classroom as the unit of randomization was used in this study. Five classes including a total of 152 adolescents were randomized to the experimental or WL control groups. Participants in the experimental group received 9 55-minute sessions delivered by advanced doctoral and masters students in clinical psychology. The WL control group will receive the intervention once the 3-month follow-up assessment is completed. Results: We have recruited participants to the cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) and have conducted the intervention with the experimental group. We expect the WL control group to complete the intervention in July 2017. Data analysis will take place during the second semester of 2017. Conclusions: We expect the experimental group to outperform the WL control group at post-intervention and 3-month follow-up. We also expect the WL control group to show improvements in primary and secondary outcome measures after receiving the intervention. Results will have implications for researchers, families, and education providers. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03123991; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03123991 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6qp7GIzcR) %M 28827212 %R 10.2196/resprot.7934 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/8/e149/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.7934 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28827212 %0 Journal Article %@ 2292-9495 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 3 %P e18 %T Exploring User Learnability and Learning Performance in an App for Depression: Usability Study %A Stiles-Shields,Colleen %A Montague,Enid %A Lattie,Emily G %A Schueller,Stephen M %A Kwasny,Mary J %A Mohr,David C %+ Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 750 N. Lake Shore Drive, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States, 1 312 503 0414, ecsshields@uchicago.edu %K apps %K learning %K cognitive therapy %K usability testing %K depression %D 2017 %7 11.08.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Hum Factors %G English %X Background: Mental health apps tend to be narrow in their functioning, with their focus mostly being on tracking, management, or psychoeducation. It is unclear what capability such apps have to facilitate a change in users, particularly in terms of learning key constructs relating to behavioral interventions. Thought Challenger (CBITs, Chicago) is a skill-building app that engages users in cognitive restructuring, a core component of cognitive therapy (CT) for depression. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the learnability and learning performance of users following initial use of Thought Challenger. Methods: Twenty adults completed in-lab usability testing of Thought Challenger, which comprised two interactions with the app. Learnability was measured via completion times, error rates, and psychologist ratings of user entries in the app; learning performance was measured via a test of CT knowledge and skills. Nonparametric tests were conducted to evaluate the difference between individuals with no or mild depression to those with moderate to severe depression, as well as differences in completion times and pre- and posttests. Results: Across the two interactions, the majority of completion times were found to be acceptable (5 min or less), with minimal errors (1.2%, 10/840) and successful completion of CT thought records. Furthermore, CT knowledge and skills significantly improved after the initial use of Thought Challenger (P=.009). Conclusions: The learning objectives for Thought Challenger during initial uses were successfully met in an evaluation with likely end users. The findings therefore suggest that apps are capable of providing users with opportunities for learning of intervention skills. %M 28801301 %R 10.2196/humanfactors.7951 %U http://humanfactors.jmir.org/2017/3/e18/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/humanfactors.7951 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28801301 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 3 %P e33 %T Preliminary Evaluation of a Brief Web and Mobile Phone Intervention for Men With Depression: Men’s Positive Coping Strategies and Associated Depression, Resilience, and Work and Social Functioning %A Fogarty,Andrea Susan %A Proudfoot,Judy %A Whittle,Erin Louise %A Clarke,Janine %A Player,Michael J %A Christensen,Helen %A Wilhelm,Kay %+ Black Dog Institute, UNSW, Hospital Rd, Randwick, 2031, Australia, 61 293829273, a.fogarty@unsw.edu.au %K depression %K eHealth %K men %K mental health %D 2017 %7 10.08.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Previous research has identified that men experiencing depression do not always access appropriate health services. Web-based interventions represent an alternative treatment option for men, are effective in reducing anxiety and depression, and have potential for wide dissemination. However, men do not access Web-based programs at the same rate as women. Programs with content explicitly tailored to men’s mental health needs are required. Objective: This study evaluated the applicability of Man Central, a new Web and mobile phone intervention for men with depression. The impact of the use of Man Central on depression, resilience, and work and social functioning was assessed. Methods: A recruitment flier was distributed via social media, email networks, newsletters, research registers, and partner organizations. A single-group, repeated measures design was used. The primary outcome was symptoms of depression. Secondary outcomes included externalizing symptoms, resilience, and work and social functioning. Man Central comprises regular mood, symptom, and behavior monitoring, combined with three 15-min interactive sessions. Clinical features are grounded in cognitive behavior therapy and problem-solving therapy. A distinguishing feature is the incorporation of positive strategies identified by men as useful in preventing and managing depression. Participants were directed to use Man Central for a period of 4 weeks. Linear mixed modeling with intention-to-treat analysis assessed associations between the intervention and the primary and secondary outcomes. Results: A total of 144 men aged between 18 and 68 years and with at least mild depression enrolled in the study. The symptoms most often monitored by men included motivation (471 instances), depression (399), sleep (323), anxiety (316), and stress (262). Reminders were scheduled by 60.4% (87/144). Significant improvements were observed in depression symptoms (P<.001, d=0.68), depression risk, and externalizing symptoms (P<.001, d=0.88) and work and social functioning (P<.001, d=0.78). No change was observed in measures of resilience. Participants reported satisfaction with the program, with a majority saying that it was easy (42/51, 82%) and convenient (41/51, 80%) to use. Study attrition was high; 27.1% (39/144) and 8.3% (12/144) of the participants provided complete follow-up data and partial follow-up data, respectively, whereas the majority (93/144, 64.6%) did not complete follow-up measures. Conclusions: This preliminary evaluation demonstrated the potential of using electronic health (eHealth) tools to deliver self-management strategies to men with depressive symptoms. Man Central may meet the treatment needs of a subgroup of depressed men who are willing to engage with an e-mental health program. With further research, it may provide an acceptable option to those unwilling or unable to access traditional mental health services. Given the limitations of the study design, prospective studies are required, using controlled designs to further elucidate the effect of the program over time. %M 28798009 %R 10.2196/mental.7769 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/3/e33/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7769 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28798009 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 8 %P e112 %T Mobile Phone Detection of Semantic Location and Its Relationship to Depression and Anxiety %A Saeb,Sohrab %A Lattie,Emily G %A Kording,Konrad P %A Mohr,David C %+ Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies (CBITs), Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, 10th Fl., 750 N Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL, 60611, United States, 1 3125034626, s-saeb@northwestern.edu %K semantic location %K geographic positioning systems %K mobile phone %K classification %K decision tree ensembles %K extreme gradient boosting %K depression %K anxiety %D 2017 %7 10.08.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Is someone at home, at their friend’s place, at a restaurant, or enjoying the outdoors? Knowing the semantic location of an individual matters for delivering medical interventions, recommendations, and other context-aware services. This knowledge is particularly useful in mental health care for monitoring relevant behavioral indicators to improve treatment delivery. Local search-and-discovery services such as Foursquare can be used to detect semantic locations based on the global positioning system (GPS) coordinates, but GPS alone is often inaccurate. Mobile phones can also sense other signals (such as movement, light, and sound), and the use of these signals promises to lead to a better estimation of an individual’s semantic location. Objective: We aimed to examine the ability of mobile phone sensors to estimate semantic locations, and to evaluate the relationship between semantic location visit patterns and depression and anxiety. Methods: A total of 208 participants across the United States were asked to log the type of locations they visited daily, using their mobile phones for a period of 6 weeks, while their phone sensor data was recorded. Using the sensor data and Foursquare queries based on GPS coordinates, we trained models to predict these logged locations, and evaluated their prediction accuracy on participants that models had not seen during training. We also evaluated the relationship between the amount of time spent in each semantic location and depression and anxiety assessed at baseline, in the middle, and at the end of the study. Results: While Foursquare queries detected true semantic locations with an average area under the curve (AUC) of 0.62, using phone sensor data alone increased the AUC to 0.84. When we used Foursquare and sensor data together, the AUC further increased to 0.88. We found some significant relationships between the time spent in certain locations and depression and anxiety, although these relationships were not consistent. Conclusions: The accuracy of location services such as Foursquare can significantly benefit from using phone sensor data. However, our results suggest that the nature of the places people visit explains only a small part of the variation in their anxiety and depression symptoms. %M 28798010 %R 10.2196/mhealth.7297 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2017/8/e112/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.7297 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28798010 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 8 %P e266 %T How do eHealth Programs for Adolescents With Depression Work? A Realist Review of Persuasive System Design Components in Internet-Based Psychological Therapies %A Wozney,Lori %A Huguet,Anna %A Bennett,Kathryn %A Radomski,Ashley D %A Hartling,Lisa %A Dyson,Michele %A McGrath,Patrick J %A Newton,Amanda S %+ Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, 3-526 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, 11405 87 Avenue, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada, 1 780 248 5581, mandi.newton@ualberta.ca %K persuasive systems %K mental health %K Internet-based intervention %K review %K psychological therapy %D 2017 %7 09.08.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Major depressive disorders are common among adolescents and can impact all aspects of their daily life. Traditional therapies, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) have been delivered face-to-face. However, Internet-based (online) delivery of these therapies is emerging as an option for adolescents. Internet-based CBT and IPT involve therapeutic content, interaction between the user and the system, and different technological features embedded into the online program (eg, multimedia). Studies of Internet-based CBT and IPT for adolescent depression differ on all three aspects, and variable, positive therapy effects have been reported. A better understanding of the treatment conditions that influence therapy outcomes is important to designing and evaluating these novel therapies. Objective: Our aim was to examine the technological and program delivery features of Internet-based CBT and IPT for adolescent depression and to document their potential relation to treatment outcomes and program use. Methods: We performed a realist synthesis. We started with an extensive search of published and gray literature. We included intervention studies that evaluated Internet-based CBT or IPT for adolescent depression. We included mixed-methods and qualitative studies, theoretical papers, and policy/implementation documents if they included a focus on how Internet-based psychological therapy is proposed to work for adolescents with depression/depressive symptoms. We used the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool to assess the methodological quality of studies. We used the Persuasive System Design (PSD) model as a framework for data extraction and analysis to examine how Internet-based CBT and IPT, as technology-based systems, influence the attitudes and behaviors of system users. PSD components described for the therapies were linked to reported outcomes using a cross-case comparison method and thematic synthesis. Results: We identified 19 Internet-based CBT programs in 59 documents. Of those, 71% (42/59) were of moderate to high quality. The PSD features surface credibility (competent “look and feel”), dialogue support (online program + in-person support), liking and similarity (esthetics and content appeal to adolescent users), the reduction and tunneling of therapeutic content (reducing online content into simple tasks, guiding users), and use of self-monitoring were present in therapies that resulted in improved therapy engagement, satisfaction, and adherence, as well as symptom and functional impairments. Conclusions: When incorporated into Internet-based CBT for adolescent depression, PSD features may improve adolescent adherence, satisfaction, and depression-related outcomes. Testing of these features using hypothesis-driven dismantling approaches is recommended to advance our understanding of how these features contribute to therapy effectiveness. %M 28793983 %R 10.2196/jmir.7573 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/8/e266/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7573 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28793983 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 8 %P e279 %T Psychiatric Consultation at Your Fingertips: Descriptive Analysis of Electronic Consultation From Primary Care to Psychiatry %A Lowenstein,Margaret %A Bamgbose,Olusinmi %A Gleason,Nathaniel %A Feldman,Mitchell D %+ University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, National Clinician Scholars Program, Blockley Hall, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA,, United States, 1 215 573 3977, margaw@mail.med.upenn.edu %K mental health %K primary care %K health care delivery %K teleconsultation %K telehealth %K Internet care delivery %D 2017 %7 04.08.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mental health problems are commonly encountered in primary care, with primary care providers (PCPs) experiencing challenges referring patients to specialty mental health care. Electronic consultation (eConsult) is one model that has been shown to improve timely access to subspecialty care in a number of medical subspecialties. eConsults generally involve a PCP-initiated referral for specialty consultation for a clinical question that is outside their expertise but may not require an in-person evaluation. Objective: Our aim was to describe the implementation of eConsults for psychiatry in a large academic health system. Methods: We performed a content analysis of the first 50 eConsults to psychiatry after program implementation. For each question and response, we coded consults as pertaining to diagnosis and/or management as well as categories of medication choice, drug side effects or interactions, and queries about referrals and navigating the health care system. We also performed a chart review to evaluate the timeliness of psychiatrist responses and PCP implementation of recommendations. Results: Depression was the most common consult template selected by PCPs (20/50, 40%), followed by the generic template (12/50, 24%) and anxiety (8/50, 16%). Most questions (49/50, 98%) pertained primarily to management, particularly for medications. Psychiatrists commented on both diagnosis (28/50, 56%) and management (50/50, 100%), responded in an average of 1.4 days, and recommended in-person consultation for 26% (13/50) of patients. PCPs implemented psychiatrist recommendations 76% (38/50) of the time. Conclusions: For the majority of patients, psychiatrists provided strategies for ongoing management in primary care without an in-person evaluation, and PCPs implemented most psychiatrist recommendations. eConsults show promise as one means of supporting PCPs to deliver mental health care to patients with common psychiatric disorders. %M 28778852 %R 10.2196/jmir.7921 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/8/e279/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7921 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28778852 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 8 %P e145 %T A Web-Based Public Health Intervention to Reduce Functional Impairment and Depressive Symptoms in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes (The SpringboarD Trial): Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol %A Proudfoot,Judy %A Clarke,Janine %A Gunn,Jane %A Fletcher,Susan %A Sanatkar,Samineh %A Wilhelm,Kay %A Campbell,Lesley %A Zwar,Nicholas %A Harris,Mark %A Lapsley,Helen %A Hadzi-Pavlovic,Dusan %A Christensen,Helen %+ Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, 2031, Australia, 61 2 9382 3767 ext 23767, janine.clarke@unsw.edu.au %K type 2 diabetes %K depression %K Web-based intervention %D 2017 %7 03.08.2017 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Depressive symptoms are common in people with type 2 diabetes and contribute to adverse health consequences that substantially impact social and vocational function. Despite the existence of effective depression treatments, the majority of people with type 2 diabetes do not access these when needed. Web-based alternatives to more traditional psychotherapies offer a potential solution to reducing the personal and economic burdens of type 2 diabetes. Objective: This paper outlines the protocol for a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of myCompass, a Web-based public health psychotherapy intervention, in people with type 2 diabetes. Fully automated, interactive, and delivered via the Internet without clinician support, myCompass teaches cognitive behavioral therapy-based skills and supports symptom monitoring to improve daily functioning and reduce mild-to-moderate mental health symptoms. Methods: A two-arm RCT will be conducted. People with type 2 diabetes and mild-to-moderately severe depressive symptoms will be recruited from the community and general practice settings. Screening and enrollment is via an open-access website. Participants will be randomized to use either myCompass or an active placebo program for 8 weeks, followed by a 4-week tailing-off period. The placebo program is matched to myCompass on mode of delivery, interactivity, and duration. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and at 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. The primary study outcome is work and social functioning. Secondary study outcomes include depressive and anxious symptoms, diabetes-related distress, self-care behaviors, and glycemic control. Results: Nationwide recruitment is currently underway with the aim of recruiting 600 people with type 2 diabetes. Recruitment will continue until October 2017. Conclusions: This is the first known trial of a Web-based psychotherapy program that is not diabetes specific for improving social and vocational function in people with type 2 diabetes and mild-to-moderately severe depressive symptoms. With the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes and depression, a potentially scalable public health intervention could play a very large role in reducing unmet mental health need and ameliorating the personal and societal impact of illness comorbidity. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) Number: ACTRN12615000931572; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=368109 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/ 6rh3imVMh) %M 28778848 %R 10.2196/resprot.7348 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/8/e145/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.7348 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28778848 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 7 %P e135 %T Randomized Trial Comparing the Electronic Composite Psychosocial Screener YouthCHAT With a Clinician-Interview Assessment for Young People: A Study Protocol %A Thabrew,Hiran %A Corter,Arden %A Goodyear-Smith,Felicity %A Goldfinch,Mary %+ University of Auckland, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Level 12, Support Block, Auckland Hospital, Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand, 64 21402055, h.thabrew@auckland.ac.nz %K mass screening %K adolescents %K substance-related disorders %K depression %K anxiety %K primary health care %K school health %K services %K chronic disease %D 2017 %7 31.07.2017 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Psychosocial problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse are common and burdensome in young people, particularly those with long-term physical conditions such as asthma and diabetes. In New Zealand, “screening” for such problems is undertaken routinely only with Year 9 students in low-decile schools and opportunistically in pediatric settings using a nonvalidated and time-consuming clinician-administered Home, Education/employment, Eating, Activity, Drugs, Sexuality, Suicide/depression, Safety (HEEADSSS) interview. The Youth version, Case-finding and Help Assessment Tool (YouthCHAT) is a relatively new, locally developed, eTablet-based composite screener for identifying similar psychosocial issues to HEEADSSS. Based on individually validated screening instruments, it is self-administered within minutes. Preliminary testing has revealed its acceptability to young people, but further research is required to expand its modules to cover all HEEADSSS domains, to evaluate its acceptability for young people with and without long-term physical conditions, and to compare its effectiveness against HEEADSSS. Objective: Our aim is to (1) ascertain acceptability and utility of YouthCHAT for children with long-term physical illness and high school students, (2) validate three additional YouthCHAT domains against comparable HEEADSSS domains, and (3) compare the performance of YouthCHAT and HEEADSSS in the high school setting. Methods: During the first phase of the study, three additional YouthCHAT domains were codesigned with high school students. During the second phase of the study, the updated version of YouthCHAT will be administered to 30 young people with long-term physical conditions, and to 150 high school students either before or after HEEADSSS in the form of a randomized trial with counter-balanced design. Primary outcomes include comparability between HEEADSSS and YouthCHAT in detecting psychosocial issues, and time to administer; acceptability of YouthCHAT as an acceptable alternative or companion to HEEADSSS assessment; and the utility of YouthCHAT in helping streamline assessment processes. Results: Recruitment for the first phase of this project commenced in November 2016, and the phase will run from February to November 2017. Conclusions: If YouthCHAT is found to be acceptable to study participants and as effective as a HEEADSSS assessment, it could be an innovative and more efficient means of routine screening for common psychosocial health issues in young people with and without long-term physical conditions. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12616001243404p; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=371422 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/ 6rmlEiM1L) %M 28760727 %R 10.2196/resprot.7995 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/7/e135/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.7995 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28760727 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 7 %P e271 %T Improving Employee Well-Being and Effectiveness: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Web-Based Psychological Interventions Delivered in the Workplace %A Carolan,Stephany %A Harris,Peter R %A Cavanagh,Kate %+ School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QH, United Kingdom, 44 (0)1273 876638, sc587@sussex.ac.uk %K adherence %K engagement %K Internet %K meta-analysis %K psychological interventions %K stress %K systematic review %K wellbeing %K workplace %D 2017 %7 26.07.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Stress, depression, and anxiety among working populations can result in reduced work performance and increased absenteeism. Although there is evidence that these common mental health problems are preventable and treatable in the workplace, uptake of psychological treatments among the working population is low. One way to address this may be the delivery of occupational digital mental health interventions. While there is convincing evidence for delivering digital psychological interventions within a health and community context, there is no systematic review or meta-analysis of these interventions in an occupational setting. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify the effectiveness of occupational digital mental health interventions in enhancing employee psychological well-being and increasing work effectiveness and to identify intervention features associated with the highest rates of engagement and adherence. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted using Cochrane guidelines. Papers published from January 2000 to May 2016 were searched in the PsychINFO, MEDLINE, PubMed, Science Direct, and the Cochrane databases, as well as the databases of the researchers and relevant websites. Unpublished data was sought using the Conference Proceedings Citation Index and the Clinical Trials and International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) research registers. A meta-analysis was conducted by applying a random-effects model to assess the pooled effect size for psychological well-being and the work effectiveness outcomes. A positive deviance approach was used to identify those intervention features associated with the highest rates of engagement and adherence. Results: In total, 21 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the search criteria. Occupational digital mental health interventions had a statistically significant effect post intervention on both psychological well-being (g=0.37, 95% CI 0.23-0.50) and work effectiveness (g=0.25, 95% CI 0.09-0.41) compared with the control condition. No statistically significant differences were found on either outcome between studies using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) approaches (as defined by the authors) compared with other psychological approaches, offering guidance compared with self-guidance, or recruiting from a targeted workplace population compared with a universal workplace population. In-depth analysis of the interventions identified by the positive deviance approach suggests that interventions that offer guidance are delivered over a shorter time frame (6 to 7 weeks), utilize secondary modalities for delivering the interventions and engaging users (ie, emails and text messages [short message service, SMS]), and use elements of persuasive technology (ie, self-monitoring and tailoring), which may achieve greater engagement and adherence. Conclusions: This review provides evidence that occupational digital mental health interventions can improve workers’ psychological well-being and increase work effectiveness. It identifies intervention characteristics that may increase engagement. Recommendations are made for future research, practice, and intervention development. %M 28747293 %R 10.2196/jmir.7583 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/7/e271/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7583 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28747293 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 7 %P e262 %T Smartphone-Based Monitoring of Objective and Subjective Data in Affective Disorders: Where Are We and Where Are We Going? Systematic Review %A Dogan,Ezgi %A Sander,Christian %A Wagner,Xenija %A Hegerl,Ulrich %A Kohls,Elisabeth %+ Medical Faculty, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Leipzig, Semmelweisstrasse 10, Haus 13, Leipzig, 04103, Germany, 49 341 9724558, Christian.Sander@medizin.uni-leipzig.de %K review %K mood disorders %K smartphone %K ecological momentary assessment %D 2017 %7 24.07.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Electronic mental health interventions for mood disorders have increased rapidly over the past decade, most recently in the form of various systems and apps that are delivered via smartphones. Objective: We aim to provide an overview of studies on smartphone-based systems that combine subjective ratings with objectively measured data for longitudinal monitoring of patients with affective disorders. Specifically, we aim to examine current knowledge on: (1) the feasibility of, and adherence to, such systems; (2) the association of monitored data with mood status; and (3) the effects of monitoring on clinical outcomes. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant articles published in the last ten years (2007-2017) by applying Boolean search operators with an iterative combination of search terms, which was conducted in February 2017. Additional articles were identified via pearling, author correspondence, selected reference lists, and trial protocols. Results: A total of 3463 unique records were identified. Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The majority of articles represented feasibility studies (n=27); two articles reported results from one randomized controlled trial (RCT). In total, six different self-monitoring systems for affective disorders that used subjective mood ratings and objective measurements were included. These objective parameters included physiological data (heart rate variability), behavioral data (phone usage, physical activity, voice features), and context/environmental information (light exposure and location). The included articles contained results regarding feasibility of such systems in affective disorders, showed reasonable accuracy in predicting mood status and mood fluctuations based on the objectively monitored data, and reported observations about the impact of monitoring on clinical state and adherence of patients to the system usage. Conclusions: The included observational studies and RCT substantiate the value of smartphone-based approaches for gathering long-term objective data (aside from self-ratings to monitor clinical symptoms) to predict changes in clinical states, and to investigate causal inferences about state changes in patients with affective disorders. Although promising, a much larger evidence-base is necessary to fully assess the potential and the risks of these approaches. Methodological limitations of the available studies (eg, small sample sizes, variations in the number of observations or monitoring duration, lack of RCT, and heterogeneity of methods) restrict the interpretability of the results. However, a number of study protocols stated ambitions to expand and intensify research in this emerging and promising field. %M 28739561 %R 10.2196/jmir.7006 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/7/e262/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7006 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28739561 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 7 %P e259 %T Ontology-Based Approach to Social Data Sentiment Analysis: Detection of Adolescent Depression Signals %A Jung,Hyesil %A Park,Hyeoun-Ae %A Song,Tae-Min %+ College of Nursing, Seoul National University, Daehak-ro 103, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 03080, Republic Of Korea, 82 27408827, hapark@snu.ac.kr %K ontology %K adolescent %K depression %K data mining %K social media data %D 2017 %7 24.07.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Social networking services (SNSs) contain abundant information about the feelings, thoughts, interests, and patterns of behavior of adolescents that can be obtained by analyzing SNS postings. An ontology that expresses the shared concepts and their relationships in a specific field could be used as a semantic framework for social media data analytics. Objective: The aim of this study was to refine an adolescent depression ontology and terminology as a framework for analyzing social media data and to evaluate description logics between classes and the applicability of this ontology to sentiment analysis. Methods: The domain and scope of the ontology were defined using competency questions. The concepts constituting the ontology and terminology were collected from clinical practice guidelines, the literature, and social media postings on adolescent depression. Class concepts, their hierarchy, and the relationships among class concepts were defined. An internal structure of the ontology was designed using the entity-attribute-value (EAV) triplet data model, and superclasses of the ontology were aligned with the upper ontology. Description logics between classes were evaluated by mapping concepts extracted from the answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) onto the ontology concepts derived from description logic queries. The applicability of the ontology was validated by examining the representability of 1358 sentiment phrases using the ontology EAV model and conducting sentiment analyses of social media data using ontology class concepts. Results: We developed an adolescent depression ontology that comprised 443 classes and 60 relationships among the classes; the terminology comprised 1682 synonyms of the 443 classes. In the description logics test, no error in relationships between classes was found, and about 89% (55/62) of the concepts cited in the answers to FAQs mapped onto the ontology class. Regarding applicability, the EAV triplet models of the ontology class represented about 91.4% of the sentiment phrases included in the sentiment dictionary. In the sentiment analyses, “academic stresses” and “suicide” contributed negatively to the sentiment of adolescent depression. Conclusions: The ontology and terminology developed in this study provide a semantic foundation for analyzing social media data on adolescent depression. To be useful in social media data analysis, the ontology, especially the terminology, needs to be updated constantly to reflect rapidly changing terms used by adolescents in social media postings. In addition, more attributes and value sets reflecting depression-related sentiments should be added to the ontology. %M 28739560 %R 10.2196/jmir.7452 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/7/e259/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7452 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28739560 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 7 %P e257 %T Web-Based Therapist Training in Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression: Pilot Study %A Kobak,Kenneth A %A Lipsitz,Joshua D %A Markowitz,John C %A Bleiberg,Kathryn L %+ Center for Telepsychology, 22 North Harwood Circle, Madison, WI, 53717, United States, 1 6084062621, kobak@charter.net %K psychotherapy %K Internet %K depression %K education %K humans %K computer-assisted instruction %D 2017 %7 17.07.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Training mental health professionals to deliver evidence-based therapy (EBT) is now required by most academic accreditation bodies, and evaluating the effectiveness of such training is imperative. However, shortages of time, money, and trained EBT clinician teachers make these challenges daunting. New technologies may help. The authors have developed the first empirically evaluated comprehensive Internet therapist training program for interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT). Objective: The aim of this study was to examine whether (1) the training protocol would increase clinicians’ knowledge of IPT concepts and skills and (2) clinicians would deem the training feasible as measured by satisfaction and utility ratings. Methods: A total of 26 clinicians enrolled in the training, consisting of (1) a Web-based tutorial on IPT concepts and techniques; (2) live remote training via videoconference, with trainees practicing IPT techniques in a role-play using a case vignette; and (3) a Web-based portal for therapists posttraining use to help facilitate implementation of IPT and maintain adherence over time. Results: Trainees’ knowledge of IPT concepts and skills improved significantly (P<.001). The standardized effect size for the change was large: d=2.53, 95% CI 2.23-2.92. Users found the technical features easy to use, the content useful for helping them treat depressed clients, and felt the applied training component enhanced their professional expertise. Mean rating of applied learning was 3.9 (scale range from 1=very little to 5=a great deal). Overall satisfaction rating was 3.5 (range from 1=very dissatisfied to 4=very satisfied). Conclusions: Results support the efficacy and feasibility of this technology in training clinicians in EBTs and warrant further empirical evaluation. %M 28716769 %R 10.2196/jmir.7966 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/7/e257/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7966 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28716769 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 7 %P e247 %T Using New and Emerging Technologies to Identify and Respond to Suicidality Among Help-Seeking Young People: A Cross-Sectional Study %A Iorfino,Frank %A Davenport,Tracey A %A Ospina-Pinillos,Laura %A Hermens,Daniel F %A Cross,Shane %A Burns,Jane %A Hickie,Ian B %+ Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett St, Camperdown, Sydney, 2050, Australia, 61 02 9351 0827, frank.iorfino@sydney.edu.au %K suicidal ideation %K mental health %K primary health care %K telemedicine %K health services %D 2017 %7 12.07.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Suicidal thoughts are common among young people presenting to face-to-face and online mental health services. The early detection and rapid response to these suicidal thoughts and other suicidal behaviors is a priority for suicide prevention and early intervention efforts internationally. Establishing how best to use new and emerging technologies to facilitate person-centered systematic assessment and early intervention for suicidality is crucial to these efforts. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the use of a suicidality escalation protocol to respond to suicidality among help-seeking young people. Methods: A total of 232 young people in the age range of 16-25 years were recruited from either a primary mental health care service or online in the community. Each young person used the Synergy Online System and completed an initial clinical assessment online before their face-to-face or online clinical appointment. A suicidality escalation protocol was used to identify and respond to current and previous suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Results: A total of 153 young people (66%, 153/232) reported some degree of suicidality and were provided with a real-time alert online. Further levels of escalation (email or phone contact and clinical review) were initiated for the 35 young people (15%, 35/232) reporting high suicidality. Higher levels of psychological distress (P<.001) and a current alcohol or substance use problem (P=.02) predicted any level of suicidality compared with no suicidality. Furthermore, predictors of high suicidality compared with low suicidality were higher levels of psychological distress (P=.01), psychosis-like symptoms in the last 12 months (P=.01), a previous mental health problem (P=.01), and a history of suicide planning or attempts (P=.001). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the use of new and emerging technologies to facilitate the systematic assessment and detection of help-seeking young people presenting with suicidality. This protocol empowered the young person by suggesting pathways to care that were based on their current needs. The protocol also enabled an appropriate and timely response from service providers for young people reporting high suicidality that was associated with additional comorbid issues, including psychosis-like symptoms, and a history of suicide plans and attempts. %M 28701290 %R 10.2196/jmir.7897 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/7/e247/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7897 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28701290 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 7 %P e243 %T Assessing Suicide Risk and Emotional Distress in Chinese Social Media: A Text Mining and Machine Learning Study %A Cheng,Qijin %A Li,Tim MH %A Kwok,Chi-Leung %A Zhu,Tingshao %A Yip,Paul SF %+ HKJC Center for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, 2/F, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Building for Interdisciplinary Research, 5 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, Hong Kong,, China (Hong Kong), 852 2831 5232, chengqj@connect.hku.hk %K suicide %K psychological stress %K social media %K Chinese %K natural language %K machine learning %D 2017 %7 10.07.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Early identification and intervention are imperative for suicide prevention. However, at-risk people often neither seek help nor take professional assessment. A tool to automatically assess their risk levels in natural settings can increase the opportunity for early intervention. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore whether computerized language analysis methods can be utilized to assess one’s suicide risk and emotional distress in Chinese social media. Methods: A Web-based survey of Chinese social media (ie, Weibo) users was conducted to measure their suicide risk factors including suicide probability, Weibo suicide communication (WSC), depression, anxiety, and stress levels. Participants’ Weibo posts published in the public domain were also downloaded with their consent. The Weibo posts were parsed and fitted into Simplified Chinese-Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (SC-LIWC) categories. The associations between SC-LIWC features and the 5 suicide risk factors were examined by logistic regression. Furthermore, the support vector machine (SVM) model was applied based on the language features to automatically classify whether a Weibo user exhibited any of the 5 risk factors. Results: A total of 974 Weibo users participated in the survey. Those with high suicide probability were marked by a higher usage of pronoun (odds ratio, OR=1.18, P=.001), prepend words (OR=1.49, P=.02), multifunction words (OR=1.12, P=.04), a lower usage of verb (OR=0.78, P<.001), and a greater total word count (OR=1.007, P=.008). Second-person plural was positively associated with severe depression (OR=8.36, P=.01) and stress (OR=11, P=.005), whereas work-related words were negatively associated with WSC (OR=0.71, P=.008), severe depression (OR=0.56, P=.005), and anxiety (OR=0.77, P=.02). Inconsistently, third-person plural was found to be negatively associated with WSC (OR=0.02, P=.047) but positively with severe stress (OR=41.3, P=.04). Achievement-related words were positively associated with depression (OR=1.68, P=.003), whereas health- (OR=2.36, P=.004) and death-related (OR=2.60, P=.01) words positively associated with stress. The machine classifiers did not achieve satisfying performance in the full sample set but could classify high suicide probability (area under the curve, AUC=0.61, P=.04) and severe anxiety (AUC=0.75, P<.001) among those who have exhibited WSC. Conclusions: SC-LIWC is useful to examine language markers of suicide risk and emotional distress in Chinese social media and can identify characteristics different from previous findings in the English literature. Some findings are leading to new hypotheses for future verification. Machine classifiers based on SC-LIWC features are promising but still require further optimization for application in real life. %M 28694239 %R 10.2196/jmir.7276 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/7/e243/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7276 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28694239 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 6 %P e228 %T Researching Mental Health Disorders in the Era of Social Media: Systematic Review %A Wongkoblap,Akkapon %A Vadillo,Miguel A %A Curcin,Vasa %+ Department of Informatics, King's College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom, 44 20 7848 2588, akkapon.wongkoblap@kcl.ac.uk %K mental health %K mental disorders %K social networking %K artificial intelligence %K machine learning %K public health informatics %K depression %K anxiety %K infodemiology %D 2017 %7 29.06.2017 %9 Review %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mental illness is quickly becoming one of the most prevalent public health problems worldwide. Social network platforms, where users can express their emotions, feelings, and thoughts, are a valuable source of data for researching mental health, and techniques based on machine learning are increasingly used for this purpose. Objective: The objective of this review was to explore the scope and limits of cutting-edge techniques that researchers are using for predictive analytics in mental health and to review associated issues, such as ethical concerns, in this area of research. Methods: We performed a systematic literature review in March 2017, using keywords to search articles on data mining of social network data in the context of common mental health disorders, published between 2010 and March 8, 2017 in medical and computer science journals. Results: The initial search returned a total of 5386 articles. Following a careful analysis of the titles, abstracts, and main texts, we selected 48 articles for review. We coded the articles according to key characteristics, techniques used for data collection, data preprocessing, feature extraction, feature selection, model construction, and model verification. The most common analytical method was text analysis, with several studies using different flavors of image analysis and social interaction graph analysis. Conclusions: Despite an increasing number of studies investigating mental health issues using social network data, some common problems persist. Assembling large, high-quality datasets of social media users with mental disorder is problematic, not only due to biases associated with the collection methods, but also with regard to managing consent and selecting appropriate analytics techniques. %M 28663166 %R 10.2196/jmir.7215 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/6/e228/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7215 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28663166 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 2 %P e23 %T Use of New Technologies in the Prevention of Suicide in Europe: An Exploratory Study %A Muñoz-Sánchez,Juan-Luis %A Delgado,Carmen %A Sánchez-Prada,Andrés %A Pérez-López,Mercedes %A Franco-Martín,Manuel A %+ Complejo Asistencial de Zamora, Department of Psychiatry, Av Hernán Cortés, 44, Zamora, 49021, Spain, 34 980548572, jlmusa@icloud.com %K suicide %K suicide attempt %K self-harm %K prevention %K new technologies %K Europe %D 2017 %7 27.06.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: New technologies are an integral component of today’s society and can complement existing suicide prevention programs. Here, we analyzed the use of new technologies in the prevention of suicide in 8 different European countries. Objective: The aim of this paper was to assess the opinions of professionals in incorporating such resources into the design of a suicide prevention program for the region of Zamora in Spain. This investigation, encompassed within the European project entitled European Regions Enforcing Actions against Suicide (EUREGENAS), includes 11 regions from 8 different countries and attempts to advance the field of suicide prevention in Europe. Methods: Using a specifically designed questionnaire, we assessed the opinions of 3 different groups of stakeholders regarding the use, frequency of use, facilitators, content, and format of new technologies for the prevention of suicide. The stakeholders were comprised of policy and public management professionals, professionals working in the area of mental health, and professionals related to the social area and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). A total of 416 participants were recruited in 11 regions from 8 different European countries. Results: The utility of the new technologies was valued positively in all 8 countries, despite these resources being seldom used in those countries. In all the countries, the factors that contributed most to facilitating the use of new technologies were accessibility and free of charge. Regarding the format of new technologies, the most widely preferred formats for use as a tool for the prevention of suicide were websites and email. The availability of information about signs of alarm and risk factors was the most relevant content for the prevention of suicide through the use of new technologies. The presence of a reference mental health professional (MHP) was also considered to be a key aspect. The countries differed in the evaluations given to the different formats suggesting that the cultural characteristics of the country should be taken into account. Conclusions: New technologies are much appreciated resources; however they are not often underused in the field of suicide prevention. The results of this exploratory study show that new technologies are indeed useful resources and should be incorporated into suicide prevention programs. %M 28655705 %R 10.2196/mental.7716 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/2/e23/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7716 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28655705 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 2 %P e22 %T Health App Use Among Individuals With Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety: A Survey Study With Thematic Coding %A Rubanovich,Caryn Kseniya %A Mohr,David C %A Schueller,Stephen M %+ Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, 750 N. Lake Shore Drive, CBITs, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL,, United States, 1 312 503 1232, schueller@northwestern.edu %K mHealth %K eHealth %K mobile health %K depression %K anxiety %D 2017 %7 23.06.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Researchers have largely turned to commercial app stores, randomized trials, and systematic reviews to make sense of the mHealth landscape. Few studies have approached understanding by collecting information from target end users. The end user perspective is critical as end user interest in and use of mHealth technologies will ultimately drive the efficacy of these tools. Objective: The purpose of this study was to obtain information from end users of mHealth technologies to better understand the physical and mental health apps people use and for what purposes. Methods: People with depressive or anxious symptoms (N=176) seeking entry into a trial of mental health and well-being apps for Android devices completed online questionnaires assessing depression and anxiety (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), past and current mental health treatment-seeking behavior, overall mobile device use, and use of mobile health apps. Participants reported the physical health and mental health apps on their devices and their reasons for using them. Data were extracted from the participant self-reports and apps and app purposes were coded in order to categorize them. Results: Participants were largely white, middle-aged females from the Midwest region of the United States recruited via a health care organization and Web-based advertising (135 female, 41 male, mean age 38.64 years, age range 19-75 years.) Over three-quarters (137/176, 77.8%) of participants indicated having a health app on their device. The top 3 kinds of apps were exercise, fitness, and pedometers or heart rate monitoring apps (93/176, 52.8%); diet, food, or calorie counting apps (65/177, 36.9%); and mental health/wellness apps (46/177, 26.1%). The mean number of mobile physical and mental health apps on a participant’s phone was 2.15 (SD 3.195). Of 176 participants, 107 (60.8%) specifically reported the top 5 health apps that they used and their purposes. Across the 107 participants, a total of 285 apps were reported, with 139 being unique apps. The majority of these apps were free (129/139, 92.8%). Almost two-thirds of participants (67/107, 62.6%) reported using health apps at least on a daily basis. Conclusions: Among those seeking support for their well-being via physical and mental health apps, people are using a variety of health apps. These people use health apps on a daily basis, especially free apps. The most common reason for using a health app is to track some health-related data; for mental health apps specifically, training or habit building was the most popular reason. Understanding the end user perspective is important because it allows us to build on the foundation of previously established mHealth research and may help guide future work in mHealth. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02176226; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02176226 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6rGc1MGyM) %M 28645891 %R 10.2196/mental.7603 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/2/e22/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7603 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28645891 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 6 %P e114 %T Phone-Based Interventions in Adolescent Psychiatry: A Perspective and Proof of Concept Pilot Study With a Focus on Depression and Autism %A Chen,Robert Yuzen %A Feltes,Jordan Robert %A Tzeng,William Shun %A Lu,Zoe Yunzhu %A Pan,Michael %A Zhao,Nan %A Talkin,Rebecca %A Javaherian,Kavon %A Glowinski,Anne %A Ross,Will %+ Washington University School of Medicine, Farrell Learning and Teaching Center, 660 S Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO, 63110, United States, 1 425 753 4101, robert.chen@wustl.edu %K telemedicine %K depression %K autistic disorder %K mobile applications %K text messaging %K child %K mental health %D 2017 %7 16.06.2017 %9 Viewpoint %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Telemedicine has emerged as an innovative platform to diagnose and treat psychiatric disorders in a cost-effective fashion. Previous studies have laid the functional framework for monitoring and treating child psychiatric disorders electronically using videoconferencing, mobile phones (smartphones), and Web-based apps. However, phone call and text message (short message service, SMS) interventions in adolescent psychiatry are less studied than other electronic platforms. Further investigations on the development of these interventions are needed. Objective: The aim of this paper was to explore the utility of text message interventions in adolescent psychiatry and describe a user feedback-driven iterative design process for text message systems. Methods: We developed automated text message interventions using a platform for both depression (EpxDepression) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD; EpxAutism) and conducted 2 pilot studies for each intervention (N=3 and N=6, respectively). The interventions were prescribed by and accessible to the patients’ healthcare providers. EpxDepression and EpxAutism utilized an automated system to triage patients into 1 of 3 risk categories based on their text responses and alerted providers directly via phone and an online interface when patients met provider-specified risk criteria. Rapid text-based feedback from participants and interviews with providers allowed for quick iterative cycles to improve interventions. Results: Patients using EpxDepression had high weekly response rates (100% over 2 to 4 months), but exhibited message fatigue with daily prompts with mean (SD) overall response rates of 66.3% (21.6%) and 64.7% (8.2%) for mood and sleep questionnaires, respectively. In contrast, parents using EpxAutism displayed both high weekly and overall response rates (100% and 85%, respectively, over 1 to 4 months) that did not decay significantly with time. Monthly participant feedback surveys for EpxDepression (7 surveys) and EpxAutism (18 surveys) preliminarily indicated that for both interventions, daily messages constituted the “perfect amount” of contact and that EpxAutism, but not EpxDepression, improved patient communication with providers. Notably, EpxDepression detected thoughts of self-harm in patients before their case managers or caregivers were aware of such ideation. Conclusions: Text-message interventions in adolescent psychiatry can provide a cost-effective and engaging method to track symptoms, behavior, and ideation over time. Following the collection of pilot data and feedback from providers and patients, larger studies are already underway to validate the clinical utility of EpxDepression and EpxAutism. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03002311; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03002311 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6qQtlCIS0) %M 28623183 %R 10.2196/resprot.7245 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/6/e114/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.7245 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28623183 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 6 %P e213 %T Effectiveness of a Web-Based Intervention in Reducing Depression and Sickness Absence: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Beiwinkel,Till %A Eißing,Tabea %A Telle,Nils-Torge %A Siegmund-Schultze,Elisabeth %A Rössler,Wulf %+ Innovation Incubator, Competence Tandem Integrated Care, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Scharnhorststr 1, Lüneburg, 21335, Germany, 49 4131677 ext 7826, till.beiwinkel@leuphana.de %K Internet %K depression %K absenteeism %K cognitive therapy %K randomized controlled trial %D 2017 %7 15.06.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression is highly prevalent in the working population and is associated with significant loss of workdays; however, access to evidence-based treatment is limited. Objective: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a Web-based intervention in reducing mild to moderate depression and sickness absence. Methods: In an open-label randomized controlled trial, participants were recruited from a large-scale statutory health insurance and were assigned to two groups. The intervention group had access to a 12 week Web-based program consisting of structured interactive sessions and therapist support upon request. The wait-list control group had access to unguided Web-based psycho-education. Depressive symptoms were self-assessed at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up (12 weeks after treatment) using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) as primary outcome measures. Data on sickness absence was retrieved from health insurance records. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis and per-protocol (PP) analysis were performed. Results: Of the 180 participants who were randomized, 88 completed the post-assessment (retention rate: 48.8%, 88/180). ITT analysis showed a significant between-group difference in depressive symptoms during post-treatment in favor of the intervention group, corresponding to a moderate effect size (PHQ-9: d=0.55, 95% CI 0.25-0.85, P<.001, and BDI-II: d=0.41, CI 0.11-0.70, P=.004). PP analysis partially supported this result, but showed a non-significant effect on one primary outcome (PHQ-9: d=0.61, 95% CI 0.15-1.07, P=.04, and BDI-II: d=0.25 95% CI −0.18 to 0.65, P=.37). Analysis of clinical significance using reliable change index revealed that significantly more participants who used the Web-based intervention (63%, 63/100) responded to the treatment versus the control group (33%, 27/80; P<.001). The number needed to treat (NNT) was 4.08. Within both groups, there was a reduction in work absence frequency (IG: −67.23%, P<.001, CG: −82.61%, P<.001), but no statistical difference in sickness absence between groups was found (P=.07). Conclusions: The Web-based intervention was effective in reducing depressive symptoms among adults with sickness absence. As this trial achieved a lower power than calculated, its results should be replicated in a larger sample. Further validation of health insurance records as an outcome measure for eHealth trials is needed. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 02446836; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN02446836 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6jx4SObnw) %M 28619701 %R 10.2196/jmir.6546 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/6/e213/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6546 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28619701 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 6 %P e206 %T Defining and Predicting Patterns of Early Response in a Web-Based Intervention for Depression %A Lutz,Wolfgang %A Arndt,Alice %A Rubel,Julian %A Berger,Thomas %A Schröder,Johanna %A Späth,Christina %A Meyer,Björn %A Greiner,Wolfgang %A Gräfe,Viola %A Hautzinger,Martin %A Fuhr,Kristina %A Rose,Matthias %A Nolte,Sandra %A Löwe,Bernd %A Hohagen,Fritz %A Klein,Jan Philipp %A Moritz,Steffen %+ Department of Psychology, University of Trier, Am Wissenschaftspark 25-27, Trier,, Germany, 49 651 201 2883, wolfgang.lutz@uni-trier.de %K patterns of early change %K depression %K web interventions %K psychotherapy research %D 2017 %7 09.06.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Web-based interventions for individuals with depressive disorders have been a recent focus of research and may be an effective adjunct to face-to-face psychotherapy or pharmacological treatment. Objective: The aim of our study was to examine the early change patterns in Web-based interventions to identify differential effects. Methods: We applied piecewise growth mixture modeling (PGMM) to identify different latent classes of early change in individuals with mild-to-moderate depression (n=409) who underwent a CBT-based web intervention for depression. Results: Overall, three latent classes were identified (N=409): Two early response classes (n=158, n=185) and one early deterioration class (n=66). Latent classes differed in terms of outcome (P<.001) and adherence (P=.03) in regard to the number of modules (number of modules with a duration of at least 10 minutes) and the number of assessments (P<.001), but not in regard to the overall amount of time using the system. Class membership significantly improved outcome prediction by 24.8% over patient intake characteristics (P<.001) and significantly added to the prediction of adherence (P=.04). Conclusions: These findings suggest that in Web-based interventions outcome and adherence can be predicted by patterns of early change, which can inform treatment decisions and potentially help optimize the allocation of scarce clinical resources. %M 28600278 %R 10.2196/jmir.7367 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/6/e206/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7367 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28600278 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 2 %P e19 %T Delivering Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Young Adults With Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using a Fully Automated Conversational Agent (Woebot): A Randomized Controlled Trial %A Fitzpatrick,Kathleen Kara %A Darcy,Alison %A Vierhile,Molly %+ Woebot Labs Inc., 55 Fair Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94110, United States, alison@woebot.io %K conversational agents %K mobile mental health %K mental health %K chatbots %K depression %K anxiety %K college students %K digital health %D 2017 %7 06.06.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Web-based cognitive-behavioral therapeutic (CBT) apps have demonstrated efficacy but are characterized by poor adherence. Conversational agents may offer a convenient, engaging way of getting support at any time. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of a fully automated conversational agent to deliver a self-help program for college students who self-identify as having symptoms of anxiety and depression. Methods: In an unblinded trial, 70 individuals age 18-28 years were recruited online from a university community social media site and were randomized to receive either 2 weeks (up to 20 sessions) of self-help content derived from CBT principles in a conversational format with a text-based conversational agent (Woebot) (n=34) or were directed to the National Institute of Mental Health ebook, “Depression in College Students,” as an information-only control group (n=36). All participants completed Web-based versions of the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale at baseline and 2-3 weeks later (T2). Results: Participants were on average 22.2 years old (SD 2.33), 67% female (47/70), mostly non-Hispanic (93%, 54/58), and Caucasian (79%, 46/58). Participants in the Woebot group engaged with the conversational agent an average of 12.14 (SD 2.23) times over the study period. No significant differences existed between the groups at baseline, and 83% (58/70) of participants provided data at T2 (17% attrition). Intent-to-treat univariate analysis of covariance revealed a significant group difference on depression such that those in the Woebot group significantly reduced their symptoms of depression over the study period as measured by the PHQ-9 (F=6.47; P=.01) while those in the information control group did not. In an analysis of completers, participants in both groups significantly reduced anxiety as measured by the GAD-7 (F1,54= 9.24; P=.004). Participants’ comments suggest that process factors were more influential on their acceptability of the program than content factors mirroring traditional therapy. Conclusions: Conversational agents appear to be a feasible, engaging, and effective way to deliver CBT. %M 28588005 %R 10.2196/mental.7785 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/2/e19/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7785 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28588005 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 5 %P e191 %T Toward the Design of Evidence-Based Mental Health Information Systems for People With Depression: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis %A Wahle,Fabian %A Bollhalder,Lea %A Kowatsch,Tobias %A Fleisch,Elgar %+ Center for Digital Health Interventions, Institute of Technology Management, University of St Gallen, Dufourstrasse 40a, Büro 1-236, St Gallen, 9000, Switzerland, 41 712247244, tobias.kowatsch@unisg.ch %K literature review %K mental health %K design feature %K depression %K information systems %D 2017 %7 31.05.2017 %9 Review %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Existing research postulates a variety of components that show an impact on utilization of technology-mediated mental health information systems (MHIS) and treatment outcome. Although researchers assessed the effect of isolated design elements on the results of Web-based interventions and the associations between symptom reduction and use of components across computer and mobile phone platforms, there remains uncertainty with regard to which components of technology-mediated interventions for mental health exert the greatest therapeutic gain. Until now, no studies have presented results on the therapeutic benefit associated with specific service components of technology-mediated MHIS for depression. Objective: This systematic review aims at identifying components of technology-mediated MHIS for patients with depression. Consequently, all randomized controlled trials comparing technology-mediated treatments for depression to either waiting-list control, treatment as usual, or any other form of treatment for depression were reviewed. Updating prior reviews, this study aims to (1) assess the effectiveness of technology-supported interventions for the treatment of depression and (2) add to the debate on what components in technology-mediated MHIS for the treatment of depression should be standard of care. Methods: Systematic searches in MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library were conducted. Effect sizes for each comparison between a technology-enabled intervention and a control condition were computed using the standard mean difference (SMD). Chi-square tests were used to test for heterogeneity. Using subgroup analysis, potential sources of heterogeneity were analyzed. Publication bias was examined using visual inspection of funnel plots and Begg’s test. Qualitative data analysis was also used. In an explorative approach, a list of relevant components was extracted from the body of literature by consensus between two researchers. Results: Of 6387 studies initially identified, 45 met all inclusion criteria. Programs analyzed showed a significant trend toward reduced depressive symptoms (SMD –0.58, 95% CI –0.71 to –0.45, P<.001). Heterogeneity was large (I2≥76). A total of 15 components were identified. Conclusions: Technology-mediated MHIS for the treatment of depression has a consistent positive overall effect compared to controls. A total of 15 components have been identified. Further studies are needed to quantify the impact of individual components on treatment effects and to identify further components that are relevant for the design of future technology-mediated interventions for the treatment of depression and other mental disorders. %M 28566267 %R 10.2196/jmir.7381 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/5/e191/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7381 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28566267 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-2960 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 2 %P e29 %T Associations Between Maternal Depressive Symptoms and Nonresponsive Feeding Styles and Practices in Mothers of Young Children: A Systematic Review %A Lindsay,Ana Cristina %A Mesa,Tatiana %A Greaney,Mary L %A Wallington,Sherrie F %A Wright,Julie A %+ Exercise and Health Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Boston, MA, 02125, United States, 1 617287579, Ana.Lindsay@umb.edu %K maternal depression %K child %K feeding behavior %K practices %K feeding styles %K obesity %D 2017 %7 26.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Public Health Surveill %G English %X Background: Childhood obesity is a significant global public health problem due to increasing rates worldwide. Growing evidence suggests that nonresponsive parental feeding styles and practices are important influences on children’s eating behaviors and weight status, especially during early childhood. Therefore, understanding parental factors that may influence nonresponsive parental feeding styles and practices is significant for the development of interventions to prevent childhood obesity. Objective: The objectives of this systematic review were to (1) identify and review existing research examining the associations between maternal depressive symptoms and use of nonresponsive feeding styles and practices among mothers of young children (2-8 years of age), (2) highlight the limitations of reviewed studies, and (3) generate suggestions for future research. Methods: Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols) guidelines, six electronic academic databases were searched for peer-reviewed, full-text papers published in English between January 2000 and June 2016. Only studies with mothers 18+ years old of normally developing children between 2 and 8 years of age were included. Of the 297 citations identified, 35 full-text papers were retrieved and 8 were reviewed. Results: The reviewed studies provided mixed evidence for associations between maternal depressive symptoms and nonresponsive feeding styles and practices. Two out of three studies reported positive associations with nonresponsive feeding styles, in that mothers with elevated depressive symptoms were more likely than mothers without those symptoms to exhibit uninvolved and permissive or indulgent feeding styles. Furthermore, results of reviewed studies provide good evidence for association between maternal depressive symptoms and instrumental feeding (3 of 3 reviewed studies) and nonresponsive family mealtime practices (3/3), but mixed evidence for pressuring children to eat (3/6) and emotional feeding (1/3). In addition, evidence for the association between maternal depressive symptoms and restricting child food intake was mixed: one study (1/6) found a positive association; two studies (2/6) found a negative association; whereas one study (1/6) found no association. Conclusions: This review indicates that the results of studies examining the associations between maternal depressive symptoms and parental feeding styles and practices are mixed. Limitations of studies included in this review should be noted: (1) the use of a diverse set of self-report questionnaires to assess parental feeding practices is problematic due to potential misclassification and makes it difficult to compare these outcomes across studies, thus caution must be taken in drawing conclusions; and (2) the majority of included studies (6/8) were cross-sectional. There is a need for additional longitudinal studies to disentangle the influence of depression on parental feeding styles and practices. Nevertheless, given that depressive symptoms and feeding styles and practices are potentially modifiable, it is important to understand their relationship to inform obesity prevention interventions and programs. %M 28550007 %R 10.2196/publichealth.6492 %U http://publichealth.jmir.org/2017/2/e29/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/publichealth.6492 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28550007 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 2 %P e15 %T Clinical Insight Into Latent Variables of Psychiatric Questionnaires for Mood Symptom Self-Assessment %A Tsanas,Athanasios %A Saunders,Kate %A Bilderbeck,Amy %A Palmius,Niclas %A Goodwin,Guy %A De Vos,Maarten %+ Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, Medical School, University of Edinburgh, Nine Edinburgh Bioquarter, 9 Little France road, Edinburgh, EH16 4UX, United Kingdom, 44 131 651 7884, Athanasios.Tsanas@ed.ac.uk %K bipolar disorder %K borderline personality disorder %K depression %K mania %K latent variable structure %K mood monitoring %K patient reported outcome measures %K mhealth %K mobile app %D 2017 %7 25.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: We recently described a new questionnaire to monitor mood called mood zoom (MZ). MZ comprises 6 items assessing mood symptoms on a 7-point Likert scale; we had previously used standard principal component analysis (PCA) to tentatively understand its properties, but the presence of multiple nonzero loadings obstructed the interpretation of its latent variables. Objective: The aim of this study was to rigorously investigate the internal properties and latent variables of MZ using an algorithmic approach which may lead to more interpretable results than PCA. Additionally, we explored three other widely used psychiatric questionnaires to investigate latent variable structure similarities with MZ: (1) Altman self-rating mania scale (ASRM), assessing mania; (2) quick inventory of depressive symptomatology (QIDS) self-report, assessing depression; and (3) generalized anxiety disorder (7-item) (GAD-7), assessing anxiety. Methods: We elicited responses from 131 participants: 48 bipolar disorder (BD), 32 borderline personality disorder (BPD), and 51 healthy controls (HC), collected longitudinally (median [interquartile range, IQR]: 363 [276] days). Participants were requested to complete ASRM, QIDS, and GAD-7 weekly (all 3 questionnaires were completed on the Web) and MZ daily (using a custom-based smartphone app). We applied sparse PCA (SPCA) to determine the latent variables for the four questionnaires, where a small subset of the original items contributes toward each latent variable. Results: We found that MZ had great consistency across the three cohorts studied. Three main principal components were derived using SPCA, which can be tentatively interpreted as (1) anxiety and sadness, (2) positive affect, and (3) irritability. The MZ principal component comprising anxiety and sadness explains most of the variance in BD and BPD, whereas the positive affect of MZ explains most of the variance in HC. The latent variables in ASRM were identical for the patient groups but different for HC; nevertheless, the latent variables shared common items across both the patient group and HC. On the contrary, QIDS had overall very different principal components across groups; sleep was a key element in HC and BD but was absent in BPD. In GAD-7, nervousness was the principal component explaining most of the variance in BD and HC. Conclusions: This study has important implications for understanding self-reported mood. MZ has a consistent, intuitively interpretable latent variable structure and hence may be a good instrument for generic mood assessment. Irritability appears to be the key distinguishing latent variable between BD and BPD and might be useful for differential diagnosis. Anxiety and sadness are closely interlinked, a finding that might inform treatment effects to jointly address these covarying symptoms. Anxiety and nervousness appear to be amongst the cardinal latent variable symptoms in BD and merit close attention in clinical practice. %M 28546141 %R 10.2196/mental.6917 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/2/e15/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.6917 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28546141 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 5 %P e98 %T eMindLog: Self-Measurement of Anxiety and Depression Using Mobile Technology %A Penders,Thomas M %A Wuensch,Karl L %A Ninan,Philip T %+ Brody School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine, East Carolina University, 621 W Main St, Washington, NC, 27889-4835, United States, 1 678 428 1655, ninanp@ecu.edu %K mobile %K anxiety %K depression %K internet %K measurement %D 2017 %7 24.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Quantifying anxiety and depressive experiences permits individuals to calibrate where they are and monitor intervention-associated changes. eMindLog is a novel self-report measure for anxiety and depression that is grounded in psychology with an organizing structure based on neuroscience. Objective: Our aim was to explore the psychometric properties of eMindLog in a nonclinical sample of subjects. Methods: In a cross-sectional study of eMindLog, a convenience sample of 198 adults provided informed consent and completed eMindLog and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) as a reference. Brain systems (eg, negative and positive valence systems, cognitive systems) and their functional states that drive behavior are measured daily as emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Associated symptoms, quality of life, and functioning are assessed weekly. eMindLog offers ease of use and expediency, using mobile technology across multiple platforms, with dashboard reporting of scores. It enhances precision by providing distinct, nonoverlapping description of terms, and accuracy through guidance for scoring severity. Results: eMindLog daily total score had a Cronbach alpha of .94. Pearson correlation coefficient for eMindLog indexes for anxiety and sadness/anhedonia were r=.66 (P<.001) and r=.62 (P<.001) contrasted with the HADS anxiety and depression subscales respectively. Of 195 subjects, 23 (11.8%) had cross-sectional symptoms above the threshold for Generalized Anxiety Disorder and 29 (29/195, 14.9%) for Major Depressive Disorder. Factor analysis supported the theoretically derived index derivatives for anxiety, anger, sadness, and anhedonia. Conclusions: eMindLog is a novel self-measurement tool to measure anxiety and depression, demonstrating excellent reliability and strong validity in a nonclinical population. Further studies in clinical populations are necessary for fuller validation of its psychometric properties. Self-measurement of anxiety and depressive symptoms with precision and accuracy has several potential benefits, including case detection, tracking change over time, efficacy assessment of interventions, and exploration of potential biomarkers. %M 28539304 %R 10.2196/resprot.7447 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/5/e98/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.7447 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28539304 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 5 %P e157 %T Web-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Depression in People With Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial %A Newby,Jill %A Robins,Lisa %A Wilhelm,Kay %A Smith,Jessica %A Fletcher,Therese %A Gillis,Inika %A Ma,Trevor %A Finch,Adam %A Campbell,Lesley %A Andrews,Gavin %+ School of Psychology, The University of New South Wales, 1302 Mathews Building, Randwick, 2052, Australia, 61 293853425, j.newby@unsw.edu.au %K depression %K diabetes mellitus %K cognitive behavior therapy %K diabetes-related distress %K computer-assisted therapy %D 2017 %7 15.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression is twice as common in diabetes mellitus (DM) as the general population and is associated with adverse health outcomes, but access to evidence-based therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is limited in routine diabetes care. Past research has shown that generic Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) is an effective treatment for depression in the general population, but it has never been evaluated in people with comorbid depression and DM. Objective: The aim of our study was to examine the efficacy of a generic 6-lesson iCBT delivered over 10 weeks in people with major depressive disorder (MDD) and DM. Methods: Participants with comorbid MDD and DM (type 1 or 2) were recruited online and randomized to an iCBT program with therapist support provided by phone and email (n=42) or a treatment as usual (TAU, n=49) control group. Outcomes were assessed through Web-based self-report questionnaires and the trial was Web-based with no face-to-face components. Primary outcomes were self-reported depression (patient health questionnaire-9, PHQ-9), diabetes-related distress (problem areas in diabetes, PAID), and self-reported glycemic control (hemoglobin A1c, HbA1c). Secondary outcomes were general distress (Kessler 10-item psychological distress scale, K-10) and disability (short form 12-item, SF-12), generalized anxiety (generalized anxiety disorder 7-item, GAD-7), and somatization (PHQ-15). The iCBT group was assessed at 3 months. Results: A total of 27 participants (66%; 27/41) completed the iCBT program. Analyses indicated between-group superiority of iCBT over TAU at posttreatment on PHQ-9 (g=0.78), PAID (g=0.80), K-10 (g=1.06), GAD-7 (g=0.72), and SF-12 mental well-being scores (g=0.66), but no significant differences in self-reported HbA1c levels (g=0.14), SF-12 physical well-being, or PHQ-15 scores (g=0.03-0.21). Gains were maintained at 3-month follow-up in the iCBT group, and the 87% (27/31) of iCBT participants who were interviewed no longer met criteria for MDD. Clinically significant change following iCBT on PHQ-9 scores was 51% (21/41) versus 18% (9/49) in TAU. Conclusions: iCBT for depression is an efficacious, accessible treatment option for people with diabetes. Future studies should explore whether tailoring of iCBT programs improves acceptability and adherence, and evaluate the long-term outcomes following iCBT. Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN): 12613001198718; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=365208&isReview=true (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6qCR8Fi9V) %M 28506956 %R 10.2196/jmir.7274 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/5/e157/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7274 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28506956 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 5 %P e149 %T Computer Administered Safety Planning for Individuals at Risk for Suicide: Development and Usability Testing %A Boudreaux,Edwin D %A Brown,Gregory K %A Stanley,Barbara %A Sadasivam,Rajani S %A Camargo,Carlos A %A Miller,Ivan W %+ University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA, 01655, United States, 1 508 334 3817, edwin.boudreaux@umassmed.edu %K technology %K safety %K health planning %K suicide %K computers %K telemedicine %D 2017 %7 15.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Safety planning is a brief intervention that has become an accepted practice in many clinical settings to help prevent suicide. Even though it is quick compared to other approaches, it frequently requires 20 min or more to complete, which can impede adoption. A self-administered, Web-based safety planning application could potentially reduce clinician time, help promote standardization and quality, and provide enhanced ability to share the created plan. Objective: The aim of this study was to design, build, and test the usability of a Web-based, self-administered safety planning application. Methods: We employed a user-centered software design strategy led by a multidisciplinary team. The application was tested for usability with a target sample of suicidal patients. Detailed observations, structured usability ratings, and Think Aloud procedures were used. Suicidal ideation intensity and perceived ability to cope were assessed pre-post engagement with the Web application. Results: A total of 30 participants were enrolled. Usability ratings were generally strong, and all patients successfully built a safety plan. However, the completeness of the safety plan varied. The mean number of steps completed was 5.5 (SD 0.9) out of 6, with 90% (27/30) of participants completing at least 5 steps and 67% (20/30) completing all 6 steps. Some safety planning steps were viewed as inapplicable to some individuals. Some confusion in instructions led to modifications to improve understandability of each step. Ratings of suicide intensity after completion of the application were significantly lower than preratings, pre: mean 5.11 (SD 2.9) versus post: mean 4.46 (SD 3.0), t27=2.49, P=.02. Ratings of ability to cope with suicidal thoughts after completion of the application were higher than preratings, with the difference approaching statistical significance, pre: mean 5.93 (SD 2.9), post: mean 6.64 (SD 2.4), t27=−2.03, P=.05. Conclusions: We have taken the first step toward identifying the components needed to maximize usability of a self-administered, Web-based safety planning application. Results support initial consideration of the application as an adjunct to clinical contact. This allows for the clinician or other personnel to provide clarification, when needed, to help the patient build the plan, and to help review and revise the draft. %M 28506957 %R 10.2196/jmir.6816 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/5/e149/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6816 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28506957 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 5 %P e141 %T Efficacy of a Web-Based Guided Recommendation Service for a Curated List of Readily Available Mental Health and Well-Being Mobile Apps for Young People: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Bidargaddi,Niranjan %A Musiat,Peter %A Winsall,Megan %A Vogl,Gillian %A Blake,Victoria %A Quinn,Stephen %A Orlowski,Simone %A Antezana,Gaston %A Schrader,Geoffrey %+ Digital Psychiatry & Personal Health Informatics Group, School of Medicine, Flinders University, Flinders at Tonsley, 1284 South Road, Clovelly Park, 5042, Australia, 61 872218842, niranjan.bidargaddi@flinders.edu.au %K well-being %K mental health %K young people %K online intervention %K apps %K engagement %D 2017 %7 12.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mental disorders are highly prevalent for the people who are aged between 16 and 25 years and can permanently disrupt the development of these individuals. Easily available mobile health (mHealth) apps for mobile phones have great potential for the prevention and early intervention of mental disorders in young adults, but interventions are required that can help individuals to both identify high-quality mobile apps and use them to change health and lifestyle behavior. Objectives: The study aimed to assess the efficacy of a Web-based self-guided app recommendation service (“The Toolbox”) in improving the well-being of young Australians aged between 16 and 25 years. The intervention was developed in collaboration with young adults and consists of a curated list of 46 readily available health and well-being apps, assessed and rated by professionals and young people. Participants are guided by an interactive quiz and subsequently receive recommendations for particular apps to download and use based on their personal goals. Methods: The study was a waitlist, parallel-arm, randomized controlled trial. Our primary outcome measure was change in well-being as measured by the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF). We also employed ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) to track mood, energy, rest, and sleep. Participants were recruited from the general Australian population, via several Web-based and community strategies. The study was conducted through a Web-based platform consisting of a landing Web page and capabilities to administer study measures at different time points. Web-based measurements were self-assessed at baseline and 4 weeks, and EMAs were collected repeatedly at regular weekly intervals or ad hoc when participants interacted with the study platform. Primary outcomes were analyzed using linear mixed-models and intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. Results: A total of 387 participants completed baseline scores and were randomized into the trial. Results demonstrated no significant effect of “The Toolbox” intervention on participant well-being at 4 weeks compared with the control group (P=.66). There were also no significant differences between the intervention and control groups at 4 weeks on any of the subscales of the MHC-SF (psychological: P=.95, social: P=.42, emotional: P=.95). Repeat engagement with the study platform resulted in a significant difference in mood, energy, rest, and sleep trajectories between intervention and control groups as measured by EMAs (P<.01). Conclusions: This was the first study to assess the effectiveness of a Web-based well-being intervention in a sample of young adults. The design of the intervention utilized expert rating of existing apps and end-user codesign approaches resulting in an app recommendation service. Our finding suggests that recommended readily available mental health and well-being apps may not lead to improvements in the well-being of a nonclinical sample of young people, but might halt a decline in mood, energy, rest, and sleep. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12614000710628; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=366145 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/ 6pWDsnKme) %M 28500020 %R 10.2196/jmir.6775 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/5/e141/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6775 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28500020 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 5 %P e151 %T Embodied Conversational Agents in Clinical Psychology: A Scoping Review %A Provoost,Simon %A Lau,Ho Ming %A Ruwaard,Jeroen %A Riper,Heleen %+ Department of Clinical, Neuro & Developmental Psychology, Section Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Netherlands, 31 205985059, s.j.provoost@vu.nl %K eHealth %K review %K embodied conversational agent %K human computer interaction %K clinical psychology %K mental disorders %K intelligent agent %K health behavior %D 2017 %7 09.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Embodied conversational agents (ECAs) are computer-generated characters that simulate key properties of human face-to-face conversation, such as verbal and nonverbal behavior. In Internet-based eHealth interventions, ECAs may be used for the delivery of automated human support factors. Objective: We aim to provide an overview of the technological and clinical possibilities, as well as the evidence base for ECA applications in clinical psychology, to inform health professionals about the activity in this field of research. Methods: Given the large variety of applied methodologies, types of applications, and scientific disciplines involved in ECA research, we conducted a systematic scoping review. Scoping reviews aim to map key concepts and types of evidence underlying an area of research, and answer less-specific questions than traditional systematic reviews. Systematic searches for ECA applications in the treatment of mood, anxiety, psychotic, autism spectrum, and substance use disorders were conducted in databases in the fields of psychology and computer science, as well as in interdisciplinary databases. Studies were included if they conveyed primary research findings on an ECA application that targeted one of the disorders. We mapped each study’s background information, how the different disorders were addressed, how ECAs and users could interact with one another, methodological aspects, and the study’s aims and outcomes. Results: This study included N=54 publications (N=49 studies). More than half of the studies (n=26) focused on autism treatment, and ECAs were used most often for social skills training (n=23). Applications ranged from simple reinforcement of social behaviors through emotional expressions to sophisticated multimodal conversational systems. Most applications (n=43) were still in the development and piloting phase, that is, not yet ready for routine practice evaluation or application. Few studies conducted controlled research into clinical effects of ECAs, such as a reduction in symptom severity. Conclusions: ECAs for mental disorders are emerging. State-of-the-art techniques, involving, for example, communication through natural language or nonverbal behavior, are increasingly being considered and adopted for psychotherapeutic interventions in ECA research with promising results. However, evidence on their clinical application remains scarce. At present, their value to clinical practice lies mostly in the experimental determination of critical human support factors. In the context of using ECAs as an adjunct to existing interventions with the aim of supporting users, important questions remain with regard to the personalization of ECAs’ interaction with users, and the optimal timing and manner of providing support. To increase the evidence base with regard to Internet interventions, we propose an additional focus on low-tech ECA solutions that can be rapidly developed, tested, and applied in routine practice. %M 28487267 %R 10.2196/jmir.6553 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/5/e151/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6553 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28487267 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 5 %P e148 %T Automated Text Messaging as an Adjunct to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: A Clinical Trial %A Aguilera,Adrian %A Bruehlman-Senecal,Emma %A Demasi,Orianna %A Avila,Patricia %+ School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, 120 Haviland Hall, MC 7400, Berkeley, CA, 94720, United States, 1 5106428564, aguila@berkeley.edu %K depression %K text messaging %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K mhealth %K mental health %K Latinos %D 2017 %7 08.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for depression is efficacious, but effectiveness is limited when implemented in low-income settings due to engagement difficulties including nonadherence with skill-building homework and early discontinuation of treatment. Automated messaging can be used in clinical settings to increase dosage of depression treatment and encourage sustained engagement with psychotherapy. Objectives: The aim of this study was to test whether a text messaging adjunct (mood monitoring text messages, treatment-related text messages, and a clinician dashboard to display patient data) increases engagement and improves clinical outcomes in a group CBT treatment for depression. Specifically, we aim to assess whether the text messaging adjunct led to an increase in group therapy sessions attended, an increase in duration of therapy attended, and reductions in Patient Health Questionnaire-9 item (PHQ-9) symptoms compared with the control condition of standard group CBT in a sample of low-income Spanish speaking Latino patients. Methods: Patients in an outpatient behavioral health clinic were assigned to standard group CBT for depression (control condition; n=40) or the same treatment with the addition of a text messaging adjunct (n=45). The adjunct consisted of a daily mood monitoring message, a daily message reiterating the theme of that week’s content, and medication and appointment reminders. Mood data and qualitative responses were sent to a Web-based platform (HealthySMS) for review by the therapist and displayed in session as a tool for teaching CBT skills. Results: Intent-to-treat analyses on therapy attendance during 16 sessions of weekly therapy found that patients assigned to the text messaging adjunct stayed in therapy significantly longer (median of 13.5 weeks before dropping out) than patients assigned to the control condition (median of 3 weeks before dropping out; Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney z=−2.21, P=.03). Patients assigned to the text messaging adjunct also generally attended more sessions (median=6 sessions) during this period than patients assigned to the control condition (median =2.5 sessions), but the effect was not significant (Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney z=−1.65, P=.10). Both patients assigned to the text messaging adjunct (B=−.29, 95% CI −0.38 to −0.19, z=−5.80, P<.001) and patients assigned to the control conditions (B=−.20, 95% CI −0.32 to −0.07, z=−3.12, P=.002) experienced significant decreases in depressive symptom severity over the course of treatment; however, the conditions did not significantly differ in their degree of symptom reduction. Conclusions: This study provides support for automated text messaging as a tool to sustain engagement in CBT for depression over time. There were no differences in depression outcomes between conditions, but this may be influenced by low follow-up rates of patients who dropped out of treatment. %M 28483742 %R 10.2196/jmir.6914 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/5/e148/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6914 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28483742 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 5 %P e76 %T Meeting the Needs of Mothers During the Postpartum Period: Using Co-Creation Workshops to Find Technological Solutions %A Slomian,Justine %A Emonts,Patrick %A Vigneron,Lara %A Acconcia,Alessandro %A Reginster,Jean-Yves %A Oumourgh,Mina %A Bruyère,Olivier %+ Epidemiology and Health Economics and Support Unit in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Public Health, University of Liège, CHU - Sart Tilman, Quartier Hôpital, Avenue Hippocrate 13, Bât. B23, Liège, 4000, Belgium, 32 43 66 49 33, jslomian@ulg.ac.be %K mothers’ needs %K technological solutions %K co-creating workshop %K co-creation %K postpartum needs %D 2017 %7 03.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: The postnatal period is associated with many new needs for mothers. Objective: The aim of this study was to find technological solutions that meet the needs of mothers during the year following childbirth. Methods: Two co-creation workshops were undertaken with parents and professionals. The aim of the first workshop was to create a list of all the criteria the proposed solution would have to address to meet the needs of mothers after childbirth. The aim of the second workshop was to create solutions in response to the criteria selected during the first workshop. Results: Parents and health professionals want solutions that include empathy (ie, to help fight against the feelings of abnormality and loneliness), that help mothers in daily life, that are personalized and adapted to different situations, that are educational, and that assures some continuity in their contact with health professionals. In practice, we found that parents and professionals think the solution should be accessible to everyone and available at all times. To address these criteria, technology experts proposed different solutions, such as a forum dedicated to the postpartum period that is supervised by professionals, a centralized website, a system of videoconferencing, an online exchange group, a “gift voucher” system, a virtual reality app, or a companion robot. Conclusions: The human component seems to be very important during the postnatal period. Nevertheless, technology could be a great ally in helping mothers during the postpartum period. Technology can help reliably inform parents and may also give them the right tools to find supportive people. However, these technologies should be tested in clinical trials. %M 28468746 %R 10.2196/resprot.6831 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/5/e76/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.6831 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28468746 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 5 %P e59 %T Text Message Feedback to Support Mindfulness Practice in People With Depressive Symptoms: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial %A Kraft,Susanne %A Wolf,Markus %A Klein,Thomas %A Becker,Thomas %A Bauer,Stephanie %A Puschner,Bernd %+ Section Process-Outcome Research, Department of Psychiatry II, Ulm University, 3rd floor, Ludwig-Heilmeyer-Str 2, Günzburg, 89312, Germany, 49 8221 982866, bernd.puschner@bkh-guenzburg.de %K mindfulness %K text messaging %K pilot study %K randomized controlled trial %D 2017 %7 02.05.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: It has been shown that mindfulness practice can be helpful in preventing relapse from depression. However, practicing mindfulness regularly at home is often a challenge for people with depression. Mobile phone text messaging (short message service, SMS) may be a feasible approach to assist regular mindfulness home practice. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of text message–based feedback to support mindfulness practice in people with depressive symptoms after inpatient psychiatric treatment. Methods: Participants received a manualized group introduction to three mindfulness exercises during inpatient treatment and were randomized at hospital discharge. All participants were asked to practice the exercises daily during the 4-month follow-up period. Only participants allocated to the intervention group received reinforcing feedback via mobile phone text messages after reporting their mindfulness practice via text message. Participation rates and satisfaction with the interventions were evaluated, and effects on relevant outcomes were explored. Results: Of the 176 eligible inpatients invited to participate, 65.9% (116/176) attended the introductory mindfulness group at least once, 33.0% (58/176) were willing to participate in the study, and 41 were randomized. The majority 85% (35/41) of these participants completed the study. Among the participants allocated to the intervention group (n=21), 81% (17/21) used the text message support at least once. The average number of text messages sent during the intervention period was 14 (SD 21, range 0-91). Satisfaction rates were high. Preliminary analyses of the effects of the intervention yielded mixed results. Conclusions: Findings indicate that text messaging following inpatient treatment is feasible for some, but not for all people with depressive symptoms. Modest use of the text messaging intervention and its mixed effects imply that dose and ingredients of the intervention should be increased for this group of patients in a future full-size RCT. Such a larger study should also include a process evaluation to investigate moderators of the effect of mindfulness practice and text message feedback on clinical outcome. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 58808893; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN58808893 (Archived by Webcite at http://www.webcitation.org/6pmrDRnGt) %M 28465278 %R 10.2196/mhealth.7095 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2017/5/e59/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.7095 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28465278 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 4 %P e138 %T Therapist-Supported Internet-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Stress, Anxiety, and Depressive Symptoms Among Postpartum Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis %A Lau,Ying %A Htun,Tha Pyai %A Wong,Suei Nee %A Tam,Wai San Wilson %A Klainin-Yobas,Piyanee %+ Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Level 2, Clinical Research Centre, Block MD11, 10 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117597, Singapore, 65 66011603, nurly@nus.edu.sg %K Internet %K post-traumatic stress disorders %K stress %K anxiety %K depression %K cognitive behavior therapy %K meta-analysis %D 2017 %7 28.04.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: A growing number of meta-analyses have supported the application of therapist-supported Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (iCBT) for psychological disorders across different populations, but relatively few meta-analyses have concentrated on postpartum women. Objective: This meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of therapist-supported iCBT in improving stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among postpartum women. Methods: A total of 10 electronic databases were used to search for published and unpublished trials. Cochrane Collaboration tool for assessing risk of bias was utilized to measure methodological quality. Meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan software (Review Manager version 5.3 for Windows from the Nordic Cochrane Centre, the Cochrane Collaboration, 2014). Among the 789 studies identified, 8 randomized controlled trials were selected, involving 1523 participants across 6 countries. Results: More than half (65%) of the eligible studies had a low risk of bias with no heterogeneity. Results revealed that therapist-supported iCBT significantly improved stress (d=0.84, n=5), anxiety (d=0.36, n=6), and depressive symptoms (d=0.63, n=8) of the intervention group compared with those of the control group at post-intervention. Conclusions: This review revealed that therapist-supported iCBT significantly improves stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among postpartum women with small to large effects. Future effectiveness studies should establish the essential components, format, and approach of iCBT with optimal levels of human support to maximize a long-term effect. %M 28455276 %R 10.2196/jmir.6712 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/4/e138/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6712 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28455276 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 2 %P e13 %T Gathering Opinions on Depression Information Needs and Preferences: Samples and Opinions in Clinic Versus Web-Based Surveys %A Bernstein,Matthew T %A Walker,John R %A Sexton,Kathryn A %A Katz,Alan %A Beatie,Brooke E %A , %+ Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Health Psychology, University of Manitoba, M4 - St. Boniface Hospital, 409 Tache Ave, Winnipeg, MB, R2H 2A6, Canada, 1 204 955 9487, jwalker@cc.umanitoba.ca %K depression %K psychotherapy %K drug therapy %K Internet %K survey methodology %D 2017 %7 24.04.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: There has been limited research on the information needs and preferences of the public concerning treatment for depression. Very little research is available comparing samples and opinions when recruitment for surveys is done over the Web as opposed to a personal invitation to complete a paper survey. Objective: This study aimed to (1) to explore information needs and preferences among members of the public and (2) compare Clinic and Web samples on sample characteristics and survey findings. Methods: Web survey participants were recruited with a notice on three self-help association websites (N=280). Clinic survey participants were recruited by a research assistant in the waiting rooms of a family medicine clinic and a walk-in medical clinic (N=238) and completed a paper version of the survey. Results: The Clinic and Web samples were similar in age (39.0 years, SD 13.9 vs 40.2 years, SD 12.5, respectively), education, and proportion in full time employment. The Clinic sample was more diverse in demographic characteristics and closer to the demographic characteristics of the region (Winnipeg, Canada) with a higher proportion of males (102/238 [42.9%] vs 45/280 [16.1%]) and nonwhites (Aboriginal, Asian, and black) (69/238 [29.0%] vs 39/280 [13.9%]). The Web sample reported a higher level of emotional distress and had more previous psychological (224/280 [80.0%] vs 83/238 [34.9%]) and pharmacological (202/280 [72.1%] vs 57/238 [23.9%]) treatment. In terms of opinions, most respondents in both settings saw information on a wide range of topics around depression treatment as very important including information about treatment choices, effectiveness of treatment, how long it takes treatment to work, how long treatment continues, what happens when treatment stops, advantages and disadvantages of treatments, and potential side effects. Females, respondents with a white background, and those who had received or felt they would have benefited from therapy in the past saw more information topics as very important. Those who had received or thought they would have benefited in the past from medication treatment saw fewer topics as important. Participants in both groups expressed an interest in receiving information through discussion with a counselor or a physician, through written brochures, or through a recommended website. Conclusions: The recruitment strategies were helpful in obtaining opinions from members of the public with different concerns and perspectives, and the results from the two methods were complementary. Persons coping with emotional distress and individuals not specifically seeking help for depression would be interested in information to answer a wide range of important questions about depression treatment. The Clinic sample yielded more cultural diversity that is a closer match to the population. The Web sample was less costly to recruit and included persons who were most interested in receiving information. %M 28438729 %R 10.2196/mental.7231 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/2/e13/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.7231 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28438729 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 4 %P e123 %T Usability, Acceptability, and Adherence to an Electronic Self-Monitoring System in Patients With Major Depression Discharged From Inpatient Wards %A Lauritsen,Lise %A Andersen,Louise %A Olsson,Emilia %A Søndergaard,Stine Rauff %A Nørregaard,Lasse Benn %A Løventoft,Philip Kaare %A Svendsen,Signe Dunker %A Frøkjær,Erik %A Jensen,Hans Mørch %A Hageman,Ida %A Kessing,Lars Vedel %A Martiny,Klaus %+ Psychiatric Center Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Edel Sauntes Alle 10, Copenhagen, 2100 Ø, Denmark, 45 38647100, klaus.martiny@regionh.dk %K depressive disorder, major %K electronic monitoring %K graph drawing %K sleep %K self-assessment %K observational study %K inpatients %K patient participation %K chronotherapeutics %D 2017 %7 21.04.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Patients suffering from depression have a high risk of relapse and readmission in the weeks following discharge from inpatient wards. Electronic self-monitoring systems that offer patient-communication features are now available to offer daily support to patients, but the usability, acceptability, and adherence to these systems has only been sparsely investigated. Objective: We aim to test the usability, acceptability, adherence, and clinical outcome of a newly developed computer-based electronic self-assessment system (the Daybuilder system) in patients suffering from depression, in the period from discharge until commencing outpatient treatment in the Intensive Outpatient Unit for Affective Disorders. Methods: Patients suffering from unipolar major depression that were referred from inpatient wards to an intensive outpatient unit were included in this study before their discharge, and were followed for four weeks. User satisfaction was assessed using semiqualitative questionnaires and the System Usability Scale (SUS). Patients were interviewed at baseline and at endpoint with the Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D17), the Major Depression Inventory (MDI), and the 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5). In this four-week period patients used the Daybuilder system to self-monitor mood, sleep, activity, and medication adherence on a daily basis. The system displayed a graphical representation of the data that was simultaneously displayed to patients and clinicians. Patients were phoned weekly to discuss their data entries. The primary outcomes were usability, acceptability, and adherence to the system. The secondary outcomes were changes in: the electronically self-assessed mood, sleep, and activity scores; and scores from the HAM-D17, MDI, and WHO-5 scales. Results: In total, 76% of enrolled patients (34/45) completed the four-week study. Five patients were readmitted due to relapse. The 34 patients that completed the study entered data for mood on 93.8% of the days (872/930), sleep on 89.8% of the days (835/930), activity on 85.6% of the days (796/930), and medication on 88.0 % of the days (818/930). SUS scores were 86.2 (standard deviation [SD] 9.7) and 79% of the patients (27/34) found that the system lived up to their expectations. A significant improvement in depression severity was found on the HAM-D17 from 18.0 (SD 6.5) to 13.3 (SD 7.3; P<.01), on the MDI from 27.1 (SD 13.1) to 22.1 (SD 12.7; P=.006), and in quality of life on the WHO-5 from 31.3 (SD 22.9) to 43.4 (SD 22.1; P<.001) scales, but not on self-assessed mood (P=.08). Mood and sleep parameters were highly variable from day-to-day. Sleep-offset was significantly delayed from baseline, averaging 48 minutes (standard error 12 minutes; P<.001). Furthermore, when estimating delay of sleep-onset (with sleep quality included in the model) during the study period, this showed a significant negative effect on mood (P=.03) Conclusions: The Daybuilder systems performed well technically, and patients were satisfied with the system and had high adherence to self-assessments. The dropout rate and the gradual delay in sleep emphasize the need for continued clinical support for these patients, especially when considering sleep guidance. %M 28432040 %R 10.2196/jmir.6673 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/4/e123/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6673 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28432040 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 4 %P e128 %T Toward Game-Based Digital Mental Health Interventions: Player Habits and Preferences %A Mandryk,Regan Lee %A Birk,Max Valentin %+ Interaction Lab, Department of Computer Science, University of Saskatchewan, 176 Thorvaldson Bldg, 110 Science Place, Saskatoon, SK, S7N5C9, Canada, 1 3069664888, regan@cs.usask.ca %K computer games %K mental health %K depression %K anxiety %D 2017 %7 20.04.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Designers of digital interventions for mental health often leverage interactions from games because the intrinsic motivation that results from game-based interventions may increase participation and translate into improved treatment efficacy. However, there are outstanding questions about the suitability (eg, are desktop or mobile interventions more appropriate?) and intervention potential (eg, do people with depression activate enough to play?) of games for mental health. Objective: In this paper, we aimed to describe the presently unknown relationship between gaming activity and indicators of well-being so that designers make informed choices when designing game-based interventions for mental health. Methods: We gathered validated scales of well-being (Beck’s Depression Inventory [BDI-II], Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9], trait anxiety [TA], and basic psychological needs satisfaction [BPNS]), play importance (control over game behavior: control; gamer identity: identity), and play behavior (play frequency, platform preferences, and genre preferences) in a Web-based survey (N=491). Results: The majority of our participants played games a few times a week (45.3%, 222/490) or daily (34.3%, 168/490). In terms of depression, play frequency was associated with PHQ-9 (P=.003); PHQ-9 scores were higher for those who played daily than for those who played a few times a week or less. Similarly, for BDI-II (P=.01), scores were higher for those who played daily than for those who played once a week or less. Genre preferences were not associated with PHQ-9 (P=.32) or BDI-II (P=.68); however, platform preference (ie, mobile, desktop, or console) was associated with PHQ-9 (P=.04); desktop-only players had higher PHQ-9 scores than those who used all platforms. Platform preference was not associated with BDI-II (P=.18). In terms of anxiety, TA was not associated with frequency (P=.23), platform preference (P=.07), or genre preference (P=.99). In terms of needs satisfaction, BPNS was not associated with frequency (P=.25) or genre preference (P=.53), but it was associated with platform preference (P=.01); desktop-only players had lower needs satisfaction than those who used all platforms. As expected, play frequency was associated with identity (P<.001) and control (P<.001); those who played more had identified more as a gamer and had less control over their gameplay. Genre preference was associated with identity (P<.001) and control (P<.001); those who played most common genres had higher control over their play and identified most as gamers. Platform preference was not associated with control (P=.80), but was with identity (P=.001); those who played on all devices identified more as a gamer than those who played on mobiles or consoles only. Conclusions: Our results suggest that games are a suitable approach for mental health interventions as they are played broadly by people across a range of indicators of mental health. We further unpack the platform preferences and genre preferences of players with varying levels of well-being. %M 28428161 %R 10.2196/jmir.6906 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/4/e128/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6906 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28428161 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e44 %T Immediate Mood Scaler: Tracking Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using a Novel Mobile Mood Scale %A Nahum,Mor %A Van Vleet,Thomas M %A Sohal,Vikaas S %A Mirzabekov,Julie J %A Rao,Vikram R %A Wallace,Deanna L %A Lee,Morgan B %A Dawes,Heather %A Stark-Inbar,Alit %A Jordan,Joshua Thomas %A Biagianti,Bruno %A Merzenich,Michael %A Chang,Edward F %+ Posit Science Corporation, 160 Pine St, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94111, United States, 1 4152692425, mor.nahum@positscience.com %K mood disorders %K mobile %K ecological momentary assessment %K depression %K anxiety %D 2017 %7 12.04.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Mood disorders are dynamic disorders characterized by multimodal symptoms. Clinical assessment of symptoms is currently limited to relatively sparse, routine clinic visits, requiring retrospective recollection of symptoms present in the weeks preceding the visit. Novel advances in mobile tools now support ecological momentary assessment of mood, conducted frequently using mobile devices, outside the clinical setting. Such mood assessment may help circumvent problems associated with infrequent reporting and better characterize the dynamic presentation of mood symptoms, informing the delivery of novel treatment options. Objectives: The aim of our study was to validate the Immediate Mood Scaler (IMS), a newly developed, iPad-deliverable 22-item self-report tool designed to capture current mood states. Methods: A total of 110 individuals completed standardized questionnaires (Patient Health Questionnaire, 9-item [PHQ-9]; generalized anxiety disorder, 7-Item [GAD-7]; and rumination scale) and IMS at baseline. Of the total, 56 completed at least one additional session of IMS, and 17 completed one additional administration of PHQ-9 and GAD-7. We conducted exploratory Principal Axis Factor Analysis to assess dimensionality of IMS, and computed zero-order correlations to investigate associations between IMS and standardized scales. Linear Mixed Model (LMM) was used to assess IMS stability across time and to test predictability of PHQ-9 and GAD-7 score by IMS. Results: Strong correlations were found between standard mood scales and the IMS at baseline (r=.57-.59, P<.001). A factor analysis revealed a 12-item IMS (“IMS-12”) with two factors: a “depression” factor and an “anxiety” factor. IMS-12 depression subscale was more strongly correlated with PHQ-9 than with GAD-7 (z=1.88, P=.03), but the reverse pattern was not found for IMS-12 anxiety subscale. IMS-12 showed less stability over time compared with PHQ-9 and GAD-7 (.65 vs .91), potentially reflecting more sensitivity to mood dynamics. In addition, IMS-12 ratings indicated that individuals with mild to moderate depression had greater mood fluctuations compared with individuals with severe depression (.42 vs .79; P=.04). Finally, IMS-12 significantly contributed to the prediction of subsequent PHQ-9 (beta=1.03, P=.02) and GAD-7 scores (beta =.93, P=.01). Conclusions: Collectively, these data suggest that the 12-item IMS (IMS-12) is a valid tool to assess momentary mood symptoms related to anxiety and depression. Although IMS-12 shows good correlation with standardized scales, it further captures mood fluctuations better and significantly adds to the prediction of the scales. Results are discussed in the context of providing continuous symptom quantification that may inform novel treatment options and support personalized treatment plans. %M 28404542 %R 10.2196/mhealth.6544 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2017/4/e44/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.6544 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28404542 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 4 %P e88 %T Pregnant Women’s Views on the Feasibility and Acceptability of Web-Based Mental Health E-Screening Versus Paper-Based Screening: A Randomized Controlled Trial %A Kingston,Dawn %A Austin,Marie-Paule %A Veldhuyzen van Zanten,Sander %A Harvalik,Paula %A Giallo,Rebecca %A McDonald,Sarah D %A MacQueen,Glenda %A Vermeyden,Lydia %A Lasiuk,Gerri %A Sword,Wendy %A Biringer,Anne %+ Faculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, 2500 University Ave NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada, 1 4032202634, dawn.kingston@ucalgary.ca %K pregnancy %K mental health %K screening %K prenatal care %K computers %D 2017 %7 07.04.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Major international guidelines recommend mental health screening during the perinatal period. However, substantial barriers to screening have been reported by pregnant and postpartum women and perinatal care providers. E-screening offers benefits that may address implementation challenges. Objective: The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of Web-based mental health e-screening compared with paper-based screening among pregnant women. A secondary objective was to identify factors associated with women’s preferences for e-screening and disclosure of mental health concerns. Methods: Pregnant women recruited from community and hospital-based antenatal clinics and hospital-based prenatal classes were computer-randomized to a fully automated Web-based e-screening intervention group or a paper-based control group. Women were eligible if they spoke or read English, were willing to be randomized to e-screening, and were willing to participate in a follow-up diagnostic interview. The intervention group completed the Antenatal Psychosocial Health Assessment and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale on a tablet computer, while controls completed them on paper. All women completed self-report baseline questions and were telephoned 1 week after randomization by a blinded research assistant for a MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Renker and Tonkin’s tool of feasibility and acceptability of computerized screening was used to assess the feasibility and acceptability of e-screening compared with paper-based screening. Intention-to-treat analysis was used. To identify factors associated with preference for e-screening and disclosure, variables associated with each outcome at P<.20 were simultaneously entered into final multivariable models to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% CIs. Results: Of the 675 eligible women approached, 636 agreed to participate (participation rate 94.2%) and were randomized to the intervention (n=305) or control (n=331) groups. There were no significant baseline differences between groups. More women in the e-screening group strongly or somewhat agreed that they would like to use a tablet for answering questions on emotional health (57.9%, 175/302 vs 37.2%, 121/325) and would prefer using a tablet to paper (46.0%, 139/302 vs 29.2%, 95/325), compared with women in the paper-based screening group. There were no differences between groups in women’s disclosure of emotional health concerns (94.1%, 284/302 vs 90.2%, 293/325). Women in the e-screening group consistently reported the features of e-screening more favorably than controls (more private or confidential, less impersonal, less time-consuming). In the multivariable models, being in the e-screening group was significantly associated with preferring e-screening (AOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.66-3.17), while no factors were significantly associated with disclosure. Conclusions: The findings suggest that mental health e-screening is feasible and acceptable to pregnant women. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01899534; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01899534 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ntWg1yWb) %M 28389421 %R 10.2196/jmir.6866 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/4/e88/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6866 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28389421 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 4 %P e51 %T Managing Depressive Symptoms in the Workplace Using a Web-Based Self-Care Tool: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial %A Hirsch,Abigail %A Luellen,Jason %A Holder,Jared M %A Steinberg,Gregory %A Dubiel,Teresa %A Blazejowskyj,Anna %A Schladweiler,Krista %+ myStrength, Inc, 1875 Lawrence Street, Suite 550, Denver, CO,, United States, 1 302 983 2954, kschladweiler@mystrength.com %K depression %K behavioral health %K health promotion %K workplace %K randomized controlled trial %D 2017 %7 04.04.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Depression in the workplace creates a significant burden on employees and employers in terms of lost productivity and related costs. myStrength provides a robust, holistic Web- and mobile-based solution empowering users to learn, practice, and implement a range of evidence-based psychological interventions. Objective: The main aim of this study was to demonstrate improvement in depressive symptoms among employees at risk of depression through myStrength use. Methods: A 26-week, parallel-arm, pilot, randomized controlled trial was designed to assess the effectiveness of myStrength compared to a series of informational “Depression Tip/Fact of the Week” emails as the active control arm. Study participants (n=146) were commercially insured employees of a mid-sized financial software solutions firm. The primary outcome was self-reported change in depression score as best fit by a linear random effects model accounting for individual baseline symptoms. Results: The final sample consisted of 78 participants in the experimental arm, myStrength, and 68 participants in the active control arm. myStrength users demonstrated significantly steeper and more rapid reduction in depressive symptoms over time compared to the active control (P<.001), suggesting that the intervention generated improvement in behavioral health symptoms, even in a nonclinical sample. Conclusions: This pilot study builds foundational support for the scalable deployment of myStrength as a complementary behavioral health offering to promote overall mental health and well-being in the workplace. %M 28377368 %R 10.2196/resprot.7203 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/4/e51/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.7203 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28377368 %0 Journal Article %I %V %N %P %T %D %7 .. %9 %J %G English %X %U %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 3 %P e85 %T Assessing Feasibility and Acceptability of Web-Based Enhanced Relapse Prevention for Bipolar Disorder (ERPonline): A Randomized Controlled Trial %A Lobban,Fiona %A Dodd,Alyson L %A Sawczuk,Adam P %A Asar,Ozgur %A Dagnan,Dave %A Diggle,Peter J %A Griffiths,Martin %A Honary,Mahsa %A Knowles,Dawn %A Long,Rita %A Morriss,Richard %A Parker,Rob %A Jones,Steven %+ Spectrum Centre, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Bailrigg Campus, Lancaster, LA14YT, United Kingdom, 44 01524593752, f.lobban@lancaster.ac.uk %K Internet %K randomized controlled trial %K feasibility studies %K bipolar disorder %D 2017 %7 24.03.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Interventions that teach people with bipolar disorder (BD) to recognize and respond to early warning signs (EWS) of relapse are recommended but implementation in clinical practice is poor. Objectives: The objective of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate a Web-based enhanced relapse prevention intervention (ERPonline) and to report preliminary evidence of effectiveness. Methods: A single-blind, parallel, primarily online RCT (n=96) over 48 weeks comparing ERPonline plus usual treatment with “waitlist (WL) control” plus usual treatment for people with BD recruited through National Health Services (NHSs), voluntary organizations, and media. Randomization was independent, minimized on number of previous episodes (<8, 8-20, 21+). Primary outcomes were recruitment and retention rates, levels of intervention use, adverse events, and participant feedback. Process and clinical outcomes were assessed by telephone and Web and compared using linear models with intention-to-treat analysis. Results: A total of 280 people registered interest online, from which 96 met inclusion criteria, consented, and were randomized (49 to WL, 47 to ERPonline) over 17 months, with 80% retention in telephone and online follow-up at all time points, except at week 48 (76%). Acceptability was high for both ERPonline and trial methods. ERPonline cost approximately £19,340 to create, and £2176 per year to host and maintain the site. Qualitative data highlighted the importance of the relationship that the users have with Web-based interventions. Differences between the group means suggested that access to ERPonline was associated with: a more positive model of BD at 24 weeks (10.70, 95% CI 0.90 to 20.5) and 48 weeks (13.1, 95% CI 2.44 to 23.93); increased monitoring of EWS of depression at 48 weeks (−1.39, 95% CI −2.61 to −0.163) and of hypomania at 24 weeks (−1.72, 95% CI −2.98 to −0.47) and 48 weeks (−1.61, 95% CI −2.92 to −0.30), compared with WL. There was no evidence of impact of ERPonline on clinical outcomes or medication adherence, but relapse rates across both arms were low (15%) and the sample remained high functioning throughout. One person died by suicide before randomization and 5 people in ERPonline and 6 in WL reported ideas of suicide or self-harm. None were deemed study related by an independent Trial Steering Committee (TSC). Conclusions: ERPonline offers a cheap accessible option for people seeking ongoing support following successful treatment. However, given high functioning and low relapse rates in this study, testing clinical effectiveness for this population would require very large sample sizes. Building in human support to use ERPonline should be considered. Trial registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 56908625; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN56908625 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6of1ON2S0) %M 28341619 %R 10.2196/jmir.7008 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/3/e85/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7008 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28341619 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 3 %P e71 %T Longitudinal Changes in Psychological States in Online Health Community Members: Understanding the Long-Term Effects of Participating in an Online Depression Community %A Park,Albert %A Conway,Mike %+ Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Medicine, University of Utah, 421 Wakara Way #140, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108-3514, United States, 1 206 743 7843, alpark1216@gmail.com %K mental health %K depression %K consumer health information %K informatics %K information science %K social support %K psychosocial support system %K community networks %K self-help groups %K communications media %D 2017 %7 20.03.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Major depression is a serious challenge at both the individual and population levels. Although online health communities have shown the potential to reduce the symptoms of depression, emotional contagion theory suggests that negative emotion can spread within a community, and prolonged interactions with other depressed individuals has potential to worsen the symptoms of depression. Objective: The goals of our study were to investigate longitudinal changes in psychological states that are manifested through linguistic changes in depression community members who are interacting with other depressed individuals. Methods: We examined emotion-related language usages using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) program for each member of a depression community from Reddit. To measure the changes, we applied linear least-squares regression to the LIWC scores against the interaction sequence for each member. We measured the differences in linguistic changes against three online health communities focusing on positive emotion, diabetes, and irritable bowel syndrome. Results: On average, members of an online depression community showed improvement in 9 of 10 prespecified linguistic dimensions: “positive emotion,” “negative emotion,” “anxiety,” “anger,” “sadness,” “first person singular,” “negation,” “swear words,” and “death.” Moreover, these members improved either significantly or at least as much as members of other online health communities. Conclusions: We provide new insights into the impact of prolonged participation in an online depression community and highlight the positive emotion change in members. The findings of this study should be interpreted with caution, because participating in an online depression community is not the sole factor for improvement or worsening of depressive symptoms. Still, the consistent statistical results including comparative analyses with different communities could indicate that the emotion-related language usage of depression community members are improving either significantly or at least as much as members of other online communities. On the basis of these findings, we contribute practical suggestions for designing online depression communities to enhance psychosocial benefit gains for members. We consider these results to be an important step toward a better understanding of the impact of prolonged participation in an online depression community, in addition to providing insights into the long-term psychosocial well-being of members. %M 28320692 %R 10.2196/jmir.6826 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/3/e71/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6826 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28320692 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 3 %P e75 %T Behavioral Indicators on a Mobile Sensing Platform Predict Clinically Validated Psychiatric Symptoms of Mood and Anxiety Disorders %A Place,Skyler %A Blanch-Hartigan,Danielle %A Rubin,Channah %A Gorrostieta,Cristina %A Mead,Caroline %A Kane,John %A Marx,Brian P %A Feast,Joshua %A Deckersbach,Thilo %A Pentland,Alex “Sandy” %A Nierenberg,Andrew %A Azarbayejani,Ali %+ Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, Bentley University, 175 Forest Street, 106 Jennison, Waltham, MA, 02452, United States, 1 7818912066, danielleblanch@gmail.com %K mHealth %K post-traumatic stress disorders %K depression %K behavioral symptoms %D 2017 %7 16.03.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: There is a critical need for real-time tracking of behavioral indicators of mental disorders. Mobile sensing platforms that objectively and noninvasively collect, store, and analyze behavioral indicators have not yet been clinically validated or scalable. Objective: The aim of our study was to report on models of clinical symptoms for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression derived from a scalable mobile sensing platform. Methods: A total of 73 participants (67% [49/73] male, 48% [35/73] non-Hispanic white, 33% [24/73] veteran status) who reported at least one symptom of PTSD or depression completed a 12-week field trial. Behavioral indicators were collected through the noninvasive mobile sensing platform on participants’ mobile phones. Clinical symptoms were measured through validated clinical interviews with a licensed clinical social worker. A combination hypothesis and data-driven approach was used to derive key features for modeling symptoms, including the sum of outgoing calls, count of unique numbers texted, absolute distance traveled, dynamic variation of the voice, speaking rate, and voice quality. Participants also reported ease of use and data sharing concerns. Results: Behavioral indicators predicted clinically assessed symptoms of depression and PTSD (cross-validated area under the curve [AUC] for depressed mood=.74, fatigue=.56, interest in activities=.75, and social connectedness=.83). Participants reported comfort sharing individual data with physicians (Mean 3.08, SD 1.22), mental health providers (Mean 3.25, SD 1.39), and medical researchers (Mean 3.03, SD 1.36). Conclusions: Behavioral indicators passively collected through a mobile sensing platform predicted symptoms of depression and PTSD. The use of mobile sensing platforms can provide clinically validated behavioral indicators in real time; however, further validation of these models and this platform in large clinical samples is needed. %M 28302595 %R 10.2196/jmir.6678 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/3/e75/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6678 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28302595 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 6 %N 3 %P e42 %T Writing for Health: Rationale and Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial of Internet-Based Benefit-Finding Writing for Adults With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes %A Crawford,Joanna %A Wilhelm,Kay %A Robins,Lisa %A Proudfoot,Judy %+ Faces in the Street, Urban Mental Health Research Institute, St. Vincent's Health Australia, Level 6, O'Brien Centre, St Vincent's Hospital, 394 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney, 2010, Australia, 61 2 8382 1660, Joanna.Crawford@svha.org.au %K type 1 diabetes %K type 2 diabetes %K diabetes-related distress %K writing %K Internet intervention %K randomized controlled trial %D 2017 %7 14.03.2017 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Diabetes mellitus is Australia’s fastest growing chronic disease, and has high comorbidity with depression. Both subthreshold depression and diabetes distress are common amongst people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and are associated with poorer diabetes self-care. A need exists for low-intensity self-help interventions for large numbers of people with diabetes and diabetes distress or subthreshold depression, as part of a stepped-care approach to meeting the psychological needs of people with diabetes. Benefit-finding writing is a very brief intervention that involves writing about any positive thoughts and feelings about a stressful experience, such as an illness. Benefit-finding writing has been associated with increases in positive affect and positive growth, and has demonstrated promising results in trials amongst other clinical populations. However, benefit-finding writing has not yet been examined in people with diabetes. Objective: The aim of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) is to evaluate the efficacy of an Internet-based benefit-finding writing (iBFW) intervention for adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (compared to a control writing condition) for reducing diabetes distress and increasing benefit-finding in diabetes, and also improving a range of secondary outcomes. Methods: A two-arm RCT will be conducted, using the online program Writing for Health. Adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes living in Australia will be recruited using diabetes-related publications and websites, and through advertisements in diabetes services and general practitioners’ offices. Potential participants will be referred to the study-specific website for participant information and screening. All data will be collected online. Participants will be randomized to either iBFW about diabetes, or a control writing condition of writing about use-of-time. Both conditions involve three daily sessions (once per day for three consecutive days) of 15-minute online writing exercises. Outcome measures will be administered online at baseline, one-month, and three-month follow-ups. Results: This trial is currently underway. The primary outcomes will be diabetes distress and benefit-finding in diabetes. Secondary outcomes will be depression, anxiety, diabetes self-care, perceived health, and health care utilization. We aim to recruit 104 participants. All stages of the study will be conducted online using the Writing for Health program. Group differences will be analyzed on an intention-to-treat basis using mixed models repeated measures. Linguistic analyses of the writing exercise scripts, and examinations of the immediate emotional responses to the writing exercises, will also be undertaken. Conclusions: This RCT will be the first study to examine iBFW for adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. If iBFW is found to be efficacious in reducing diabetes distress and improving diabetes self-care and other outcomes, iBFW may offer the potential to be a low-cost, easily accessible self-help intervention to improve the wellbeing of adults with diabetes. Trial Registration: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12615000241538) %M 28292741 %R 10.2196/resprot.7151 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2017/3/e42/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.7151 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28292741 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 3 %P e62 %T Using Mobile Sensing to Test Clinical Models of Depression, Social Anxiety, State Affect, and Social Isolation Among College Students %A Chow,Philip I %A Fua,Karl %A Huang,Yu %A Bonelli,Wesley %A Xiong,Haoyi %A Barnes,Laura E %A Teachman,Bethany A %+ School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, 151 Engineer's Way, Olsson Hall 101B, PO Box 400747, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4747, United States, 1 434 924 1723, lbarnes@virginia.edu %K mental health %K depression %K social anxiety %K affect %K homestay %K mobile health %K mHealth %D 2017 %7 03.03.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Research in psychology demonstrates a strong link between state affect (moment-to-moment experiences of positive or negative emotionality) and trait affect (eg, relatively enduring depression and social anxiety symptoms), and a tendency to withdraw (eg, spending time at home). However, existing work is based almost exclusively on static, self-reported descriptions of emotions and behavior that limit generalizability. Despite adoption of increasingly sophisticated research designs and technology (eg, mobile sensing using a global positioning system [GPS]), little research has integrated these seemingly disparate forms of data to improve understanding of how emotional experiences in everyday life are associated with time spent at home, and whether this is influenced by depression or social anxiety symptoms. Objective: We hypothesized that more time spent at home would be associated with more negative and less positive affect. Methods: We recruited 72 undergraduate participants from a southeast university in the United States. We assessed depression and social anxiety symptoms using self-report instruments at baseline. An app (Sensus) installed on participants’ personal mobile phones repeatedly collected in situ self-reported state affect and GPS location data for up to 2 weeks. Time spent at home was a proxy for social isolation. Results: We tested separate models examining the relations between state affect and time spent at home, with levels of depression and social anxiety as moderators. Models differed only in the temporal links examined. One model focused on associations between changes in affect and time spent at home within short, 4-hour time windows. The other 3 models focused on associations between mean-level affect within a day and time spent at home (1) the same day, (2) the following day, and (3) the previous day. Overall, we obtained many of the expected main effects (although there were some null effects), in which higher social anxiety was associated with more time or greater likelihood of spending time at home, and more negative or less positive affect was linked to longer homestay. Interactions indicated that, among individuals higher in social anxiety, higher negative affect and lower positive affect within a day was associated with greater likelihood of spending time at home the following day. Conclusions: Results demonstrate the feasibility and utility of modeling the relationship between affect and homestay using fine-grained GPS data. Although these findings must be replicated in a larger study and with clinical samples, they suggest that integrating repeated state affect assessments in situ with continuous GPS data can increase understanding of how actual homestay is related to affect in everyday life and to symptoms of anxiety and depression. %M 28258049 %R 10.2196/jmir.6820 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/3/e62/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6820 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28258049 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 2 %P e48 %T Understanding Depressive Symptoms and Psychosocial Stressors on Twitter: A Corpus-Based Study %A Mowery,Danielle %A Smith,Hilary %A Cheney,Tyler %A Stoddard,Greg %A Coppersmith,Glen %A Bryan,Craig %A Conway,Mike %+ Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Utah, 421 Wakara Way, Ste 140, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, United States, 1 8015856739, danielle.mowery@utah.edu %K social media %K Twitter messaging %K natural language processing %K major depressive disorder %K data annotation %K machine learning %D 2017 %7 28.02.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: With a lifetime prevalence of 16.2%, major depressive disorder is the fifth biggest contributor to the disease burden in the United States. Objective: The aim of this study, building on previous work qualitatively analyzing depression-related Twitter data, was to describe the development of a comprehensive annotation scheme (ie, coding scheme) for manually annotating Twitter data with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Edition 5 (DSM 5) major depressive symptoms (eg, depressed mood, weight change, psychomotor agitation, or retardation) and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Edition IV (DSM-IV) psychosocial stressors (eg, educational problems, problems with primary support group, housing problems). Methods: Using this annotation scheme, we developed an annotated corpus, Depressive Symptom and Psychosocial Stressors Acquired Depression, the SAD corpus, consisting of 9300 tweets randomly sampled from the Twitter application programming interface (API) using depression-related keywords (eg, depressed, gloomy, grief). An analysis of our annotated corpus yielded several key results. Results: First, 72.09% (6829/9473) of tweets containing relevant keywords were nonindicative of depressive symptoms (eg, “we’re in for a new economic depression”). Second, the most prevalent symptoms in our dataset were depressed mood and fatigue or loss of energy. Third, less than 2% of tweets contained more than one depression related category (eg, diminished ability to think or concentrate, depressed mood). Finally, we found very high positive correlations between some depression-related symptoms in our annotated dataset (eg, fatigue or loss of energy and educational problems; educational problems and diminished ability to think). Conclusions: We successfully developed an annotation scheme and an annotated corpus, the SAD corpus, consisting of 9300 tweets randomly-selected from the Twitter application programming interface using depression-related keywords. Our analyses suggest that keyword queries alone might not be suitable for public health monitoring because context can change the meaning of keyword in a statement. However, postprocessing approaches could be useful for reducing the noise and improving the signal needed to detect depression symptoms using social media. %M 28246066 %R 10.2196/jmir.6895 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/2/e48/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6895 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28246066 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 1 %P e7 %T Applying Computerized Adaptive Testing to the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ): A Simulation Study %A Magnée,Tessa %A de Beurs,Derek P %A Terluin,Berend %A Verhaak,Peter F %+ Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL), Otterstraat 118-114, Utrecht, 3500BN, Netherlands, 31 302729854, t.magnee@nivel.nl %K item response theory %K Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire %K computerized adaptive testing %K mental health %K general practice %D 2017 %7 21.02.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Efficient screening questionnaires are useful in general practice. Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is a method to improve the efficiency of questionnaires, as only the items that are particularly informative for a certain responder are dynamically selected. Objective: The objective of this study was to test whether CAT could improve the efficiency of the Four-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4DSQ), a frequently used self-report questionnaire designed to assess common psychosocial problems in general practice. Methods: A simulation study was conducted using a sample of Dutch patients visiting a general practitioner (GP) with psychological problems (n=379). Responders completed a paper-and-pencil version of the 50-item 4DSQ and a psychometric evaluation was performed to check if the data agreed with item response theory (IRT) assumptions. Next, a CAT simulation was performed for each of the four 4DSQ scales (distress, depression, anxiety, and somatization), based on the given responses as if they had been collected through CAT. The following two stopping rules were applied for the administration of items: (1) stop if measurement precision is below a predefined level, or (2) stop if more than half of the items of the subscale are administered. Results: In general, the items of each of the four scales agreed with IRT assumptions. Application of the first stopping rule reduced the length of the questionnaire by 38% (from 50 to 31 items on average). When the second stopping rule was also applied, the total number of items could be reduced by 56% (from 50 to 22 items on average). Conclusions: CAT seems useful for improving the efficiency of the 4DSQ by 56% without losing a considerable amount of measurement precision. The CAT version of the 4DSQ may be useful as part of an online assessment to investigate the severity of mental health problems of patients visiting a GP. This simulation study is the first step needed for the development a CAT version of the 4DSQ. A CAT version of the 4DSQ could be of high value for Dutch GPs since increasing numbers of patients with mental health problems are visiting the general practice. In further research, the results of a real-time CAT should be compared with the results of the administration of the full scale. %M 28223264 %R 10.2196/mental.6545 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/1/e7/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.6545 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28223264 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 1 %P e6 %T Use of Online Forums for Perinatal Mental Illness, Stigma, and Disclosure: An Exploratory Model %A Moore,Donna %A Drey,Nicholas %A Ayers,Susan %+ Centre for Maternal and Child Health, School of Health Sciences, City, University of London, Northampton Square, London,, United Kingdom, 44 20 7040 5, Donna.Moore.1@city.ac.uk %K Internet %K social stigma %K depression %K postpartum %K mood disorder %K female %D 2017 %7 20.02.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Perinatal mental illness is a global health concern; however, many women with the illness do not get the treatment they need to recover. Interventions that reduce the stigma around perinatal mental illness have the potential to enable women to disclose their symptoms to health care providers and consequently access treatment. There are many online forums for perinatal mental illness and thousands of women use them. Preliminary research suggests that online forums may promote help-seeking behavior, potentially because they have a role in challenging stigma. This study draws from these findings and theoretical concepts to present a model of forum use, stigma, and disclosure. Objective: This study tested a model that measured the mediating role of stigma between online forum use and disclosure of affective symptoms to health care providers. Methods: A Web-based survey of 200 women who were pregnant or had a child younger than 5 years and considered themselves to be experiencing psychological distress was conducted. Women were recruited through social media and questions measured forum usage, perinatal mental illness stigma, disclosure to health care providers, depression and anxiety symptoms, barriers to disclosure, and demographic information. Results: There was a significant positive indirect effect of length of forum use on disclosure of symptoms through internal stigma, b=0.40, bias-corrected and accelerated (BCa) 95% CI 0.13-0.85. Long-term forum users reported higher levels of internal stigma, and higher internal stigma was associated with disclosure of symptoms to health care providers when controlling for symptoms of depression and anxiety. Conclusions: Internal stigma mediates the relationship between length of forum use and disclosure to health care providers. Findings suggest that forums have the potential to enable women to recognize and reveal their internal stigma, which may in turn lead to greater disclosure of symptoms to health care providers. Clinicians could refer clients to trustworthy and moderated online forums that facilitate expression of perinatal mental illness stigma and promote disclosure to health care providers. %M 28219879 %R 10.2196/mental.5926 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/1/e6/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5926 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28219879 %0 Journal Article %@ 2371-4379 %I JMIR Publications %V 2 %N 1 %P e1 %T The Case for Jointly Targeting Diabetes and Depression Among Vulnerable Patients Using Digital Technology %A Aguilera,Adrian %A Lyles,Courtney Rees %+ School of Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley, 120 Haviland Hall, MC 7400, Berkeley, CA,, United States, 1 510 642 8564, aguila@berkeley.edu %K diabetes %K depression %K chronic illness %K digital health %K vulnerable populations %D 2017 %7 17.01.2017 %9 Viewpoint %J JMIR Diabetes %G English %X It is well publicized that mobile and digital technologies hold great promise to improve health outcomes among patients with chronic illnesses such as diabetes. However, there is growing concern that digital health investments (both from federal research dollars and private venture investments) have not yet resulted in tangible health improvements. We see three major reasons for this limited real-world impact on health outcomes: (1) lack of solutions relevant for patients with multiple comorbidities or conditions, (2) lack of diverse patient populations involved in the design and early testing of products, and (3) inability to leverage existing clinical workflows to improve both patient enrollment and engagement in technology use. We discuss each of these in depth, followed by new research directions to increase effectiveness in this field. %M 30291080 %R 10.2196/diabetes.6916 %U http://diabetes.jmir.org/2017/1/e1/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/diabetes.6916 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30291080 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 1 %P e3 %T Tips and Traps: Lessons From Codesigning a Clinician E-Monitoring Tool for Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy %A Sundram,Frederick %A Hawken,Susan J %A Stasiak,Karolina %A Lucassen,Mathijs FG %A Fleming,Theresa %A Shepherd,Matthew %A Greenwood,Andrea %A Osborne,Raechel %A Merry,Sally N %+ Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand, 64 9 923 7521, f.sundram@auckland.ac.nz %K e-therapy %K psychotherapy %K cognitive therapy %K depression %K psychology, adolescent %K primary health care %D 2017 %7 11.01.2017 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) is an acceptable and promising treatment modality for adolescents with mild-to-moderate depression. Many cCBT programs are standalone packages with no way for clinicians to monitor progress or outcomes. We sought to develop an electronic monitoring (e-monitoring) tool in consultation with clinicians and adolescents to allow clinicians to monitor mood, risk, and treatment adherence of adolescents completing a cCBT program called SPARX (Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts). Objective: The objectives of our study were as follows: (1) assess clinicians’ and adolescents’ views on using an e-monitoring tool and to use this information to help shape the development of the tool and (2) assess clinician experiences with a fully developed version of the tool that was implemented in their clinical service. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study using semistructured focus groups was conducted in New Zealand. In total, 7 focus groups included clinicians (n=50) who worked in primary care, and 3 separate groups included adolescents (n=29). Clinicians were general practitioners (GPs), school guidance counselors, clinical psychologists, youth workers, and nurses. Adolescents were recruited from health services and a high school. Focus groups were run to enable feedback at 3 phases that corresponded to the consultation, development, and postimplementation stages. Thematic analysis was applied to transcribed responses. Results: Focus groups during the consultation and development phases revealed the need for a simple e-monitoring registration process with guides for end users. Common concerns were raised in relation to clinical burden, monitoring risk (and effects on the therapeutic relationship), alongside confidentiality or privacy and technical considerations. Adolescents did not want to use their social media login credentials for e-monitoring, as they valued their privacy. However, adolescents did want information on seeking help and personalized monitoring and communication arrangements. Postimplementation, clinicians who had used the tool in practice revealed no adverse impact on the therapeutic relationship, and adolescents were not concerned about being e-monitored. Clinicians did need additional time to monitor adolescents, and the e-monitoring tool was used in a different way than was originally anticipated. Also, it was suggested that the registration process could be further streamlined and integrated with existing clinical data management systems, and the use of clinician alerts could be expanded beyond the scope of simply flagging adolescents of concern. Conclusions: An e-monitoring tool was developed in consultation with clinicians and adolescents. However, the study revealed the complexity of implementing the tool in clinical practice. Of salience were privacy, parallel monitoring systems, integration with existing electronic medical record systems, customization of the e-monitor, and preagreed monitoring arrangements between clinicians and adolescents. %M 28077345 %R 10.2196/mental.5878 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2017/1/e3/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5878 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28077345 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 1 %P e7 %T Variations in Facebook Posting Patterns Across Validated Patient Health Conditions: A Prospective Cohort Study %A Smith,Robert J %A Crutchley,Patrick %A Schwartz,H Andrew %A Ungar,Lyle %A Shofer,Frances %A Padrez,Kevin A %A Merchant,Raina M %+ Penn Medicine Social Media and Health Innovation Lab, Penn Medicine Center for Health Care Innovation, University of Pennsylvania, 423 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States, 1 215 746 7990, raina.merchant@uphs.upenn.edu %K Facebook %K depression %K natural language processing %K social media %D 2017 %7 6.1.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Social media is emerging as an insightful platform for studying health. To develop targeted health interventions involving social media, we sought to identify the patient demographic and disease predictors of frequency of posting on Facebook. Objective: The aims were to explore the language topics correlated with frequency of social media use across a cohort of social media users within a health care setting, evaluate the differences in the quantity of social media postings across individuals with different disease diagnoses, and determine if patients could accurately predict their own levels of social media engagement. Methods: Patients seeking care at a single, academic, urban, tertiary care emergency department from March to October 2014 were queried on their willingness to share data from their Facebook accounts and electronic medical records (EMRs). For each participant, the total content of Facebook posts was extracted. Using the latent Dirichlet allocation natural language processing technique, Facebook language topics were correlated with frequency of Facebook use. The mean number of Facebook posts over 6 months prior to enrollment was then compared across validated health outcomes in the sample. Results: A total of 695 patients consented to provide access to their EMR and social media data. Significantly correlated language topics among participants with the highest quartile of posts contained health terms, such as “cough,” “headaches,” and “insomnia.” When adjusted for demographics, individuals with a history of depression had significantly higher posts (mean 38, 95% CI 28-50) than individuals without a history of depression (mean 22, 95% CI 19-26, P=.001). Except for depression, across prevalent health outcomes in the sample (hypertension, diabetes, asthma), there were no significant posting differences between individuals with or without each condition. Conclusions: High-frequency posters in our sample were more likely to post about health and to have a diagnosis of depression. The direction of causality between depression and social media use requires further evaluation. Our findings suggest that patients with depression may be appropriate targets for health-related interventions on social media. %M 28062392 %R 10.2196/jmir.6486 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/1/e7/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6486 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28062392 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 1 %P e10 %T IntelliCare: An Eclectic, Skills-Based App Suite for the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety %A Mohr,David C %A Tomasino,Kathryn Noth %A Lattie,Emily G %A Palac,Hannah L %A Kwasny,Mary J %A Weingardt,Kenneth %A Karr,Chris J %A Kaiser,Susan M %A Rossom,Rebecca C %A Bardsley,Leland R %A Caccamo,Lauren %A Stiles-Shields,Colleen %A Schueller,Stephen M %+ Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies (CBITs), Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, 750 N Lakeshore Drive, 10th Floor, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States, 1 312 503 1403, d-mohr@northwestern.edu %K mHealth %K eHealth %K mobile health %K depression %K anxiety %D 2017 %7 05.01.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Digital mental health tools have tended to use psychoeducational strategies based on treatment orientations developed and validated outside of digital health. These features do not map well to the brief but frequent ways that people use mobile phones and mobile phone apps today. To address these challenges, we developed a suite of apps for depression and anxiety called IntelliCare, each developed with a focused goal and interactional style. IntelliCare apps prioritize interactive skills training over education and are designed for frequent but short interactions. Objective: The overall objective of this study was to pilot a coach-assisted version of IntelliCare and evaluate its use and efficacy at reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. Methods: Participants, recruited through a health care system, Web-based and community advertising, and clinical research registries, were included in this single-arm trial if they had elevated symptoms of depression or anxiety. Participants had access to the 14 IntelliCare apps from Google Play and received 8 weeks of coaching on the use of IntelliCare. Coaching included an initial phone call plus 2 or more texts per week over the 8 weeks, with some participants receiving an additional brief phone call. Primary outcomes included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) for depression and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety. Participants were compensated up to US $90 for completing all assessments; compensation was not for app use or treatment engagement. Results: Of the 99 participants who initiated treatment, 90.1% (90/99) completed 8 weeks. Participants showed substantial reductions in the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 (P<.001). Participants used the apps an average of 195.4 (SD 141) times over the 8 weeks. The average length of use was 1.1 (SD 2.1) minutes, and 95% of participants downloaded 5 or more of the IntelliCare apps. Conclusions: This study supports the IntelliCare framework of providing a suite of skills-focused apps that can be used frequently and briefly to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. The IntelliCare system is elemental, allowing individual apps to be used or not used based on their effectiveness and utility, and it is eclectic, viewing treatment strategies as elements that can be applied as needed rather than adhering to a singular, overarching, theoretical model. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02176226; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02176226 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation/6mQZuBGk1) %M 28057609 %R 10.2196/jmir.6645 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/1/e10/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6645 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28057609 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 1 %P e4 %T Complaint-Directed Mini-Interventions for Depressive Complaints: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Unguided Web-Based Self-Help Interventions %A Lokman,Suzanne %A Leone,Stephanie S %A Sommers-Spijkerman,Marion %A van der Poel,Agnes %A Smit,Filip %A Boon,Brigitte %+ Department of Public Mental Health, Trimbos Institute: Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Da Costakade 45, Utrecht, 3521 VS, Netherlands, 31 30 2959385, slokman@trimbos.nl %K prevention %K depression %K Internet-based intervention %K randomized controlled trial %D 2017 %7 04.01.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Prevention of depression is important due to the substantial burden of disease associated with it. To this end, we developed a novel, brief, and low-threshold Web-based self-help approach for depressive complaints called complaint-directed mini-interventions (CDMIs). These CDMIs focus on highly prevalent complaints that are demonstrably associated with depression and have a substantial economic impact: stress, sleep problems, and worry. Objective: The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Web-based self-help CDMIs in a sample of adults with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms compared to a wait-list control group. Methods: A two-armed randomized controlled trial was conducted. An open recruitment strategy was used. Participants were randomized to either the Web-based CDMIs or the no-intervention wait-list control group. The CDMIs are online, unguided, self-help interventions, largely based on cognitive behavioral techniques, which consist of 3 to 4 modules with up to 6 exercises per module. Participants are free to choose between the modules and exercises. Assessments, using self-report questionnaires, took place at baseline and at 3 and 6 months after baseline. The control group was given access to the intervention following the 3-month assessment. The primary goal of the CDMIs is to reduce depressive complaints. The primary outcome of the study was a reduction in depressive complaints as measured by the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (IDS-SR). Secondary outcomes included reductions in stress, worry, sleep problems, and anxiety complaints, and improvements in well-being. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models. Results: In total, 329 participants enrolled in the trial, of which 165 were randomized to the intervention group and 164 to the control group. Approximately three-quarters of the intervention group actually created an account. Of these participants, 91.3% (116/127) logged into their chosen CDMI at least once during the 3-month intervention period (median 3, range 0-166). After 3 months, there was a significant reduction in depressive symptomatology for participants in the intervention group compared to participants in the wait-list control group (reduction in depression: mean –4.47, 95% CI –6.54 to –2.40; Cohen d=–0.70). Furthermore, significant effects were observed for sleep problems, worry, anxiety, and well-being, with effect sizes ranging from –0.29 to –0.40. The intervention did not significantly reduce stress. At 6-month follow-up, the improvements in the intervention group were generally sustained. Conclusions: This study shows that the online self-help CDMIs have a positive impact on various mental health outcomes. Future research should focus on which specific strategies may boost adherence, and increase the reach of the CDMIs among people with low socioeconomic status. ClinicalTrial: Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): NTR4612; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=4612 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6n4PVYddM) %M 28052840 %R 10.2196/jmir.6581 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/1/e4/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6581 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28052840 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 19 %N 1 %P e5 %T Preventing Depression in Adults With Subthreshold Depression: Health-Economic Evaluation Alongside a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Intervention %A Buntrock,Claudia %A Berking,Matthias %A Smit,Filip %A Lehr,Dirk %A Nobis,Stephanie %A Riper,Heleen %A Cuijpers,Pim %A Ebert,David %+ Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Nägelsbachstr. 25a, Erlangen, 91052, Germany, 49 91318567568, buntrockclaudia@gmail.com %K prevention %K major depressive disorders %K Internet %K early intervention %K cost effectiveness %D 2017 %7 04.01.2017 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Psychological interventions for the prevention of depression might be a cost-effective way to reduce the burden associated with depressive disorders. Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a Web-based guided self-help intervention to prevent major depressive disorder (MDD) in people with subthreshold depression (sD). Methods: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial was conducted with follow-up at 12 months. Participants were recruited from the general population via a large statutory health insurance company and an open access website. Participants were randomized to a Web-based guided self-help intervention (ie, cognitive-behavioral therapy and problem-solving therapy assisted by supervised graduate students or health care professionals) in addition to usual care or to usual care supplemented with Web-based psycho-education (enhanced usual care). Depression-free years (DFYs) were assessed by blinded diagnostic raters using the telephone-administered Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis Disorders at 6- and 12-month follow-up, covering the period to the previous assessment. Costs were self-assessed through a questionnaire. Costs measured from a societal and health care perspective were related to DFYs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Results: In total, 406 participants were enrolled in the trial. The mean treatment duration was 5.84 (SD 4.37) weeks. On average, participants completed 4.93 of 6 sessions. Significantly more DFYs were gained in the intervention group (0.82 vs 0.70). Likewise, QALY health gains were in favor of the intervention, but only statistically significant when measured with the more sensitive SF-6D. The incremental per-participant costs were €136 (£116). Taking the health care perspective and assuming a willingness-to-pay of €20,000 (£17,000), the intervention’s likelihood of being cost-effective was 99% for gaining a DFY and 64% or 99% for gaining an EQ-5D or a SF-6D QALY. Conclusions: Our study supports guidelines recommending Web-based treatment for sD and adds that this not only restores health in people with sD, but additionally reduces the risk of developing a MDD. Offering the intervention has an acceptable likelihood of being more cost-effective than enhanced usual care and could therefore reach community members on a wider scale. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00004709; http://www.drks.de/DRKS00004709 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6kAZVUxy9) %M 28052841 %R 10.2196/jmir.6587 %U http://www.jmir.org/2017/1/e5/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6587 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28052841 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 12 %P e330 %T The Use and Effectiveness of Mobile Apps for Depression: Results From a Fully Remote Clinical Trial %A Arean,Patricia A %A Hallgren,Kevin A %A Jordan,Joshua T %A Gazzaley,Adam %A Atkins,David C %A Heagerty,Patrick J %A Anguera,Joaquin A %+ Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, 675 Nelson Rising Lane, San Francisco, CA, 94158, United States, 1 415 502 7322, joaquin.anguera@ucsf.edu %K depression %K mobile apps %K RCT %K randomized controlled trial %K cognitive training %K iPST %K problem-solving therapy %D 2016 %7 20.12.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mobile apps for mental health have the potential to overcome access barriers to mental health care, but there is little information on whether patients use the interventions as intended and the impact they have on mental health outcomes. Objective: The objective of our study was to document and compare use patterns and clinical outcomes across the United States between 3 different self-guided mobile apps for depression. Methods: Participants were recruited through Web-based advertisements and social media and were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 mood apps. Treatment and assessment were conducted remotely on each participant’s smartphone or tablet with minimal contact with study staff. We enrolled 626 English-speaking adults (≥18 years old) with mild to moderate depression as determined by a 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) score ≥5, or if their score on item 10 was ≥2. The apps were (1) Project: EVO, a cognitive training app theorized to mitigate depressive symptoms by improving cognitive control, (2) iPST, an app based on an evidence-based psychotherapy for depression, and (3) Health Tips, a treatment control. Outcomes were scores on the PHQ-9 and the Sheehan Disability Scale. Adherence to treatment was measured as number of times participants opened and used the apps as instructed. Results: We randomly assigned 211 participants to iPST, 209 to Project: EVO, and 206 to Health Tips. Among the participants, 77.0% (482/626) had a PHQ-9 score >10 (moderately depressed). Among the participants using the 2 active apps, 57.9% (243/420) did not download their assigned intervention app but did not differ demographically from those who did. Differential treatment effects were present in participants with baseline PHQ-9 score >10, with the cognitive training and problem-solving apps resulting in greater effects on mood than the information control app (χ22=6.46, P=.04). Conclusions: Mobile apps for depression appear to have their greatest impact on people with more moderate levels of depression. In particular, an app that is designed to engage cognitive correlates of depression had the strongest effect on depressed mood in this sample. This study suggests that mobile apps reach many people and are useful for more moderate levels of depression. ClinicalTrial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00540865; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00540865 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6mj8IPqQr) %M 27998876 %R 10.2196/jmir.6482 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/12/e330/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6482 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27998876 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 4 %P e51 %T Ecological Momentary Assessment of Adolescent Problems, Coping Efficacy, and Mood States Using a Mobile Phone App: An Exploratory Study %A Kenny,Rachel %A Dooley,Barbara %A Fitzgerald,Amanda %+ Youth Mental Health Lab, School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland, 353 1 7168147, rachel.kenny.3@ucdconnect.ie %K adolescent %K affect %K ecological momentary assessment %K mobile apps %D 2016 %7 29.11.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Mobile technologies have the potential to be used as innovative tools for conducting research on the mental health and well-being of young people. In particular, they have utility for carrying out ecological momentary assessment (EMA) research by capturing data from participants in real time as they go about their daily lives. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the utility of a mobile phone app as a means of collecting EMA data pertaining to mood, problems, and coping efficacy in a school-based sample of Irish young people. Methods: The study included a total of 208 participants who were aged 15-18 years, 64% female (113/208), recruited from second-level schools in Ireland, and who downloaded the CopeSmart mobile phone app as part of a randomized controlled trial. On the app, participants initially responded to 5 single-item measures of key protective factors in youth mental health (formal help-seeking, informal help-seeking, sleep, exercise, and sense of belonging). They were then encouraged to use the app daily to input data relating to mood states (happiness, sadness, anger, stress, and worry), daily problems, and coping self-efficacy. The app automatically collected data pertaining to user engagement over the course of the 28-day intervention period. Students also completed pen and paper questionnaires containing standardized measures of emotional distress (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale; DASS-21), well-being (World Health Organization Well-Being Index; WHO-5), and coping (Coping Strategies Inventory; CSI). Results: On average the participants completed 18% (5/28) of daily ratings, and engagement levels did not differ across gender, age, school, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or nationality. On a scale of 1 to 10, happiness was consistently the highest rated mood state (overall mean 6.56), and anger was consistently the lowest (overall mean 2.11). Pearson correlations revealed that average daily ratings of emotional states were associated with standardized measures of emotional distress (rhappiness=–.45, rsadness=.51, ranger=.32, rstress=.41, rworry=.48) and well-being (rhappiness=.39, rsadness =–.43, ranger=–.27, rstress=–.35, rworry=–.33). Inferential statistics indicated that single-item indicators of key protective factors were related to emotional distress, well-being, and average daily mood states, as measured by EMA ratings. Hierarchical regressions revealed that greater daily problems were associated with more negative daily mood ratings (all at the P<.001 level); however, when coping efficacy was taken into account, the relationship between problems and happiness, sadness, and anger became negligible. Conclusions: While engagement with the app was low, overall the EMA data collected in this exploratory study appeared valid and provided useful insights into the relationships between daily problems, coping efficacy, and mood states. Future research should explore ways to increase engagement with EMA mobile phone apps in adolescent populations to maximize the amount of data captured by these tools. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02265978; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02265978 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6mMeYqseA). %M 27899340 %R 10.2196/mental.6361 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/4/e51/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.6361 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27899340 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 4 %P e49 %T Development of a Mobile Phone App to Support Self-Monitoring of Emotional Well-Being: A Mental Health Digital Innovation %A Rickard,Nikki %A Arjmand,Hussain-Abdulah %A Bakker,David %A Seabrook,Elizabeth %+ Emotion and Well-being Research Unit, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, Building 18, Wellington Rd, Clayton, 3800, Australia, 61 400 191 768, nikki.rickard@monash.edu %K eHealth %K emotions %K mental health %K mobile phone %K feedback %D 2016 %7 23.11.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Emotional well-being is a primary component of mental health and well-being. Monitoring changes in emotional state daily over extended periods is, however, difficult using traditional methodologies. Providing mental health support is also challenging when approximately only 1 in 2 people with mental health issues seek professional help. Mobile phone technology offers a sustainable means of enhancing self-management of emotional well-being. Objective: This paper aims to describe the development of a mobile phone tool designed to monitor emotional changes in a natural everyday context and in real time. Methods: This evidence-informed mobile phone app monitors emotional mental health and well-being, and it provides links to mental health organization websites and resources. The app obtains data via self-report psychological questionnaires, experience sampling methodology (ESM), and automated behavioral data collection. Results: Feedback from 11 individuals (age range 16-52 years; 4 males, 7 females), who tested the app over 30 days, confirmed via survey and focus group methods that the app was functional and usable. Conclusions: Recommendations for future researchers and developers of mental health apps to be used for research are also presented. The methodology described in this paper offers a powerful tool for a range of potential mental health research studies and provides a valuable standard against which development of future mental health apps should be considered. %M 27881358 %R 10.2196/mental.6202 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/4/e49/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.6202 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27881358 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 4 %P e50 %T Social Networking Sites, Depression, and Anxiety: A Systematic Review %A Seabrook,Elizabeth M %A Kern,Margaret L %A Rickard,Nikki S %+ Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, School of Psychological Sciences, Monash University, 18 Innovation Walk, Monash University, Clayton, 3800, Australia, 61 413170668, elizabeth.seabrook@monash.edu %K depression %K anxiety %K social media %K social networking %K review, systematic %K mental health %K well-being %D 2016 %7 23.11.2016 %9 Review %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Social networking sites (SNSs) have become a pervasive part of modern culture, which may also affect mental health. Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to identify and summarize research examining depression and anxiety in the context of SNSs. It also aimed to identify studies that complement the assessment of mental illness with measures of well-being and examine moderators and mediators that add to the complexity of this environment. Methods: A multidatabase search was performed. Papers published between January 2005 and June 2016 relevant to mental illness (depression and anxiety only) were extracted and reviewed. Results: Positive interactions, social support, and social connectedness on SNSs were consistently related to lower levels of depression and anxiety, whereas negative interaction and social comparisons on SNSs were related to higher levels of depression and anxiety. SNS use related to less loneliness and greater self-esteem and life satisfaction. Findings were mixed for frequency of SNS use and number of SNS friends. Different patterns in the way individuals with depression and individuals with social anxiety engage with SNSs are beginning to emerge. Conclusions: The systematic review revealed many mixed findings between depression, anxiety, and SNS use. Methodology has predominantly focused on self-report cross-sectional approaches; future research will benefit from leveraging real-time SNS data over time. The evidence suggests that SNS use correlates with mental illness and well-being; however, whether this effect is beneficial or detrimental depends at least partly on the quality of social factors in the SNS environment. Understanding these relationships will lead to better utilization of SNSs in their potential to positively influence mental health. %M 27881357 %R 10.2196/mental.5842 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/4/e50/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5842 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27881357 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 11 %P e309 %T Do We Still Have a Digital Divide in Mental Health? A Five-Year Survey Follow-up %A Robotham,Dan %A Satkunanathan,Safarina %A Doughty,Lisa %A Wykes,Til %+ Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, United Kingdom, 44 207848 ext 0219, dan.robotham@kcl.ac.uk %K digital divide %K socioeconomic factors %K technology %K mobile phone %K psychotic disorders %K distance counseling %D 2016 %7 22.11.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Nearly everyone in society uses the Internet in one form or another. The Internet is heralded as an efficient way of providing mental health treatments and services. However, some people are still excluded from using Internet-enabled technology through lack of resources, skills, and confidence. Objective: Five years ago, we showed that people with severe mental illness were at risk of digital exclusion, especially middle-aged patients with psychosis and/or people from black or minority ethnic groups with psychosis. An understanding of the breadth of potential digital exclusion is vital for the implementation of digital health services. The aim of this study is to understand the context of digital exclusion for people who experience mental illness. Methods: We conducted a survey involving people with a primary diagnosis of psychosis or depression in London, United Kingdom. A total of 241 participants were recruited: 121 with psychosis and 120 with depression. The majority of surveys were collected face-to-face (psychosis: n=109; depression: n=71). Participants answered questions regarding familiarity, access, use, motivation, and confidence with Internet-enabled technologies (ie, computers and mobile phones). Variables predicting digital exclusion were identified in regression analyses. The results were compared with the survey conducted in 2011. Results: Digital exclusion has declined since 2011. Online survey collection introduced biases into the sample, masking those who were likely to be excluded. Only 18.3% (20/109) of people with psychosis in our sample were digitally excluded, compared with 30% (28/93) in 2011 (χ21=3.8, P=.04). People with psychosis had less confidence in using the Internet than people with depression (χ21=7.4, P=.004). Only 9.9% (24/241) of participants in the total sample were digitally excluded, but the majority of these people had psychosis (n=20). Those with psychosis who were digitally excluded were significantly older than their included peers (t30=3.3, P=.002) and had used services for longer (t97=2.5, P=.02). Younger people were more likely to use mobile phones. Digitally excluded participants cited a lack of knowledge as a barrier to digital inclusion, and most wanted to use the Internet via computers (rather than mobile phones). Conclusions: Digital exclusion is lower, but some remain excluded. Facilitating inclusion among this population means helping them develop skills and confidence in using technology, and providing them with access. Providing mobile phones without basic information technology training may be counterproductive because excluded people may be excluded from mobile technology too. An evidence-based digital inclusion strategy is needed within the National Health Service to help digitally excluded populations access Internet-enabled services. %M 27876684 %R 10.2196/jmir.6511 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/11/e309/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6511 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27876684 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e218 %T The Effects of an E-Mental Health Program and Job Coaching on the Risk of Major Depression and Productivity in Canadian Male Workers: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Wang,JianLi %A Patten,Scott B %A Lam,Raymond W %A Attridge,Mark %A Ho,Kendall %A Schmitz,Norbert %A Marchand,Alain %A Lashewicz,Bonnie M %+ Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Room 4D69, TRW Building, 3280 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 4Z6, Canada, 1 4032108653, jlwang@ucalgary.ca %K Internet %K RCT %K men %K workplace %K major depression %K prevention %D 2016 %7 15.11.2016 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Major depression (MDE) is prevalent in men and affects men’s health and productivity. Because of the stigma against depression and social/gender norms, men are less likely to seek help for emotion and stress-related issues. Therefore, innovative solutions tailored for men are needed. With rapid development of the Internet and information technologies, one promising solution that has drawn considerable attentions is electronic mental (e-mental) health programs and services. Objective: The objective of our study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the e-mental health program BroHealth on reducing the risk of having MDE and improving productivity and return to investment. Methods: The target population is Canadian working men who are at high risk of having MDE (N=1200). Participants will be recruited using the method of random digit dialing across the country and workplace advertisement. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated into the following groups: (1) a control group, (2) a group receiving BroHealth only, and (3) a group receiving BroHealth and telephone-based job coaching service. The groups will be assessed at 6 and 12 months after randomization. The primary outcome is the risk proportion of MDE over 12 months, which will be assessed by the World Health Organization's (WHO’s) Composite International Diagnostic Interview-Short Form for Major Depression. Intention-to-treat principle will be used in the analysis. The 12-month proportions of MDE in the groups will be estimated and compared. Logistic regression modeling will be used to examine the effect of the intervention on the outcome, controlling for the effects of baseline confounders. Results: It is anticipated that the randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be completed by 2018. This study has been approved by the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Review Board of the University of Calgary. The trial is funded by a team grant from the Movember Foundation, a global charity for men’s health. BroHealth was developed at the Digital Emergency Medicine, University of British Columbia, and the usability testing has been completed. Conclusions: BroHealth was developed based on men’s needs. We hypothesized that BroHealth will be an effective, acceptable, and sustainable product for early prevention of MDE in workplaces. ClinicalTrial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02777112; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02777112 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6lbOQpiCG) %M 27847352 %R 10.2196/resprot.6350 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2016/4/e218/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.6350 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27847352 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e215 %T Overcoming Perfectionism: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial of an Internet-Based Guided Self-Help Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention %A Kothari,Radha %A Egan,Sarah %A Wade,Tracey %A Andersson,Gerhard %A Shafran,Roz %+ Institute of Child Health Population, Policy and Practice Programme, University College London, 4th Floor, 30 Guilford Street, London, United Kingdom, 44 020 7905 2311 ext 2169, r.shafran@ucl.ac.uk %K perfectionism %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K randomized controlled trial %K Internet-based intervention %K anxiety %K depression %D 2016 %7 11.11.2016 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Perfectionism is elevated across, and increases risk for, a range of psychological disorders as well as having a direct negative effect on day-to-day function. A growing body of evidence shows that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) reduces perfectionism and psychological disorders, with medium to large effect sizes. Given the increased desire for Web-based interventions to facilitate access to evidence-based therapy, Internet-based CBT self-help interventions for perfectionism have been designed. Existing Web-based interventions have not included personalized guidance which has been shown to improve outcome rates. Objective: To assess the efficacy of an Internet-based guided self-help CBT intervention for perfectionism at reducing symptoms of perfectionism and psychological disorders posttreatment and at 6-month follow-up. Methods: A randomized controlled trial method is employed, comparing the treatment arm (Internet-based guided self-help CBT) with a waiting list control group. Outcomes are examined at 3 time points, T1 (baseline), T2 (postintervention at 12 weeks), T3 (follow-up at 24 weeks). Participants will be recruited through universities, online platforms, and social media and if eligible will be randomized using an automatic randomizer. Results: Data will be analyzed to estimate the between group (intervention, control) effect on perfectionism, depression, and anxiety. Completer and intent-to-treat analyses will be conducted. Additional analysis will be conducted to investigate whether the number of modules completed is associated with change. Data collection should be finalized by December 2016, with submission of results for publication expected in mid-year 2017. Results will be reported in line with recommendations in the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials Statement for Randomized Controlled Trials of Electronic and Mobile Health Applications and Online TeleHealth (CONSORT-EHEALTH). Conclusions: Findings will contribute to the literature on treatment of perfectionism, the effect of treating perfectionism on depression and anxiety, and the efficacy of Internet-based guided self-help interventions. ClinicalTrial: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02756871; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02756871 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6lmIlSRAa) %M 27836815 %R 10.2196/resprot.6378 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2016/4/e215/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.6378 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27836815 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 4 %P e209 %T Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Anxious and Depressed Youth: Improving Homework Adherence Through Mobile Technology %A Wilansky,Pamela %A Eklund,J Mikael %A Milner,Tracy %A Kreindler,David %A Cheung,Amy %A Kovacs,Tim %A Shooshtari,Shahin %A Astell,Arlene %A Ohinmaa,Arto %A Henderson,Joanna %A Strauss,John %A Mills,Rosemary SL %+ Child, Youth and Family Services, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, University of Toronto, Intergenerational Wellness Building, 6th floor rm 6232, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H4, Canada, 1 416 322 5176, pwilansky@frameworkcentre.com %K mHealth %K mobile app %K youth %K anxiety %K depression %K cognitive behavior therapy %K homework %D 2016 %7 10.11.2016 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Anxiety and mood disorders are the most common mental illnesses, peaking during adolescence and affecting approximately 25% of Canadians aged 14-17 years. If not successfully treated at this age, they often persist into adulthood, exerting a great social and economic toll. Given the long-term impact, finding ways to increase the success and cost-effectiveness of mental health care is a pressing need. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for mood and anxiety disorders throughout the lifespan. Mental health technologies can be used to make such treatments more successful by delivering them in a format that increases utilization. Young people embrace technologies, and many want to actively manage their mental health. Mobile software apps have the potential to improve youth adherence to CBT and, in turn, improve outcomes of treatment. Objective: The purpose of this project is to improve homework adherence in CBT for youth anxiety and/or depression. The objectives are to (1) design and optimize the usability of a mobile app for delivering the homework component of CBT for youth with anxiety and/or depression, (2) assess the app’s impact on homework completion, and (3) implement the app in CBT programs. We hypothesize that homework adherence will be greater in the app group than in the no-app group. Methods: Phase 1: exploratory interviews will be conducted with adolescents and therapists familiar with CBT to obtain views and perspectives on the requirements and features of a usable app and the challenges involved in implementation. The information obtained will guide the design of a prototype. The prototype will be optimized via think-aloud procedures involving an iterative process of evaluation, modification, and re-evaluation, culminating in a fully functional version of the prototype that is ready for optimization in a clinical context. Phase 2: a usability study will be conducted to optimize the prototype in the context of treatment at clinics that provide CBT treatment for youth with anxiety and/or depression. This phase will result in a usable app that is ready to be tested for its effectiveness in increasing homework adherence. Phase 3: a pragmatic clinical trial will be conducted at several clinics to evaluate the impact of the app on homework adherence. Participants in the app group are expected to show greater homework completion than those in the no-app group. Results: Phase 3 will be completed by September 2019. Conclusions: The app will be a unique adjunct to treatment for adolescents in CBT, focusing on both anxiety and depression, developed in partnership with end users at every stage from design to implementation, customizable for different cognitive profiles, and designed with depression symptom tracking measures for youth made interoperable with electronic medical records. %M 27833071 %R 10.2196/resprot.5841 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2016/4/e209/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.5841 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27833071 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-2960 %I JMIR Publications %V 2 %N 2 %P e164 %T Efficacy of Web-Based Collection of Strength-Based Testimonials for Text Message Extension of Youth Suicide Prevention Program: Randomized Controlled Experiment %A Thiha,Phyo %A Pisani,Anthony R %A Gurditta,Kunali %A Cherry,Erin %A Peterson,Derick R %A Kautz,Henry %A Wyman,Peter A %+ Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 300 Crittenden Blvd., Box PSYC, Rochester, NY, 14642, United States, 1 585 275 3644, anthony_pisani@urmc.rochester.edu %K mental health %K adolescent health %K user interface design %K suicide %K text messaging %D 2016 %7 09.11.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Public Health Surveill %G English %X Background: Equipping members of a target population to deliver effective public health messaging to peers is an established approach in health promotion. The Sources of Strength program has demonstrated the promise of this approach for “upstream” youth suicide prevention. Text messaging is a well-established medium for promoting behavior change and is the dominant communication medium for youth. In order for peer ‘opinion leader’ programs like Sources of Strength to use scalable, wide-reaching media such as text messaging to spread peer-to-peer messages, they need techniques for assisting peer opinion leaders in creating effective testimonials to engage peers and match program goals. We developed a Web interface, called Stories of Personal Resilience in Managing Emotions (StoryPRIME), which helps peer opinion leaders write effective, short-form messages that can be delivered to the target population in youth suicide prevention program like Sources of Strength. Objective: To determine the efficacy of StoryPRIME, a Web-based interface for remotely eliciting high school peer leaders, and helping them produce high-quality, personal testimonials for use in a text messaging extension of an evidence-based, peer-led suicide prevention program. Methods: In a double-blind randomized controlled experiment, 36 high school students wrote testimonials with or without eliciting from the StoryPRIME interface. The interface was created in the context of Sources of Strength–an evidence-based youth suicide prevention program–and 24 ninth graders rated these testimonials on relatability, usefulness/relevance, intrigue, and likability. Results: Testimonials written with the StoryPRIME interface were rated as more relatable, useful/relevant, intriguing, and likable than testimonials written without StoryPRIME, P=.054. Conclusions: StoryPRIME is a promising way to elicit high-quality, personal testimonials from youth for prevention programs that draw on members of a target population to spread public health messages. %M 27829575 %R 10.2196/publichealth.6207 %U http://publichealth.jmir.org/2016/2/e164/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/publichealth.6207 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27829575 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 4 %P e48 %T Awareness, Access and Use of Internet Self-Help Websites for Depression by University Students %A Culjak,Gordana %A Kowalenko,Nick %A Tennant,Christopher %+ Discipline of Psychiatry, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Sydney, 2006, Australia, 61 9351 2222, gordana.culjak@uni.sydney.edu.au %K depression %K awareness %K Internet %K self-help %K university %K students %K eHealth %K health promotion %K prevention %D 2016 %7 27.10.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: University students have a higher prevalence rate of depression than the average 18 to 24 year old. Internet self-help has been demonstrated to be effective in decreasing self-rated measures of depression in this population, so it is important to explore the awareness, access and use of such self-help resources in this population. Objective: The objective of this study is to explore university students’ awareness, access and use of Internet self-help websites for depression and related problems. Methods: A total of 2691 university students were surveyed at 3 time points. Results: When asked about browsing behavior, 69.6% (1494/2146) of students reported using the Internet for entertainment. Most students were not familiar with self-help websites for emotional health, although this awareness increased as they completed further assessments. Most students considered user-friendliness, content and interactivity as very important in the design of a self-help website. After being exposed to a self-help website, more students reported visiting websites for emotional health than those who had not been exposed. Conclusions: More students reported visiting self-help websites after becoming aware of such resources. Increased awareness of depression and related treatment resources may increase use of such resources. It is important to increase public awareness with the aim of increasing access to targeted strategies for young people. %M 27789425 %R 10.2196/mental.5311 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/4/e48/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5311 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27789425 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 3 %P e47 %T Web-Based Intervention to Reduce Substance Abuse and Depressive Symptoms in Mexico: Development and Usability Test %A Tiburcio,Marcela %A Lara,Ma Asunción %A Aguilar Abrego,Araceli %A Fernández,Morise %A Martínez Vélez,Nora %A Sánchez,Alejandro %+ Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, National Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Social Sciences in Health, Direction of Epidemiological and Psychosocial Research, Calz Mexico-Xochimilco 101, Col San Lorenzo Huipulco, Del Tlalpan, Mexico City, 14370, Mexico, 52 5541605162, tibsam@imp.edu.mx %K substance abuse %K depressive symptoms %K Internet %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K usability %D 2016 %7 29.09.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: The development of Web-based interventions for substance abuse in Latin America is a new field of interest with great potential for expansion to other Spanish-speaking countries. Objective: This paper describes a project aimed to develop and evaluate the usability of the Web-based Help Program for Drug Abuse and Depression (Programa de Ayuda para Abuso de Drogas y Depresión, PAADD, in Spanish) and also to construct a systematic frame of reference for the development of future Web-based programs. Methods: The PAADD aims to reduce substance use and depressive symptoms with cognitive behavioral techniques translated into Web applications, aided by the participation of a counselor to provide support and guidance. This Web-based intervention includes 4 steps: (1) My Starting Point, (2) Where Do I Want to Be? (3) Strategies for Change, and (4) Maintaining Change. The development of the program was an interactive multistage process. The first stage defined the core structure and contents, which were validated in stage 2 by a group of 8 experts in addiction treatment. Programming of the applications took place in stage 3, taking into account 3 types of end users: administrators, counselors, and substance users. Stage 4 consisted of functionality testing. In stage 5, a total of 9 health professionals and 20 drug users currently in treatment voluntarily interacted with the program in a usability test, providing feedback about adjustments needed to improve users’ experience. Results: The main finding of stage 2 was the consensus of the health professionals about the cognitive behavioral strategies and techniques included in PAADD being appropriate for changing substance use behaviors. In stage 5, the health professionals found the functionalities easy to learn; their suggestions were related to the page layout, inclusion of confirmation messages at the end of activities, avoiding “read more” links, and providing feedback about every activity. On the other hand, the users said the information presented within the modules was easy to follow and suggested more dynamic features with concrete instructions and feedback. Conclusions: The resulting Web-based program may have advantages over traditional face-to-face therapies owing to its low cost, wide accessibility, anonymity, and independence of time and distance factors. The detailed description of the process of designing a Web-based program is an important contribution to others interested in this field. The potential benefits must be verified in specific studies. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 25429892; http://www.controlled-trials.com/ISRCTN25429892 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ko1Fsvym) %M 27687965 %R 10.2196/mental.6001 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/3/e47/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.6001 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27687965 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 9 %P e255 %T Post-9/11 Veterans and Their Partners Improve Mental Health Outcomes with a Self-directed Mobile and Web-based Wellness Training Program: A Randomized Controlled Trial %A Kahn,Janet R %A Collinge,William %A Soltysik,Robert %+ College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont, 240 Maple Street, Burlington, VT, 05401, United States, 1 802 578 2990, Janet.Kahn@uvm.edu %K veterans %K PTSD %K moral injury %K mind-body therapies %K mindfulness %K patient-centered care %K compassion %K Web-based program %K reintegration %D 2016 %7 27.09.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Veterans with history of deployment in the Global War on Terror face significant and ongoing challenges with high prevalences of adverse psychological, physical, spiritual, and family impacts. Together, these challenges contribute to an emerging public health crisis likely to extend well into the future. Innovative approaches are needed that reach veterans and their family members with strategies they can employ over time in their daily lives to promote improved adjustment and well-being. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of use of a Web-based, self-directed program of instruction in mind- and body-based wellness skills to be employed by Global War on Terror veterans and their significant relationship partners on mental health and wellness outcomes associated with postdeployment readjustment. Methods: We recruited 160 veteran-partner dyads in 4 regions of the United States (San Diego, CA; Dallas, TX; Fayetteville, NC; and New York, NY) through publicity by the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America to its membership. Dyads were randomly allocated to 1 of 4 study arms: Mission Reconnect (MR) program alone, MR plus the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP) for Strong Bonds weekend program for military couples, PREP alone, and waitlist control. We administered a battery of standardized and investigator-generated instruments assessing mental health outcomes at baseline, 8 weeks, and 16 weeks. Dyads in the MR arms were provided Web-based and mobile app video and audio instruction in a set of mindfulness-related stress reduction and contemplative practices, as well as partner massage for reciprocal use. All participants provided weekly reports on frequency and duration of self-care practices for the first 8 weeks, and at 16 weeks. Results: During the first 8-week reporting period, veterans and partners assigned to MR arms used some aspect of the program a mean of 20 times per week, totaling nearly 2.5 hours per week, with only modest declines in use at 16 weeks. Significant improvements were seen at 8 and 16 weeks in measures of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, sleep quality, perceived stress, resilience, self-compassion, and pain for participants assigned to MR arms. In addition, significant reductions in self-reported levels of pain, tension, irritability, anxiety, and depression were associated with use of partner massage. Conclusions: Both veterans and partners were able to learn and make sustained use of a range of wellness practices taught in the MR program. Home-based, self-directed interventions may be of particular service to veterans who are distant from, averse to, or prohibited by schedule from using professional services. Leveraging the partner relationship may enhance sustained use of self-directed interventions for this population. Use of the MR program appears to be an accessible, low-cost approach that supports well-being and reduces multiple symptoms among post-9/11 veterans and their partners. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01680419; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01680419 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6jJuadfzj) %M 27678169 %R 10.2196/jmir.5800 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/9/e255/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5800 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27678169 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 3 %P e111 %T Mobile Sensing and Support for People With Depression: A Pilot Trial in the Wild %A Wahle,Fabian %A Kowatsch,Tobias %A Fleisch,Elgar %A Rufer,Michael %A Weidt,Steffi %+ University of St Gallen, Institute of Technology Management, Dufourstrasse 40a, Büro 1-236, St Gallen, 9000, Switzerland, 41 712247244, tobias.kowatsch@unisg.ch %K depression %K mHealth %K  activities of daily living %K classification %K context awareness %K cognitive behavioral therapy %D 2016 %7 21.09.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Depression is a burdensome, recurring mental health disorder with high prevalence. Even in developed countries, patients have to wait for several months to receive treatment. In many parts of the world there is only one mental health professional for over 200 people. Smartphones are ubiquitous and have a large complement of sensors that can potentially be useful in monitoring behavioral patterns that might be indicative of depressive symptoms and providing context-sensitive intervention support. Objective: The objective of this study is 2-fold, first to explore the detection of daily-life behavior based on sensor information to identify subjects with a clinically meaningful depression level, second to explore the potential of context sensitive intervention delivery to provide in-situ support for people with depressive symptoms. Methods: A total of 126 adults (age 20-57) were recruited to use the smartphone app Mobile Sensing and Support (MOSS), collecting context-sensitive sensor information and providing just-in-time interventions derived from cognitive behavior therapy. Real-time learning-systems were deployed to adapt to each subject’s preferences to optimize recommendations with respect to time, location, and personal preference. Biweekly, participants were asked to complete a self-reported depression survey (PHQ-9) to track symptom progression. Wilcoxon tests were conducted to compare scores before and after intervention. Correlation analysis was used to test the relationship between adherence and change in PHQ-9. One hundred twenty features were constructed based on smartphone usage and sensors including accelerometer, Wifi, and global positioning systems (GPS). Machine-learning models used these features to infer behavior and context for PHQ-9 level prediction and tailored intervention delivery. Results: A total of 36 subjects used MOSS for ≥2 weeks. For subjects with clinical depression (PHQ-9≥11) at baseline and adherence ≥8 weeks (n=12), a significant drop in PHQ-9 was observed (P=.01). This group showed a negative trend between adherence and change in PHQ-9 scores (rho=−.498, P=.099). Binary classification performance for biweekly PHQ-9 samples (n=143), with a cutoff of PHQ-9≥11, based on Random Forest and Support Vector Machine leave-one-out cross validation resulted in 60.1% and 59.1% accuracy, respectively. Conclusions: Proxies for social and physical behavior derived from smartphone sensor data was successfully deployed to deliver context-sensitive and personalized interventions to people with depressive symptoms. Subjects who used the app for an extended period of time showed significant reduction in self-reported symptom severity. Nonlinear classification models trained on features extracted from smartphone sensor data including Wifi, accelerometer, GPS, and phone use, demonstrated a proof of concept for the detection of depression superior to random classification. While findings of effectiveness must be reproduced in a RCT to proof causation, they pave the way for a new generation of digital health interventions leveraging smartphone sensors to provide context sensitive information for in-situ support and unobtrusive monitoring of critical mental health states. %M 27655245 %R 10.2196/mhealth.5960 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2016/3/e111/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.5960 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27655245 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 9 %P e236 %T The Implementation of Internet Interventions for Depression: A Scoping Review %A Drozd,Filip %A Vaskinn,Linda %A Bergsund,Hans Bugge %A Haga,Silje Marie %A Slinning,Kari %A Bjørkli,Cato Alexander %+ National Network for Infant Mental Health, Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, PO Box 4623 Nydalen, Oslo, 0405, Norway, 47 975 16 188, filip.drozd@r-bup.no %K depression %K scoping review %K implementation %K Internet interventions %D 2016 %7 08.09.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression is one of the most common mental health problems among adults, but effective treatments are not widely accessible. The Internet holds promise as a cost-effective and convenient delivery platform of interventions for depression. However, studies suggest that Internet interventions are not widely available in routine settings. Objective: The aim of this study was to review the literature and examine whether there are systematic differences in reporting of the various implementation components on Internet interventions for depression, and then to examine what is known about and is characteristic of the implementation of these Internet interventions in regular care settings. Methods: We performed a scoping review, drawing upon a broad range of the literature on Internet interventions for depression in regular care, and used the active implementation framework to extract data. Results: Overall, the results suggested that knowledge about the implementation of Internet interventions for depression in regular care is limited. However, guided support from health professionals emphasizing program adherence and recruitment of end users to the interventions emerged as 2 main themes. We identified 3 additional themes among practitioners, including their qualifications, training, and supervision, but these were scarcely described in the literature. The competency drivers (ie, staff and user selection, training, and supervision) have received the most attention, while little attention has been given to organizational (ie, decision support, administration, and system intervention) and leadership drivers. Conclusions: Research has placed little emphasis on reporting on the implementation of interventions in practice. Leadership and organizational drivers, in particular, have been largely neglected. The results of this scoping review have implications for future research and efforts to successfully implement Internet interventions for depression in regular care. %M 27608548 %R 10.2196/jmir.5670 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/9/e236/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5670 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27608548 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 8 %P e231 %T An Internet-Based Intervention for Depression in Primary Care in Spain: A Randomized Controlled Trial %A Montero-Marín,Jesús %A Araya,Ricardo %A Pérez-Yus,María C %A Mayoral,Fermín %A Gili,Margalida %A Botella,Cristina %A Baños,Rosa %A Castro,Adoración %A Romero-Sanchiz,Pablo %A López-Del-Hoyo,Yolanda %A Nogueira-Arjona,Raquel %A Vives,Margarita %A Riera,Antoni %A García-Campayo,Javier %+ Aragon Health Sciences Institute, Avda. San Juan Bosco, 13. 50009. Zaragoza., Zaragoza,, Spain, 34 (+34) 976715895, mcperezy@gmail.com %D 2016 %7 26.08.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression is the most prevalent cause of illness-induced disability worldwide. Face-to-face psychotherapeutic interventions for depression can be challenging, so there is a need for other alternatives that allow these interventions to be offered. One feasible alternative is Internet-based psychological interventions. This is the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) on the effectiveness of an Internet-based intervention on depression in primary health care in Spain. Objective: Our aim was to compare the effectiveness of a low-intensity therapist-guided (LITG) Internet-based program and a completely self-guided (CSG) Internet-based program with improved treatment as usual (iTAU) care for depression. Methods: Multicenter, three-arm, parallel, RCT design, carried out between November 2012 and January 2014, with a follow-up of 15 months. In total, 296 adults from primary care settings in four Spanish regions, with mild or moderate major depression, were randomized to LITG (n=96), CSG (n=98), or iTAU (n=102). Research completers at follow-up were 63.5%. The intervention was Smiling is Fun, an Internet program based on cognitive behavioral therapy. All patients received iTAU by their general practitioners. Moreover, LITG received Smiling is Fun and the possibility of psychotherapeutic support on request by email, whereas CSG received only Smiling is Fun. The main outcome was the Beck Depression Inventory-II at 3 months from baseline. Mixed-effects multilevel analysis for repeated measures were undertaken. Results: There was no benefit for either CSG [(B coefficient=-1.15; P=.444)] or LITG [(B=-0.71; P=.634)] compared to iTAU, at 3 months. There were differences at 6 months [iTAU vs CSG (B=-4.22; P=.007); iTAU vs LITG (B=-4.34; P=.005)] and 15 months [iTAU vs CSG (B=-5.10; P=.001); iTAU vs LITG (B=-4.62; P=.002)]. There were no differences between CSG and LITG at any time. Adjusted and intention-to-treat models confirmed these findings. Conclusions: An Internet-based intervention for depression combined with iTAU conferred a benefit over iTAU alone in the Spanish primary health care system. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01611818; https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol? selectaction=Edit&uid=U0001NPQ&ts=2&cx=gctdh2&sid=S0003KJ6 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6jbsUvUDz) %M 27565118 %R 10.2196/jmir.5695 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/8/e231/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5695 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27565118 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 8 %P e221 %T Effectiveness of Web-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Relation to Mental Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis %A Brown,Menna %A Glendenning,Alexander %A Hoon,Alice E %A John,Ann %+ Swansea University, Medical School, ILS2, Swansea, SA2 8PP, United Kingdom, 44 179260 ext 6213, menna.brown@swansea.ac.uk %K acceptance and commitment therapy %K systematic review %K meta-analysis %K depression %K anxiety %K quality of life %K Internet-based %K mobile-based %D 2016 %7 24.08.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: The need for effective interventions to improve mental health and emotional well-being at a population level are gaining prominence both in the United Kingdom and globally. Advances in technology and widespread adoption of Internet capable devices have facilitated rapid development of Web-delivered psychological therapies. Interventions designed to manage a range of affective disorders by applying diverse therapeutic approaches are widely available. Objective: The main aim of this review was to evaluate the evidence base of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in a Web-based delivery format. Method: A systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis was conducted. Two electronic databases were searched for Web-delivered interventions utilizing ACT for the management of affective disorders or well-being. Only Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) were included. Results: The search strategy identified 59 articles. Of these, 10 articles met the inclusion criteria specified. The range of conditions and outcome measures that were identified limited the ability to draw firm conclusions about the efficacy of Web-delivered ACT-based intervention for anxiety or well-being. Conclusions: ACT in a Web-based delivery format was found to be effective in the management of depression. Rates of adherence to study protocols and completion were high overall suggesting that this therapeutic approach is highly acceptable for patients and the general public. %M 27558740 %R 10.2196/jmir.6200 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/8/e221/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.6200 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27558740 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 8 %P e229 %T Use and Appreciation of a Tailored Self-Management eHealth Intervention for Early Cancer Survivors: Process Evaluation of a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Kanera,Iris Maria %A Willems,Roy A %A Bolman,Catherine A W %A Mesters,Ilse %A Zambon,Victor %A Gijsen,Brigitte CM %A Lechner,Lilian %+ Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Open University of the Netherlands, Valkenburgerweg 177, Heerlen, 6401 DL, Netherlands, 31 455762448, iris.kanera@ou.nl %K eHealth %K web-based intervention %K computer tailoring %K cancer survivorship %K intervention usage %K appreciation %K multiple behavior intervention %K process evaluation %K self-management %D 2016 %7 23.08.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: A fully automated computer-tailored Web-based self-management intervention, Kanker Nazorg Wijzer (KNW [Cancer Aftercare Guide]), was developed to support early cancer survivors to adequately cope with psychosocial complaints and to promote a healthy lifestyle. The KNW self-management training modules target the following topics: return to work, fatigue, anxiety and depression, relationships, physical activity, diet, and smoking cessation. Participants were guided to relevant modules by personalized module referral advice that was based on participants’ current complaints and identified needs. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the adherence to the module referral advice, examine the KNW module use and its predictors, and describe the appreciation of the KNW and its predictors. Additionally, we explored predictors of personal relevance. Methods: This process evaluation was conducted as part of a randomized controlled trial. Early cancer survivors with various types of cancer were recruited from 21 Dutch hospitals. Data from online self-report questionnaires and logging data were analyzed from participants allocated to the intervention condition. Chi-square tests were applied to assess the adherence to the module referral advice, negative binominal regression analysis was used to identify predictors of module use, multiple linear regression analysis was applied to identify predictors of the appreciation, and ordered logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore possible predictors of perceived personal relevance. Results: From the respondents (N=231; mean age 55.6, SD 11.5; 79.2% female [183/231]), 98.3% (227/231) were referred to one or more KNW modules (mean 2.9, SD 1.5), and 85.7% (198/231) of participants visited at least one module (mean 2.1, SD 1.6). Significant positive associations were found between the referral to specific modules (range 1-7) and the use of corresponding modules. The likelihoods of visiting modules were higher when respondents were referred to those modules by the module referral advice. Predictors of visiting a higher number of modules were a higher number of referrals by the module referral advice (β=.136, P=.009), and having a partner was significantly related with a lower number of modules used (β=-.256, P=.044). Overall appreciation was high (mean 7.5, SD 1.2; scale 1-10) and was significantly predicted by a higher perceived personal relevance (β=.623, P=.000). None of the demographic and cancer-related characteristics significantly predicted the perceived personal relevance. Conclusions: The KNW in general and more specifically the KNW modules were well used and highly appreciated by early cancer survivors. Indications were found that the module referral advice might be a meaningful intervention component to guide the users in following a preferred selection of modules. These results indicate that the fully automated Web-based KNW provides personal relevant and valuable information and support for early cancer survivors. Therefore, this intervention can complement usual cancer aftercare and may serve as a first step in a stepped-care approach. Trial Registration: Nederlands Trial Register: NTR3375; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=3375 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6jo4jO7kb) %M 27554525 %R 10.2196/jmir.5975 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/8/e229/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5975 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27554525 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 3 %P e160 %T Predicting Negative Emotions Based on Mobile Phone Usage Patterns: An Exploratory Study %A Hung,Galen Chin-Lun %A Yang,Pei-Ching %A Chang,Chia-Chi %A Chiang,Jung-Hsien %A Chen,Ying-Yeh %+ Department of General Psychiatry, Taipei City Psychiatric Center, Taipei City Hospital, No. 309,, Songde Rd., Xinyi Dst.,, Taipei, 106, Taiwan, 886 2 27263141 ext 1270, galenhung@tpech.gov.tw %K mobile phone usage %K depression %K emotion %K machine learning %K affective computing %D 2016 %7 10.08.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Prompt recognition and intervention of negative emotions is crucial for patients with depression. Mobile phones and mobile apps are suitable technologies that can be used to recognize negative emotions and intervene if necessary. Objective: Mobile phone usage patterns can be associated with concurrent emotional states. The objective of this study is to adapt machine-learning methods to analyze such patterns for the prediction of negative emotion. Methods: We developed an Android-based app to capture emotional states and mobile phone usage patterns, which included call logs (and use of apps). Visual analog scales (VASs) were used to report negative emotions in dimensions of depression, anxiety, and stress. In the system-training phase, participants were requested to tag their emotions for 14 consecutive days. Five feature-selection methods were used to determine individual usage patterns and four machine-learning methods were tested. Finally, rank product scoring was used to select the best combination to construct the prediction model. In the system evaluation phase, participants were then requested to verify the predicted negative emotions for at least 5 days. Results: Out of 40 enrolled healthy participants, we analyzed data from 28 participants, including 30% (9/28) women with a mean (SD) age of 29.2 (5.1) years with sufficient emotion tags. The combination of time slots of 2 hours, greedy forward selection, and Naïve Bayes method was chosen for the prediction model. We further validated the personalized models in 18 participants who performed at least 5 days of model evaluation. Overall, the predictive accuracy for negative emotions was 86.17%. Conclusion: We developed a system capable of predicting negative emotions based on mobile phone usage patterns. This system has potential for ecological momentary intervention (EMI) for depressive disorders by automatically recognizing negative emotions and providing people with preventive treatments before it escalates to clinical depression. %M 27511748 %R 10.2196/resprot.5551 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2016/3/e160/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.5551 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27511748 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 8 %P e216 %T Depression Screening Using Daily Mental-Health Ratings from a Smartphone Application for Breast Cancer Patients %A Kim,Junetae %A Lim,Sanghee %A Min,Yul Ha %A Shin,Yong-Wook %A Lee,Byungtae %A Sohn,Guiyun %A Jung,Kyung Hae %A Lee,Jae-Ho %A Son,Byung Ho %A Ahn,Sei Hyun %A Shin,Soo-Yong %A Lee,Jong Won %+ Department of Surgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Republic Of Korea, 82 2 3010 5603, jongwonlee116@gmail.com %K depression %K smartphone applications %K mental health %K breast cancer (neoplasms) %D 2016 %7 04.08.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mobile mental-health trackers are mobile phone apps that gather self-reported mental-health ratings from users. They have received great attention from clinicians as tools to screen for depression in individual patients. While several apps that ask simple questions using face emoticons have been developed, there has been no study examining the validity of their screening performance. Objective: In this study, we (1) evaluate the potential of a mobile mental-health tracker that uses three daily mental-health ratings (sleep satisfaction, mood, and anxiety) as indicators for depression, (2) discuss three approaches to data processing (ratio, average, and frequency) for generating indicator variables, and (3) examine the impact of adherence on reporting using a mobile mental-health tracker and accuracy in depression screening. Methods: We analyzed 5792 sets of daily mental-health ratings collected from 78 breast cancer patients over a 48-week period. Using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) as the measure of true depression status, we conducted a random-effect logistic panel regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to evaluate the screening performance of the mobile mental-health tracker. In addition, we classified patients into two subgroups based on their adherence level (higher adherence and lower adherence) using a k-means clustering algorithm and compared the screening accuracy between the two groups. Results: With the ratio approach, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) is 0.8012, indicating that the performance of depression screening using daily mental-health ratings gathered via mobile mental-health trackers is comparable to the results of PHQ-9 tests. Also, the AUC is significantly higher (P=.002) for the higher adherence group (AUC=0.8524) than for the lower adherence group (AUC=0.7234). This result shows that adherence to self-reporting is associated with a higher accuracy of depression screening. Conclusions: Our results support the potential of a mobile mental-health tracker as a tool for screening for depression in practice. Also, this study provides clinicians with a guideline for generating indicator variables from daily mental-health ratings. Furthermore, our results provide empirical evidence for the critical role of adherence to self-reporting, which represents crucial information for both doctors and patients. %M 27492880 %R 10.2196/jmir.5598 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/8/e216/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5598 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27492880 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 3 %P e36 %T Home-Based Psychiatric Outpatient Care Through Videoconferencing for Depression: A Randomized Controlled Follow-Up Trial %A Hungerbuehler,Ines %A Valiengo,Leandro %A Loch,Alexandre A %A Rössler,Wulf %A Gattaz,Wagner F %+ Laboratory of Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo, Rua Dr. Ovidio Pires de Campos 785, São Paulo, 05403-010, Brazil, 55 11 2661 8010, ines.hungerbuehler@gmail.com %K telemedicine %K telehealth %K eHealth, videoconferencing %K psychiatry %K outpatient %K home-care services %K mental health %K depression %D 2016 %7 03.08.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: There is a tremendous opportunity for innovative mental health care solutions such as psychiatric care through videoconferencing to increase the number of people who have access to quality care. However, studies are needed to generate empirical evidence on the use of psychiatric outpatient care via videoconferencing, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and clinically unsupervised settings. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of home-based treatment for mild depression through psychiatric consultations via videoconferencing. Methods: A randomized controlled trial with a 6- and 12-month follow-up including adults with mild depression treated in an ambulatory setting was conducted. In total, 107 participants were randomly allocated to the videoconferencing intervention group (n=53) or the face-to-face group (F2F; n=54). The groups did not differ with respect to demographic characteristics at baseline. The F2F group completed monthly follow-up consultations in person. The videoconferencing group received monthly follow-up consultations with a psychiatrist through videoconferencing at home. At baseline and after 6 and 12 months, in-person assessments were conducted with all participants. Clinical outcomes (severity of depression, mental health status, medication course, and relapses), satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence (appointment compliance and dropouts), and medication adherence were assessed. Results: The severity of depression decreased significantly over the 12-month follow-up in both the groups. There was a significant difference between groups regarding treatment outcomes throughout the follow-up period, with better results in the videoconferencing group. There were 4 relapses in the F2F group and only 1 in the videoconferencing group. No significant differences between groups regarding mental health status, satisfaction with treatment, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence, or medication compliance were found. However, after 6 months, the rate of dropouts was significantly higher in the F2F group (18.5% vs 5.7% in the videoconferencing group, P<.05). Conclusions: Psychiatric treatment through videoconferencing in clinically unsupervised settings can be considered feasible and as effective as standard care (in-person treatment) for depressed outpatients with respect to clinical outcomes, patient satisfaction, therapeutic relationship, treatment adherence, and medication compliance. These results indicate the potential of telepsychiatry to extend access to psychiatric care to remote and underserved populations. ClinicalTrial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01901315; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01901315 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6jBTrIVwg) %M 27489204 %R 10.2196/mental.5675 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/3/e36/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5675 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27489204 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 8 %P e194 %T The Effect of Guided Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Patients With Depressive Symptoms and Heart Failure: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial %A Lundgren,Johan Gustav %A Dahlström,Örjan %A Andersson,Gerhard %A Jaarsma,Tiny %A Kärner Köhler,Anita %A Johansson,Peter %+ Division of Nursing Science, Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Linköping University, Department of Social and Welfare Studies, Linköping University, Norrköping, SE 601 74, Sweden, 46 011363592, johan.lundgren@liu.se %K heart failure %K depression %K Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K Internet %K eHealth %D 2016 %7 03.08.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depressive symptoms, and the associated coexistence of symptoms of anxiety and decreased quality of life (QoL), are common in patients with heart failure (HF). However, treatment strategies for depressive symptoms in patients with HF still remain to be established. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT), as guided self-help CBT programs, has shown good effects in the treatment of depression. Until now, ICBT has not been evaluated in patients with HF with depressive symptoms. Objective: The aims of this study were to (1) evaluate the effect of a 9-week guided ICBT program on depressive symptoms in patients with HF; (2) investigate the effect of the ICBT program on cardiac anxiety and QoL; and (3) assess factors associated with the change in depressive symptoms. Methods: Fifty participants were randomized into 2 treatment arms: ICBT or a Web-based moderated discussion forum (DF). The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to measure depressive symptoms, the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ) was used to measure cardiac-related anxiety, and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure questionnaire was used to measure QoL. Data were collected at baseline and at follow-up at the end of the 9-week intervention. Intention-to-treat analysis was used, and missing data were imputed by the Expectation-Maximization method. Between-group differences were determined by analysis of covariance with control for baseline score and regression to the mean. Results: No significant difference in depressive symptoms between the ICBT and the DF group at the follow-up was found, [F(1,47)=1.63, P=.21] and Cohen´s d=0.26. Secondary within-group analysis of depressive symptoms showed that such symptoms decreased significantly in the ICBT group from baseline to the follow-up (baseline M=10.8, standard deviation [SD]=5.7 vs follow-up M=8.6, SD=4.6, t(24)=2.6, P=.02, Cohen´s d=0.43), whereas in the DF group, there was no significant change (baseline M=10.6, SD=5.0, vs follow-up M=9.8, SD=4.3, t(24)=0.93, P=.36. Cohen´s d=0.18). With regard to CAQ and QoL no significant differences were found between the groups (CAQ [d(1,47)=0.5, P=.48] and QoL [F(1,47)=2.87, P=.09]). In the ICBT group in the CAQ subscale of fear, a significant within-group decrease was shown (baseline M=1.55 vs follow-up M=1.35, P=.04). In the ICBT group, the number of logins to the Web portal correlated significantly with improvement in depressive symptoms (P=.02), whereas higher age (P=.01) and male sex (P=.048) were associated with less change in depressive symptoms. This study is underpowered because of difficulties in the recruitment of patients. Conclusions: Guided ICBT adapted for persons with HF and depressive symptoms was not statistically superior to participation in a Web-based DF. However, within the ICBT group, a statically significant improvement of depressive symptoms was detected. ClinicalTrial: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01681771; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01681771 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ikzbcuLN) %M 27489077 %R 10.2196/jmir.5556 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/8/e194/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5556 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27489077 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications %V 4 %N 3 %P e88 %T Psychologist in a Pocket: Lexicon Development and Content Validation of a Mobile-Based App for Depression Screening %A Cheng,Paula Glenda Ferrer %A Ramos,Roann Munoz %A Bitsch,Jó Ágila %A Jonas,Stephan Michael %A Ix,Tim %A See,Portia Lynn Quetulio %A Wehrle,Klaus %+ The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Thomas Aquinas Research Complex, Espana Boulevard, Manila, 1015, Philippines, 63 7315396 ext 8247, chengpaulaferrer@gmail.com %K depression %K Psychologist in a Pocket %K lexicon development %K text analysis %D 2016 %7 20.07.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mhealth Uhealth %G English %X Background: Language reflects the state of one’s mental health and personal characteristics. It also reveals preoccupations with a particular schema, thus possibly providing insights into psychological conditions. Using text or lexical analysis in exploring depression, negative schemas and self-focusing tendencies may be depicted. As mobile technology has become highly integrated in daily routine, mobile devices have the capacity for ecological momentary assessment (EMA), specifically the experience sampling method (ESM), where behavior is captured in real-time or closer in time to experience in one’s natural environment. Extending mobile technology to psychological health could augment initial clinical assessment, particularly of mood disturbances, such as depression and analyze daily activities, such as language use in communication. Here, we present the process of lexicon generation and development and the initial validation of Psychologist in a Pocket (PiaP), a mobile app designed to screen signs of depression through text analysis. Objective: The main objectives of the study are (1) to generate and develop a depressive lexicon that can be used for screening text-input in mobile apps to be used in the PiaP; and (2) to conduct content validation as initial validation. Methods: The first phase of our research focused on lexicon development. Words related to depression and its symptoms based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) and in the ICD-10 Classification of Mental and Behavioural Disorders: Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Guidelines classification systems were gathered from focus group discussions with Filipino college students, interviews with mental health professionals, and the review of established scales for depression and other related constructs. Results: The lexicon development phase yielded a database consisting of 13 categories based on the criteria depressive symptoms in the DSM-5 and ICD-10. For the draft of the depression lexicon for PiaP, we were able to gather 1762 main keywords and 9655 derivatives of main keywords. In addition, we compiled 823,869 spelling variations. Keywords included negatively-valenced words like “sad”, “unworthy”, or “tired” which are almost always accompanied by personal pronouns, such as “I”, “I’m” or “my” and in Filipino, “ako” or “ko”. For the content validation, only keywords with CVR equal to or more than 0.75 were included in the depression lexicon test-run version. The mean of all CVRs yielded a high overall CVI of 0.90. A total of 1498 main keywords, 8911 derivatives of main keywords, and 783,140 spelling variations, with a total of 793, 553 keywords now comprise the test-run version. Conclusions: The generation of the depression lexicon is relatively exhaustive. The breadth of keywords used in text analysis incorporates the characteristic expressions of depression and its related constructs by a particular culture and age group. A content-validated mobile health app, PiaP may help augment a more effective and early detection of depressive symptoms. %M 27439444 %R 10.2196/mhealth.5284 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2016/3/e88/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.5284 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27439444 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 3 %P e19 %T Predicting Risk of Suicide Attempt Using History of Physical Illnesses From Electronic Medical Records %A Karmakar,Chandan %A Luo,Wei %A Tran,Truyen %A Berk,Michael %A Venkatesh,Svetha %+ Centre for Pattern Recognition and Data Analytics, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Geelong,, Australia, 61 352273079, karmakar@deakin.edu.au %K suicide risk %K electronic medical record %K history of physical illnesses %K ICD-10 codes %K suicide risk prediction model %D 2016 %7 11.07.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Although physical illnesses, routinely documented in electronic medical records (EMR), have been found to be a contributing factor to suicides, no automated systems use this information to predict suicide risk. Objective: The aim of this study is to quantify the impact of physical illnesses on suicide risk, and develop a predictive model that captures this relationship using EMR data. Methods: We used history of physical illnesses (except chapter V: Mental and behavioral disorders) from EMR data over different time-periods to build a lookup table that contains the probability of suicide risk for each chapter of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes. The lookup table was then used to predict the probability of suicide risk for any new assessment. Based on the different lengths of history of physical illnesses, we developed six different models to predict suicide risk. We tested the performance of developed models to predict 90-day risk using historical data over differing time-periods ranging from 3 to 48 months. A total of 16,858 assessments from 7399 mental health patients with at least one risk assessment was used for the validation of the developed model. The performance was measured using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: The best predictive results were derived (AUC=0.71) using combined data across all time-periods, which significantly outperformed the clinical baseline derived from routine risk assessment (AUC=0.56). The proposed approach thus shows potential to be incorporated in the broader risk assessment processes used by clinicians. Conclusions: This study provides a novel approach to exploit the history of physical illnesses extracted from EMR (ICD-10 codes without chapter V-mental and behavioral disorders) to predict suicide risk, and this model outperforms existing clinical assessments of suicide risk. %M 27400764 %R 10.2196/mental.5475 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/3/e19/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5475 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27400764 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 3 %P e30 %T Exploring the Use of Information and Communication Technology by People With Mood Disorder: A Systematic Review and Metasynthesis %A Fulford,Hamish %A McSwiggan,Linda %A Kroll,Thilo %A MacGillivray,Stephen %+ School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Centre for Health and Related Research, University of Dundee, Airlie Place, Dundee,, United Kingdom, 44 01382388534, s.a.macgillivray@dundee.ac.uk %K information and communication technology %K ICTs %K mood disorder %K metasynthesis %K self-management %D 2016 %7 01.07.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: There is a growing body of evidence relating to how information and communication technology (ICT) can be used to support people with physical health conditions. Less is known regarding mental health, and in particular, mood disorder. Objective: To conduct a metasynthesis of all qualitative studies exploring the use of ICTs by people with mood disorder. Methods: Searches were run in eight electronic databases using a systematic search strategy. Qualitative and mixed-method studies published in English between 2007 and 2014 were included. Thematic synthesis was used to interpret and synthesis the results of the included studies. Results: Thirty-four studies were included in the synthesis. The methodological design of the studies was qualitative or mixed-methods. A global assessment of study quality identified 22 studies as strong and 12 weak with most having a typology of findings either at topical or thematic survey levels of data transformation. A typology of ICT use by people with mood disorder was created as a result of synthesis. Conclusions: The systematic review and metasynthesis clearly identified a gap in the research literature as no studies were identified, which specifically researched how people with mood disorder use mobile ICT. Further qualitative research is recommended to understand the meaning this type of technology holds for people. Such research might provide valuable information on how people use mobile technology in their lives in general and also, more specifically, how they are being used to help with their mood disorders. %M 27370327 %R 10.2196/mental.5966 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/3/e30/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5966 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27370327 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 6 %P e178 %T Trajectories of Suicidal Ideation in People Seeking Web-Based Help for Suicidality: Secondary Analysis of a Dutch Randomized Controlled Trial %A Madsen,Trine %A van Spijker,Bregje %A Karstoft,Karen-Inge %A Nordentoft,Merete %A Kerkhof,Ad JFM %+ Copenhagen Mental Health Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Kildegårdsvej 28, opgang 15, 4.sal, Hellerup, 2900, Denmark, 45 35316236, trine.madsen@regionh.dk %K suicidal ideation %K online self-help %K trajectories %K latent growth mixture modeling %D 2016 %7 30.06.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Suicidal ideation (SI) is a common mental health problem. Variability in intensity of SI over time has been linked to suicidal behavior, yet little is known about the temporal course of SI. Objective: The primary aim was to identify prototypical trajectories of SI in the general population and, secondarily, to examine whether receiving Web-based self-help for SI, psychiatric symptoms, or sociodemographics predicted membership in the identified SI trajectories. Methods: We enrolled 236 people, from the general Dutch population seeking Web-based help for SI, in a randomized controlled trial comparing a Web-based self-help for SI group with a control group. We assessed participants at inclusion and at 2, 4, and 6 weeks. The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation was applied at all assessments and was included in latent growth mixture modeling analysis to empirically identify trajectories. Results: We identified 4 SI trajectories. The high stable trajectory represented 51.7% (122/236) of participants and was characterized by constant high level of SI. The high decreasing trajectory (50/236, 21.2%) consisted of people with a high baseline SI score followed by a gradual decrease to a very low score. The third trajectory, high increasing (12/236, 5.1%), also had high initial SI score, followed by an increase to the highest level of SI at 6 weeks. The fourth trajectory, low stable (52/236, 22.0%) had a constant low level of SI. Previous attempted suicide and having received Web-based self-help for SI predicted membership in the high decreasing trajectory. Conclusions: Many adults experience high persisting levels of SI, though results encouragingly indicate that receiving Web-based self-help for SI increased membership in a decreasing trajectory of SI. %M 27363482 %R 10.2196/jmir.5904 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/6/e178/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5904 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27363482 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 6 %P e163 %T Being Human: A Qualitative Interview Study Exploring Why a Telehealth Intervention for Management of Chronic Conditions Had a Modest Effect %A O'Cathain,Alicia %A Drabble,Sarah J %A Foster,Alexis %A Horspool,Kimberley %A Edwards,Louisa %A Thomas,Clare %A Salisbury,Chris %+ Medical Care Research Unit, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield, Regent Court, 30 Regent Street, Sheffield, S1 4DA, United Kingdom, 44 114 222 0770, a.ocathain@sheffield.ac.uk %K telehealth %K depression %K cardiovascular diseases %K qualitative research %K chronic disease %K randomized controlled trials %K primary health care %D 2016 %7 30.06.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Evidence of benefit for telehealth for chronic conditions is mixed. Two linked randomized controlled trials tested the Healthlines Service for 2 chronic conditions: depression and high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This new telehealth service consisted of regular telephone calls from nonclinical, trained health advisers who followed standardized scripts generated by interactive software. Advisors facilitated self-management by supporting participants to use Web-based resources and helped to optimize medication, improve treatment adherence, and encourage healthier lifestyles. Participants were recruited from primary care. The trials identified moderate (for depression) or partial (for CVD risk) effectiveness of the Healthlines Service. Objective: An embedded qualitative study was undertaken to help explain the results of the 2 trials by exploring mechanisms of action, context, and implementation of the intervention. Methods: Qualitative interview study of 21 staff providing usual health care or involved in the intervention and 24 patients receiving the intervention. Results: Interviewees described improved outcomes in some patients, which they attributed to the intervention, describing how components of the model on which the intervention was based helped to achieve benefits. Implementation of the intervention occurred largely as planned. However, contextual issues in patients’ lives and some problems with implementation may have reduced the size of effect of the intervention. For depression, patients’ lives and preferences affected engagement with the intervention: these largely working-age patients had busy and complex lives, which affected their ability to engage, and some patients preferred a therapist-based approach to the cognitive behavioral therapy on offer. For CVD risk, patients’ motivations adversely affected the intervention whereby some patients joined the trial for general health improvement or from altruism, rather than motivation to make lifestyle changes to address their specific risk factors. Implementation was not optimal in the early part of the CVD risk trial owing to technical difficulties and the need to adapt the intervention for use in practice. For both conditions, enthusiastic and motivated staff offering continuity of intervention delivery tailored to individual patients’ needs were identified as important for patient engagement with telehealth; this was not delivered consistently, particularly in the early stages of the trials. Finally, there was a lack of active engagement from primary care. Conclusions: The conceptual model was supported and could be used to develop further telehealth interventions for chronic conditions. It may be possible to increase the effectiveness of this, and similar interventions, by attending to the human as well as the technical aspects of telehealth: offering it to patients actively wanting the intervention, ensuring continuity of delivery by enthusiastic and motivated staff, and encouraging active engagement from primary care staff. %M 27363434 %R 10.2196/jmir.5879 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/6/e163/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5879 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27363434 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 6 %P e156 %T Does a Mobile Phone Depression-Screening App Motivate Mobile Phone Users With High Depressive Symptoms to Seek a Health Care Professional’s Help? %A BinDhim,Nasser F %A Alanazi,Eman M %A Aljadhey,Hisham %A Basyouni,Mada H %A Kowalski,Stefan R %A Pont,Lisa G %A Shaman,Ahmed M %A Trevena,Lyndal %A Alhawassi,Tariq M %+ College of Health Sciences, Health Informatics, Saudi Electronic University, Abu Baker St, Riyadh, 11673, Saudi Arabia, 966 112613500 ext 1065, nbin6641@uni.sydney.edu.au %K mental health %K depression %K mobile phone %K public health informatics %K patients’ screening %D 2016 %7 27.06.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: The objective of disease screening is to encourage high-risk subjects to seek health care diagnosis and treatment. Mobile phone apps can effectively screen mental health conditions, including depression. However, it is not known how effective such screening methods are in motivating users to discuss the obtained results of such apps with health care professionals. Does a mobile phone depression-screening app motivate users with high depressive symptoms to seek health care professional advice? This study aimed to address this question. Method: This was a single-cohort, prospective, observational study of a free mobile phone depression app developed in English and released on Apple’s App Store. Apple App Store users (aged 18 or above) in 5 countries, that is, Australia, Canada, New Zealand (NZ), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US), were recruited directly via the app’s download page. The participants then completed the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and their depression screening score was displayed to them. If their score was 11 or above and they had never been diagnosed with depression before, they were advised to take their results to their health care professional. They were to follow up after 1 month. Results: A group of 2538 participants from the 5 countries completed PHQ-9 depression screening with the app. Of them, 322 participants were found to have high depressive symptoms and had never been diagnosed with depression, and received advice to discuss their results with health care professionals. About 74% of those completed the follow-up; approximately 38% of these self-reported consulting their health care professionals about their depression score. Only positive attitude toward depression as a real disease was associated with increased follow-up response rate (odds ratio (OR) 3.2, CI 1.38-8.29). Conclusions: A mobile phone depression-screening app motivated some users to seek a depression diagnosis. However, further study should investigate how other app users use the screening results provided by such apps. %M 27349441 %R 10.2196/jmir.5726 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/6/e156/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5726 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27349441 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 6 %P e152 %T Changing Mental Health and Positive Psychological Well-Being Using Ecological Momentary Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis %A Versluis,Anke %A Verkuil,Bart %A Spinhoven,Philip %A van der Ploeg,Melanie M %A Brosschot,Jos F %+ Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, Leiden, 2333 AK, Netherlands, 31 715276343, a.versluis@fsw.leidenuniv.nl %K mHealth %K ecological momentary intervention %K mental health %K anxiety %K depression %K stress %K meta-analysis %K systematic review %D 2016 %7 27.06.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mental health problems are highly prevalent, and there is need for the self-management of (mental) health. Ecological momentary interventions (EMIs) can be used to deliver interventions in the daily life of individuals using mobile devices. Objectives: The aim of this study was to systematically assess and meta-analyze the effect of EMI on 3 highly prevalent mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, and perceived stress) and positive psychological outcomes (eg, acceptance). Methods: PsycINFO and Web of Science were searched for relevant publications, and the last search was done in September 2015. Three concepts were used to find publications: (1) mental health, (2) mobile phones, and (3) interventions. A total of 33 studies (using either a within- or between-subject design) including 43 samples that received an EMI were identified (n=1301), and relevant study characteristics were coded using a standardized form. Quality assessment was done with the Cochrane Collaboration tool. Results: Most of the EMIs focused on a clinical sample, used an active intervention (that offered exercises), and in over half of the studies, additional support by a mental health professional (MHP) was given. The EMI lasted on average 7.48 weeks (SD=6.46), with 2.80 training episodes per day (SD=2.12) and 108.25 total training episodes (SD=123.00). Overall, 27 studies were included in the meta-analysis, and after removing 6 outliers, a medium effect was found on mental health in the within-subject analyses (n=1008), with g=0.57 and 95% CI (0.45-0.70). This effect did not differ as function of outcome type (ie, anxiety, depression, perceived stress, acceptance, relaxation, and quality of life). The only moderator for which the effect varied significantly was additional support by an MHP (MHP-supported EMI, g=0.73, 95% CI: 0.57-0.88; stand-alone EMI, g=0.45, 95% CI: 0.22-0.69; stand-alone EMI with access to care as usual, g=0.38, 95% CI: 0.11-0.64). In the between-subject studies, 13 studies were included, and a small to medium effect was found (g=0.40, 95% CI: 0.22-0.57). Yet, these between-subject analyses were at risk for publication bias and were not suited for moderator analyses. Furthermore, the overall quality of the studies was relatively low. Conclusions: Results showed that there was a small to medium effect of EMIs on mental health and positive psychological well-being and that the effect was not different between outcome types. Moreover, the effect was larger with additional support by an MHP. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to further strengthen the results and to determine potential moderator variables. Overall, EMIs offer great potential for providing easy and cost-effective interventions to improve mental health and increase positive psychological well-being. %M 27349305 %R 10.2196/jmir.5642 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/6/e152/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5642 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27349305 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e112 %T A Web-Based Psychoeducational Intervention Program for Depression and Anxiety in an Adult Community in Selangor, Malaysia: Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Kader Maideen,Siti Fatimah %A Mohd-Sidik,Sherina %A Rampal,Lekhraj %A Mukhtar,Firdaus %A Ibrahim,Normala %A Phang,Cheng-Kar %A Tan,Kit-Aun %A Ahmad,Rozali %+ Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, 43400, Malaysia, 60 89472530, sherina@upm.edu.my %K Web-based intervention %K randomized controlled trial %K depression %K anxiety %K psychoeducation %K community %K Malaysia %D 2016 %7 21.06.2016 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Mental disorders are a major public health problem and are debilitating in many nations throughout the world. Many individuals either do not or are not able to access treatment. The Internet can be a medium to convey to the community accessible evidenced-based interventions to reduce these burdens. Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of 4 weeks of a Web-based psychoeducational intervention program for depressive and anxiety symptoms in the community of Selangor, Malaysia. Methods: A two-arm randomized controlled trial of a single-blind study will be conducted to meet the objective of this study. We aim to recruit 84 participants each for the intervention and control groups. The recruitment will be from participants who participated in the first phase of this research. The primary outcomes of this study are depressive and anxiety scores, which will be assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7, respectively. The secondary outcome includes mental health literacy of the participants, which will be assessed using the self-developed and adapted Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire. The psychoeducational intervention program consists of four sessions, which will be accessed each week. The depressive and anxiety symptoms will be compared between participants who participated in the psychoeducational program compared with the control group. Depressive and anxiety scores and mental health literacy will be assessed at week 1 and at follow-ups at week 5 and week 12, respectively. Results: The psychoeducational intervention program consists of four sessions, which will be accessed at each week. The depressive and anxiety symptoms will be compared between the intervention and control groups using a series of mixed ANOVAs. Depressive and anxiety scores and mental health literacy will be assessed at week 1 and at two follow-ups at week 5 and week 12, respectively. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study will be the first randomized controlled trial of a Web-based psychoeducational intervention program for depression and anxiety in an adult community in Malaysia. The results from this study will determine the effectiveness of a psychoeducational intervention program in the management of depression and anxiety among adults in the community. If proven to be effective, the intervention can serve as a new modality to manage and reduce the burden of these disorders in the community. ClinicalTrial: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 39656144; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN39656144 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6hSVhV71K) %M 27329333 %R 10.2196/resprot.4622 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2016/2/e112/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.4622 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27329333 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 6 %P e153 %T Primary Care Provider Views About Usefulness and Dissemination of a Web-Based Depression Treatment Information Decision Aid %A Beaulac,Julie %A Westmacott,Robin %A Walker,John R %A Vardanyan,Gohar %A , %+ The Ottawa Hospital, Psychology Department, 501 Smyth Road, Room 7300 General Campus, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada, 1 613 737 8899 ext 75078, jbeaulac@toh.on.ca %K decision aid %K depression %K treatment %K dissemination %D 2016 %7 08.06.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Decisions related to mental health are often complex, problems often remain undetected and untreated, information unavailable or not used, and treatment decisions frequently not informed by best practice or patient preferences. Objective: The objective of this paper was to obtain the opinions of health professionals working in primary health care settings about a Web-based information decision aid (IDA) for patients concerning treatment options for depression and the dissemination of the resources in primary care settings. Methods: Participants were recruited from primary care clinics in Winnipeg and Ottawa, Canada, and included 48 family physicians, nurses, and primary care staff. The study design was a qualitative framework analytic approach of 5 focus groups. Focus groups were conducted during regular staff meetings, were digitally recorded, and transcripts created. Analysis involved a content and theme analysis. Results: Seven key themes emerged including the key role of the primary care provider, common questions about treatments, treatment barriers, sources of patient information, concern about quality and quantity of available information, positive opinions about the IDA, and disseminating the IDA. The most common questions mentioned were about medication and side effects and alternatives to medication. Patients have limited access to alternative treatment options owing to cost and availability. Conclusions: Practitioners evaluated the IDA positively. The resources were described as useful, supportive of providers’ messages, and accessible for patients. There was unanimous consensus that information needs to be available electronically through the Internet. %M 27277709 %R 10.2196/jmir.5458 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/6/e153/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5458 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27277709 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 6 %P e132 %T Preferred Features of E-Mental Health Programs for Prevention of Major Depression in Male Workers: Results From a Canadian National Survey %A Wang,JianLi %A Lam,Raymond W %A Ho,Kendall %A Attridge,Mark %A Lashewicz,Bonnie M %A Patten,Scott B %A Marchand,Alain %A Aiken,Alice %A Schmitz,Norbert %A Gundu,Sarika %A Rewari,Nitika %A Hodgins,David %A Bulloch,Andrew %A Merali,Zul %+ Department of Psychiatry, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr. NW, Calgary, AB, T2N4Z6, Canada, 1 403 2108653, jlwang@ucalgary.ca %K depression %K Internet %K prevention %K e-mental health programs %K design features %K men %D 2016 %7 06.06.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Major depression is a prevalent mental disorder and imposes considerable burden on health and productivity. Men are not immune to major depression, yet they often delay seeking help because of perceived stigma and gender norms. E-mental health programs hold potential for early prevention of major depression. However, we have little knowledge about men’s preferences for design features of e-mental health programs. Objectives: The objective of this study was to (1) estimate and compare the proportions of Internet use for medical information, preferred design features, and likely use of e-mental health programs; (2) examine factors associated with the likely use of e-mental health programs; and (3) understand potential barriers to the use of e-mental health programs among Canadian working men, who were at high risk of a major depressive episode (MDE). Methods: A cross-sectional survey in 10 Canadian provinces was conducted between March and December 2015. Random digit dialing method was used through household landlines and cell phones to collect data from 511 working men who were at high risk of having an MDE and 330 working men who were at low risk of having an MDE. Results: High-risk men were more likely to endorse the importance of accessing health resources on the Internet than low-risk men (83.4% vs 75.0%, respectively; P=.01). Of the 17 different features assessed, the top three features most likely to be used by high-risk men were: “information about improving sleep hygiene” (61.3%), “practice and exercise to help reduce symptoms of stress and depression” (59.5%), and “having access to quality information and resources about work stress issues” (57.8%). Compared with men at low risk for MDE, men at high risk for MDE were much more likely to consider using almost every one of the different design features. Differences in preferences for the design features by age among men at high risk of MDE were found only for 3 of 17 features. Differences in preferences for design features between English- and French-speaking participants were found only for 4 out of the 17 features. Analysis of qualitative data revealed that privacy issues, perceived stigma, ease of navigation, personal relevance, and lack of personal interaction, time, and knowledge were identified as barriers to the use of e-mental health programs in working men who were at high risk of MDE. Conclusion: E-mental health programs may be a promising strategy for prevention of depression in working men. Development of e-mental health programs should consider men’s preferences and perceived barriers to enhance the acceptability of this approach. %M 27267782 %R 10.2196/jmir.5685 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/6/e132/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5685 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27267782 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications %V 5 %N 2 %P e96 %T Prevalence of Depression in Medical Students at the Lebanese University and Exploring its Correlation With Facebook Relevance: A Questionnaire Study %A Naja,Wadih J %A Kansoun,Alaa H %A Haddad,Ramzi S %+ Faculty of Medical Sciences, Lebanese University, Lebanon, Beirut, Hadath, Lebanese University Dorms, Beirut,, Lebanon, 961 3619661, a.kanso@hotmail.com %K depression %K Facebook %K PHQ-9 %K FbRQ %K Lebanese University Faculty of Medicine %D 2016 %7 31.05.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: The prevalence of major depression is particularly high in medical students, affecting around one-third of this population. Moreover, online social media, in particular Facebook, is becoming an intrinsic part in the life of a growing proportion of individuals worldwide. Objective: Our primary objective is to identify the prevalence of depression in medical students at the Lebanese University Faculty of Medicine, a unique state university in Lebanon, its correlation with the utilization of the interactive features of Facebook, and the way students may resort to these features. Methods: Students of the Lebanese University Faculty of Medicine were assessed for (1) depression and (2) Facebook activity. To screen for major depression, we used the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale. To test for Facebook activity, we developed the Facebook Resorting Questionnaire (FbRQ), which measures the degree to which students resort to Facebook. Results: A total of 365 out of 480 students (76.0%) participated in the survey. A total of 25 students were excluded, hence 340 students were included in the final analysis. Current depression was reported in 117 students out of 340 (34.4%) and t tests showed female predominance. Moreover, PHQ-9 score multiple regression analysis showed that feeling depressed is explained 63.5% of the time by specific independent variables studied from the PHQ-9 and the FbRQ. Depression varied significantly among the different academic years (P<.001) and it peaked in the third-year students. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that depression and resorting to Facebook had a positive and significant relationship (P=.003) and the different FbRQ categories had significant differences in resorting-to-Facebook power. The like, add friend, and check-in features students used when resorting to Facebook were significantly associated with depression. Conclusions: This study showed that depression was highly prevalent among students of the Faculty of Medicine at the Lebanese University. Moreover, Facebook may be a promising, helpful, psychological tool for optimizing the management of depression. Our study brought to bear further questions that now prompt further observation and scrutiny to know more about the high rates of depression in this student population, more so in the part of the world studied, and to the growing role of social media. %M 27246394 %R 10.2196/resprot.4551 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2016/2/e96/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.4551 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27246394 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications %V 3 %N 2 %P e23 %T Mobile Phone and Web-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Depressive Symptoms and Mental Health Comorbidities in People Living With Diabetes: Results of a Feasibility Study %A Clarke,Janine %A Proudfoot,Judith %A Ma,Howard %+ Black Dog Institute, Hospital Road, Randwick, 2031, Australia, 61 2 9382 3767, janine.clarke@unsw.edu.au %K diabetes %K depression %K Internet interventions %K eHealth %K CBT %D 2016 %7 31.05.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Ment Health %G English %X Background: Depression is often comorbid with diabetes; however, undertreatment of depressive symptoms in people affected is common. Objective: We studied preliminary acceptability and effectiveness of a fully automated, mobile phone, and web-based public health intervention, myCompass, for reducing depressive symptoms and improving mental health comorbidities in people with diabetes. Methods: In this single-group feasibility study, 89 volunteers with type 1 (n=34) or type 2 (n=55) diabetes and at least mild depressive symptoms used myCompass for 7 weeks. Web-based measures of depressive and anxious symptoms, functional impairment, diabetes-specific variables, and user satisfaction were completed at baseline, postintervention, and 3-month follow-up. Results: Retention rates were 54% (n=48) at postintervention and 36% (n=32) at follow-up. Depressive symptoms were significantly improved at postintervention (P<.001; within-group effect size d=1.05), with gains persisting at follow-up. Mental health comorbidities, including anxiety (P<.001), functioning (P<.001), and diabetes-specific distress (P<.001), also showed significant and sustained improvement. Satisfaction with myCompass was high, with convenience and ease of program use, and relevance of program content rated positively by participants. Conclusions: The myCompass program shows promise as an acceptable and effective treatment for depression and comorbid mental health problems in people with diabetes. The program is broadly available, free to use, and may benefit patients with diabetes who do not access services and/or wish to manage their mental health themselves. Replication of these findings in a controlled study is warranted. %M 27245948 %R 10.2196/mental.5131 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/2/e23/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5131 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27245948 %0 Journal Article %@ 2369-1999 %I JMIR Publications %V 2 %N 1 %P e7 %T Assessment of Cancer Survivors’ Experiences of Using a Publicly Available Physical Activity Mobile Application %A Puszkiewicz,Patrycja %A Roberts,Anna L %A Smith,Lee %A Wardle,Jane %A Fisher,Abigail %+ Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom, 44 02076791723, anna.roberts.15@ucl.ac.uk %K cancer survivors %K mobile applications %K mHealth %K physical activity %K sleep %D 2016 %7 31.05.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Cancer %G English %X Background: Regular participation in physical activity (PA) is associated with improved physical and psychosocial outcomes in cancer survivors. However, PA levels are low during and after cancer treatment. Interventions to promote PA in this population are needed. PA mobile apps are popular and have potential to increase PA participation, but little is known about how appropriate or relevant they are for cancer survivors. Objective: This study aims to (1) assess recruitment, study uptake, and engagement for a publicly available PA mobile app (GAINFitness) intervention in cancer survivors; (2) assess cancer survivors’ attitudes towards the app; (3) understand how the app could be adapted to better meet the needs of cancer survivors; and (4) to determine the potential for change in PA participation and psychosocial outcomes over a 6-week period of using the app. Methods: The present study was a one-arm, pre-post design. Cancer survivors (N=11) aged 33 to 62 years with a mean (SD) age of 45 (9.4), and 82% (9/11) female, were recruited (via community/online convenience sampling to use the app for 6 weeks). Engagement with the app was measured using self-reported frequency and duration of usage. Qualitative semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted after the 6-week study period and were analyzed using thematic analysis. PA, well-being, fatigue, quality of life (QOL), sleep quality, and anxiety and depression were self-reported at baseline and at a 6-week follow-up using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G), the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy (FACIT)-Fatigue Scale Questionnaire, the Health and Quality of Life Outcomes (EQ5D) Questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. Results: Of the people who responded to the study advertisement, 73% (16/22) agreed to participate and 100% (11/11) of the participants who started the study completed all baseline and follow-up outcome measures and the telephone interview. On average, participants used the app twice a week for 25 minutes per session. Four themes were identified from the qualitative interviews surrounding the suitability of the app for cancer survivors and how it could be adapted: (1) barriers to PA, (2) receiving advice about PA from reliable sources, (3) tailoring the application to one’s lifestyle, and (4) receiving social support from others. Pre-post comparison showed significant increases in strenuous PA, improvements in sleep quality, and reductions in mild PA. There were no significant changes in moderate PA or other psychosocial outcomes. Conclusions: All participants engaged with the app and qualitative interviews highlighted that the app was well-received. A generic PA mobile app could bring about positive improvements in PA participation and psychosocial outcomes among cancer survivors. However, a targeted PA app aimed specifically towards cancer survivors may increase the relevance and suitability of the app for this population. %M 28410168 %R 10.2196/cancer.5380 %U http://cancer.jmir.org/2016/1/e7/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/cancer.5380 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28410168 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications %V 18 %N 5 %P e121 %T Acceptability of Interventions Delivered Online and Through Mobile Phones for People Who Experience Severe Mental Health Problems: A Systematic Review %A Berry,Natalie %A Lobban,Fiona %A Emsley,Richard %A Bucci,Sandra %+ School of Psychological Sciences, Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Room S42, Zochonis Building, Brunswick Street, Manchester, M13 9PL, United Kingdom, 44 16130 ext 60428, natalie.berry@manchester.ac.uk %K mHealth %K eHealth %K severe mental health %K psychosis %K bipolar disorder %K personality disorder %K severe mental health problems (SMI) %K acceptability %D 2016 %7 31.05.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Psychological interventions are recommended for people with severe mental health problems (SMI). However, barriers exist in the provision of these services and access is limited. Therefore, researchers are beginning to develop and deliver interventions online and via mobile phones. Previous research has indicated that interventions delivered in this format are acceptable for people with SMI. However, a comprehensive systematic review is needed to investigate the acceptability of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI in depth. Objective: This systematic review aimed to 1) identify the hypothetical acceptability (acceptability prior to or without the delivery of an intervention) and actual acceptability (acceptability where an intervention was delivered) of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI, 2) investigate the impact of factors such as demographic and clinical characteristics on acceptability, and 3) identify common participant views in qualitative studies that pinpoint factors influencing acceptability. Methods: We conducted a systematic search of the databases PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science in April 2015, which yielded a total of 8017 search results, with 49 studies meeting the full inclusion criteria. Studies were included if they measured acceptability through participant views, module completion rates, or intervention use. Studies delivering interventions were included if the delivery method was online or via mobile phones. Results: The hypothetical acceptability of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI was relatively low, while actual acceptability tended to be high. Hypothetical acceptability was higher for interventions delivered via text messages than by emails. The majority of studies that assessed the impact of demographic characteristics on acceptability reported no significant relationships between the two. Additionally, actual acceptability was higher when participants were provided remote online support. Common qualitative factors relating to acceptability were safety and privacy concerns, the importance of an engaging and appealing delivery format, the inclusion of peer support, computer and mobile phone literacy, technical issues, and concerns about the impact of psychological state on intervention use. Conclusions: This systematic review provides an in-depth focus on the acceptability of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions for SMI and identified the need for further research in this area. Based on the results from this review, we recommend that researchers measure both hypothetical and actual acceptability to identify whether initial perceptions of online and mobile phone-delivered interventions change after access. In addition, more focus is needed on the potential impact of demographic and clinical characteristics on acceptability. The review also identified issues with module completion rates and intervention use as measures of acceptability. We therefore advise researchers to obtain qualitative reports of acceptability throughout each phase of intervention development and testing. Further implications and opportunities for future research are discussed. %M 27245693 %R 10.2196/jmir.5250 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/5/e121/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5250 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27245693 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 2 %P e20 %T Community Structure of a Mental Health Internet Support Group: Modularity in User Thread Participation %A Carron-Arthur,Bradley %A Reynolds,Julia %A Bennett,Kylie %A Bennett,Anthony %A Cunningham,John Alastair %A Griffiths,Kathleen Margaret %+ National Institute for Mental Health Research, Research School of Population Health, The Australian National University, 63 Eggleston road, Acton, 2601, Australia, 61 2 6125 6825, Bradley.Carron-Arthur@anu.edu.au %K internet %K support group %K social network %K modularity %K mental health %K super user %D 2016 %7 30.05.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Little is known about the community structure of mental health Internet support groups, quantitatively. A greater understanding of the factors, which lead to user interaction, is needed to explain the design information of these services and future research concerning their utility. Objective: A study was conducted to determine the characteristics of users associated with the subgroup community structure of an Internet support group for mental health issues. Methods: A social network analysis of the Internet support group BlueBoard (blueboard.anu.edu.au) was performed to determine the modularity of the community using the Louvain method. Demographic characteristics age, gender, residential location, type of user (consumer, carer, or other), registration date, and posting frequency in subforums (depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, carers, general (eg, “chit chat”), and suggestions box) of the BlueBoard users were assessed as potential predictors of the resulting subgroup structure. Results: The analysis of modularity identified five main subgroups in the BlueBoard community. Registration date was found to be the largest contributor to the modularity outcome as observed by multinomial logistic regression. The addition of this variable to the final model containing all other factors improved its classification accuracy by 46.3%, that is, from 37.9% to 84.2%. Further investigation of this variable revealed that the most active and central users registered significantly earlier than the median registration time in each group. Conclusions: The five subgroups resembled five generations of BlueBoard in distinct eras that transcended discussion about different mental health issues. This finding may be due to the activity of highly engaged and central users who communicate with many other users. Future research should seek to determine the generalizability of this finding and investigate the role that highly active and central users may play in the formation of this phenomenon. %M 27242012 %R 10.2196/mental.4961 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/2/e20/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4961 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27242012 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 2 %P e18 %T A Thematic Analysis of Stigma and Disclosure for Perinatal Depression on an Online Forum %A Moore,Donna %A Ayers,Susan %A Drey,Nicholas %+ Centre for Maternal and Child Health, School of Health Sciences, City University London, Northampton Square, London, EC1V OHB, United Kingdom, 44 207 040 5060, Donna.Moore.1@city.ac.uk %K perinatal %K online %K Internet %K depression %K eHealth %D 2016 %7 19.05.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Perinatal mental illness is a global health concern; however, many women do not get the treatment they need to recover. Some women choose not to seek professional help and get no treatment because they feel stigmatized. Online forums for various health conditions, including perinatal mental health, can be beneficial for members. Little is known about the role that online forums for perinatal mental illness play in reducing stigma and subsequent disclosure of symptoms to health care providers and treatment uptake. Objective: This study aimed to examine stigma and disclosure in forums and describe any potential disadvantages of forum use. Methods: An online forum for mothers was examined and 1546 messages extracted from 102 threads from the antenatal and postnatal depression section. These messages were subjected to deductive systematic thematic analysis to identify common themes regarding stigma and disclosure of symptoms and potential disadvantages of forum use. Results: Two major themes were identified: stigma and negative experiences of disclosure. Stigma had 3 subthemes: internal stigma, external stigma, and treatment stigma. Many women were concerned about feeling like a “bad” or “failed” mother and worried that if they disclosed their symptoms to a health care provider they would be stigmatized. Posts in response to this frequently encouraged women to disclose their symptoms to health care providers and accept professional treatment. Forum discourse reconstructed the ideology of motherhood as compatible with perinatal mental illness, especially if the woman sought help and adhered to treatment. Many women overcame stigma and replied that they had taken advice and disclosed to a health care provider and/or taken treatment. Conclusions: Forum use may increase women's disclosure to health care providers by challenging their internal and external stigma and this may strengthen professional treatment uptake and adherence. However, a few posts described negative experiences when disclosing to health care providers. %M 27197516 %R 10.2196/mental.5611 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/2/e18/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5611 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27197516 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 2 %P e12 %T Direction to an Internet Support Group Compared With Online Expressive Writing for People With Depression and Anxiety: A Randomized Trial %A Dean,Jeremy %A Potts,Henry WW %A Barker,Chris %+ Department of Clinical, Educational, and Health Psychology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom, 44 20 7679 5962, c.barker@ucl.ac.uk %K depression %K anxiety %K Internet support %K online support %K expressive writing %D 2016 %7 17.05.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Depression and anxiety are common, often comorbid, conditions, and Internet support groups for them are well used. However, little rigorous research has been conducted on the outcome of these groups. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an Internet support group in reducing depression and anxiety, and increasing social support and life satisfaction. Methods: A randomized trial compared direction to an existing Internet support group for depression and anxiety with an online expressive writing condition. A total of 863 (628 female) United Kingdom, United States, and Canadian volunteers were recruited via the Internet. Online, self-report measures of depression, anxiety, social support, and satisfaction with life were administered at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Results: All four outcomes – depression, anxiety, social support, and satisfaction with life – improved over the 6 months of the study (all P<.001). There was no difference in outcome between the two conditions: participants responded similarly to the expressive writing and the Internet support group. Engagement with the Internet support group was low, it had high 6-month attrition (692/795, 87%) and low adherence, and it received mixed and often negative feedback. The main problems reported were a lack of comfort and connection with others, negative social comparisons, and the potential for receiving bad advice. Expressive writing had lower attrition (194/295, 65%) and participants reported that it was more acceptable. Conclusions: Until further evidence accumulates, directing people with depression and anxiety to Internet support groups cannot be recommended. On the other hand, online expressive writing seems to have potential, and its use for people with depression and anxiety warrants further investigation. Trial Registration: Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01149265; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01149265 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6hYISlNFT) %M 27189142 %R 10.2196/mental.5133 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/2/e12/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5133 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27189142 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 2 %P e21 %T Validating Machine Learning Algorithms for Twitter Data Against Established Measures of Suicidality %A Braithwaite,Scott R %A Giraud-Carrier,Christophe %A West,Josh %A Barnes,Michael D %A Hanson,Carl Lee %+ Computational Health Science Research Group, Department of Health Science, Brigham Young University, 4103B Life Sciences Building, Provo, UT, 84602, United States, 1 (801) 422 9103, carl_hanson@byu.edu %K suicide %K social media %K twitter %K machine learning %D 2016 %7 16.05.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: One of the leading causes of death in the United States (US) is suicide and new methods of assessment are needed to track its risk in real time. Objective: Our objective is to validate the use of machine learning algorithms for Twitter data against empirically validated measures of suicidality in the US population. Methods: Using a machine learning algorithm, the Twitter feeds of 135 Mechanical Turk (MTurk) participants were compared with validated, self-report measures of suicide risk. Results: Our findings show that people who are at high suicidal risk can be easily differentiated from those who are not by machine learning algorithms, which accurately identify the clinically significant suicidal rate in 92% of cases (sensitivity: 53%, specificity: 97%, positive predictive value: 75%, negative predictive value: 93%). Conclusions: Machine learning algorithms are efficient in differentiating people who are at a suicidal risk from those who are not. Evidence for suicidality can be measured in nonclinical populations using social media data. %M 27185366 %R 10.2196/mental.4822 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/2/e21/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4822 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27185366 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 5 %N 2 %P e65 %T Comparing Brief Internet-Based Compassionate Mind Training and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Perinatal Women: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Kelman,Alex R %A Stanley,Meagan L %A Barrera,Alinne Z %A Cree,Michelle %A Heineberg,Yotam %A Gilbert,Paul %+ Palo Alto University, 1791 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto, CA, 94304, United States, 1 650 396 9349, akelman@paloaltou.edu %K perinatal depression %K comparative trial %K Internet intervention %K Amazon Mechanical Turk %D 2016 %7 15.04.2016 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Depression that occurs during the perinatal period has substantial costs for both the mother and her baby. Since in-person care often falls short of meeting the global need of perinatal women, Internet interventions may function as an alternate to help women who currently lack adequate access to face-to-face psychological resources. However, at present there are insufficient empirically supported Internet-based resources for perinatal women. Objective: The aim of this study is to compare the relative efficacy of Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to a novel Internet-based compassionate mind training approach (CMT) across measures of affect, self-reassurance, self-criticizing, self-attacking, self-compassion, depression, and anxiety. While CBT has been tested and has some support as an Internet tool for perinatal women, this is the first trial to look at CMT for perinatal women over the Internet. Methods: Participants were recruited through Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk) and professional networks. Following completion of demographic items, participants were randomly assigned to either the CBT or CMT condition. Each condition consisted of 45-minute interactive didactic and follow-up exercises to be completed over the course of two weeks. Results: Post course data was gathered at two weeks. A 2x2 repeated measures analysis of variance will be conducted to analyze differences between conditions at post course. Conclusions: The implications of the trial will be discussed as well as the strengths and limitations of MTurk as a tool for recruitment. We will also briefly introduce the future directions along this same line of research. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02469324; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02469324 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6fkSG3yuW) %M 27084301 %R 10.2196/resprot.5332 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2016/2/e65/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.5332 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27084301 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 18 %N 3 %P e80 %T Effectiveness of a Web-Based Guided Self-help Intervention for Outpatients With a Depressive Disorder: Short-term Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Kenter,Robin Maria Francisca %A Cuijpers,Pim %A Beekman,Aartjan %A van Straten,Annemieke %+ Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Netherlands, 31 20 59 88970, robin.kenter@vu.nl %K depression %K outpatient clinics %K Internet-based treatment %K problem solving therapy %K specialized mental health care %D 2016 %7 31.03.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Research has convincingly demonstrated that symptoms of depression can be reduced through guided Internet-based interventions. However, most of those studies recruited people form the general population. There is insufficient evidence for the effectiveness when delivered in routine clinical practice in outpatient clinics. Objective: The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to study patients with a depressive disorder (as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Disorders, fourth edition), as assessed by trained interviewers with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview, who registered for treatment at an outpatient mental health clinic. We aimed to examine the effectiveness of guided Internet-based self-help before starting face-to-face treatment. Methods: We recruited 269 outpatients, aged between 18 and 79 years, from outpatient clinics and randomly allocated them to Internet-based problem solving therapy (n=136), with weekly student support, or to a control condition, who remained on the waitlist with a self-help booklet (control group; n=133). Participants in both conditions were allowed to take up face-to-face treatment at the outpatient clinics afterward. We measured the primary outcome, depressive symptoms, by Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D). Secondary outcome measures were the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale Anxiety subscale (HADS-A), Insomnia Severity Index questionnaire (ISI), and EuroQol visual analog scale (EQ-5D VAS). All outcomes were assessed by telephone at posttest (8 weeks after baseline). Results: Posttest measures were completed by 184 (68.4%) participants. We found a moderate to large within-group effect size for both the intervention (d=0.75) and the control (d=0.69) group. However, the between-group effect size was very small (d=0.07), and regression analysis on posttreatment CES-D scores revealed no significant differences between the groups (b=1.134, 95% CI –2.495 to 4.763). The per-protocol analysis (≥4 sessions completed) results were also not significant (b=1.154, 95% CI –1.978 to 7.637). Between-group differences were small and not significant for all secondary outcomes. Adherence to the intervention was low. Only 36% (49/136) received an adequate dosage of the intervention (≥4 of 5 sessions). The overall treatment satisfaction was moderate. Conclusions: Internet-based problem solving therapy is not more effective in reducing symptoms of depression than receiving an unguided self-help book during the waitlist period at outpatient mental health clinics. The effect sizes are much smaller than those found in earlier research in the general population, and the low rates of adherence indicate that the acceptability of the intervention at this stage of treatment for depressed outpatients is low. However, taking into account that there is much evidence for the efficacy of Internet-based treatments, it is too early to draw firm conclusions about the effectiveness of these treatments in outpatient clinics as a whole. Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Register NTR2824; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=2824 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation/ 6g3WEuiqH) %M 27032449 %R 10.2196/jmir.4861 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/3/e80/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4861 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27032449 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 18 %N 3 %P e72 %T Mobile Phone-Based Unobtrusive Ecological Momentary Assessment of Day-to-Day Mood: An Explorative Study %A Asselbergs,Joost %A Ruwaard,Jeroen %A Ejdys,Michal %A Schrader,Niels %A Sijbrandij,Marit %A Riper,Heleen %+ Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Section Clinical Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, Amsterdam, 1081 BT, Netherlands, 31 20 59 88774, j.a.g.j.asselbergs@vu.nl %K affect %K data mining %K ecological momentary assessment %K experience sampling %K mobile phone sensing %D 2016 %7 29.03.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is a useful method to tap the dynamics of psychological and behavioral phenomena in real-world contexts. However, the response burden of (self-report) EMA limits its clinical utility. Objective: The aim was to explore mobile phone-based unobtrusive EMA, in which mobile phone usage logs are considered as proxy measures of clinically relevant user states and contexts. Methods: This was an uncontrolled explorative pilot study. Our study consisted of 6 weeks of EMA/unobtrusive EMA data collection in a Dutch student population (N=33), followed by a regression modeling analysis. Participants self-monitored their mood on their mobile phone (EMA) with a one-dimensional mood measure (1 to 10) and a two-dimensional circumplex measure (arousal/valence, –2 to 2). Meanwhile, with participants’ consent, a mobile phone app unobtrusively collected (meta) data from six smartphone sensor logs (unobtrusive EMA: calls/short message service (SMS) text messages, screen time, application usage, accelerometer, and phone camera events). Through forward stepwise regression (FSR), we built personalized regression models from the unobtrusive EMA variables to predict day-to-day variation in EMA mood ratings. The predictive performance of these models (ie, cross-validated mean squared error and percentage of correct predictions) was compared to naive benchmark regression models (the mean model and a lag-2 history model). Results: A total of 27 participants (81%) provided a mean 35.5 days (SD 3.8) of valid EMA/unobtrusive EMA data. The FSR models accurately predicted 55% to 76% of EMA mood scores. However, the predictive performance of these models was significantly inferior to that of naive benchmark models. Conclusions: Mobile phone-based unobtrusive EMA is a technically feasible and potentially powerful EMA variant. The method is young and positive findings may not replicate. At present, we do not recommend the application of FSR-based mood prediction in real-world clinical settings. Further psychometric studies and more advanced data mining techniques are needed to unlock unobtrusive EMA’s true potential. %M 27025287 %R 10.2196/jmir.5505 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/3/e72/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5505 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27025287 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 18 %N 3 %P e71 %T An Online Intervention for Co-Occurring Depression and Problematic Alcohol Use in Young People: Primary Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Deady,Mark %A Mills,Katherine L %A Teesson,Maree %A Kay-Lambkin,Frances %+ National Health and Medical Research Council Centre for Research Excellence in Mental Health and Substance Use, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Kensington, 2052, Australia, 61 293850320, m.deady@unsw.edu.au %K depression %K alcohol use, alcohol abuse, problem drinking %K young people at risk populations %K Internet %K intervention online therapy, eHealth %K comorbidity %D 2016 %7 23.03.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression and problematic alcohol use represent two of the major causes of disease burden in young adults. These conditions frequently co-occur and this is associated with increased harm and poorer outcomes than either disorder in isolation. Integrated treatments have been shown to be effective; however, there remains a significant gap between those in need of treatment and those receiving it. The increased availability of eHealth programs presents a unique opportunity to treat these conditions. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an automated Web-based self-help intervention (DEAL Project) in treating co-occurring depressive symptoms and problematic alcohol use in young people. Methods: Young people (aged 18 to 25 years) with moderate depression symptoms and drinking at hazardous levels (recruited largely via social media) were randomly allocated to the DEAL Project (n=60) or a Web-based attention-control condition (HealthWatch; n=44). The trial consisted of a 4-week intervention phase with follow-up assessment at posttreatment and at 3 and 6 months postbaseline. The primary outcomes were change in depression severity according to the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 as well as quantity and frequency of alcohol use (TOT-AL). Results: The DEAL Project was associated with statistically significant improvement in depression symptom severity (d=0.71) and reductions in alcohol use quantity (d=0.99) and frequency (d=0.76) in the short term compared to the control group. At 6-month follow-up, the improvements in the intervention group were maintained; however, the differences between the intervention and control groups were no longer statistically significant, such that between-group effects were in the small to moderate range at 6 months (depression symptoms: d=0.39; alcohol quantity: d=–0.09; alcohol frequency: d=0.24). Conclusions: Overall, the DEAL Project was associated with more rapid improvement in both depression symptoms and alcohol use outcomes in young people with these co-occurring conditions relative to an attention-control condition. However, long-term outcomes are less clear. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12613000033741; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=363461 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6fpsLEGOy) %M 27009465 %R 10.2196/jmir.5178 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/3/e71/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5178 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27009465 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 1 %P e11 %T Adjusting an Available Online Peer Support Platform in a Program to Supplement the Treatment of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety %A Baumel,Amit %A Schueller,Stephen M %+ The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, 350 Community Dr, Manhasset, NY, 11030, United States, 1 7184708267, abaumel@northwell.edu %K online %K peer %K support %K perinatal %K postpartum %K depression %K anxiety %D 2016 %7 21.03.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Perinatal depression and anxiety are common and debilitating conditions. Novel, cost effective services could improve the uptake and the impact of mental health resources among women who suffer from these conditions. E-mental health products are one example of such services. Many publically available e-mental health products exist, but these products lack validation and are not designed to be integrated into existing health care settings. Objective: The objective of the study was to present a program to use 7 Cups of Tea (7Cups), an available technological platform that provides online peer (ie, listener) based emotional support, to supplement treatment for women experiencing perinatal depression or anxiety and to summarize patient’s feedback on the resultant program. Methods: This study consisted of two stages. First, five clinicians specializing in the treatment of perinatal mood disorders received an overview of 7Cups. They provided feedback on the 7Cups platform and ways it could complement the existing treatment efforts to inform further adjustments. In the second stage, nine women with perinatal depression or anxiety used the platform for a single session and provided feedback. Results: In response to clinicians’ feedback, guidelines for referring patients to use 7Cups as a supplement for treatment were created, and a training program for listeners was developed. Patients found the platform usable and useful and their attitudes toward the trained listeners were positive. Overall, patients noted a need for support outside the scheduled therapy time and believed that freely available online emotional support could help meet this need. Most patients were interested in receiving support from first time mothers and those who suffered in the past from perinatal mood disorders. Conclusions: The study results highlight the use of 7Cups as a tool to introduce accessible and available support into existing treatment for women who suffer from perinatal mood disorders. Further research should focus on the benefits accrued from such a service. However, this article highlights how a publicly available eHealth product can be leveraged to create new services in a health care setting. %M 27001373 %R 10.2196/mental.5335 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/1/e11/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.5335 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27001373 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 18 %N 3 %P e63 %T Understanding Online Health Groups for Depression: Social Network and Linguistic Perspectives %A Xu,Ronghua %A Zhang,Qingpeng %+ Department of Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, , China (Hong Kong), 852 34424727, qingpeng.zhang@cityu.edu.hk %K mental health %K depression %K social media %K information science %K online health group %K social network analysis %D 2016 %7 10.03.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Mental health problems have become increasingly prevalent in the past decade. With the advance of Web 2.0 technologies, social media present a novel platform for Web users to form online health groups. Members of online health groups discuss health-related issues and mutually help one another by anonymously revealing their mental conditions, sharing personal experiences, exchanging health information, and providing suggestions and support. The conversations in online health groups contain valuable information to facilitate the understanding of their mutual help behaviors and their mental health problems. Objective: We aimed to characterize the conversations in a major online health group for major depressive disorder (MDD) patients in a popular Chinese social media platform. In particular, we intended to explain how Web users discuss depression-related issues from the perspective of the social networks and linguistic patterns revealed by the members’ conversations. Methods: Social network analysis and linguistic analysis were employed to characterize the social structure and linguistic patterns, respectively. Furthermore, we integrated both perspectives to exploit the hidden relations between them. Results: We found an intensive use of self-focus words and negative affect words. In general, group members used a higher proportion of negative affect words than positive affect words. The social network of the MDD group for depression possessed small-world and scale-free properties, with a much higher reciprocity ratio and clustering coefficient value as compared to the networks of other social media platforms and classic network models. We observed a number of interesting relationships, either strong correlations or convergent trends, between the topological properties and linguistic properties of the MDD group members. Conclusions: (1) The MDD group members have the characteristics of self-preoccupation and negative thought content, according to Beck’s cognitive theory of depression; (2) the social structure of the MDD group is much stickier than those of other social media groups, indicating the tendency of mutual communications and efficient spread of information in the MDD group; and (3) the linguistic patterns of MDD members are associated with their topological positions in the social network. %M 26966078 %R 10.2196/jmir.5042 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/3/e63/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.5042 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26966078 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 18 %N 3 %P e54 %T Internet Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Women With Postnatal Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial of MumMoodBooster %A Milgrom,Jeannette %A Danaher,Brian G %A Gemmill,Alan W %A Holt,Charlene %A Holt,Christopher J %A Seeley,John R %A Tyler,Milagra S %A Ross,Jessica %A Ericksen,Jennifer %+ Parent-Infant Research Institute, Department of Clinical & Health Psychology, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital Austin Health 330 Waterdale Road Heidelberg Heights, Melbourne, 3081, Australia, 61 03 9496 ext 4468, alan.gemmill@austin.org.au %K postnatal depression %K postpartum depression %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K Internet-based intervention %K randomized controlled trial %D 2016 %7 07.03.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: There are few published controlled trials examining the efficacy of Internet-based treatment for postnatal depression (PND) and none that assess diagnostic status (clinical remission) as the primary outcome. This is despite the need to improve treatment uptake and accessibility because fewer than 50% of postnatally depressed women seek help, even when identified as depressed. Objective: In a randomized controlled trial (RCT), we aimed to test the efficacy of a 6-session Internet intervention (the MumMoodBooster program, previously evaluated in a feasibility trial) in a sample of postnatal women with a clinical diagnosis of depression. The MumMoodBooster program is a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention, is highly interactive, includes a partner website, and was supported by low-intensity telephone coaching. Methods: This was a parallel 2-group RCT (N=43) comparing the Internet CBT treatment (n=21) to treatment as usual (n=22). At baseline and at 12 weeks after enrollment, women’s diagnostic status was assessed by telephone with the Standardized Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV) and symptom severity with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Depression symptoms were measured repeatedly throughout the study period with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Results: At the end of the study, 79% (15/19) of women who received the Internet CBT treatment no longer met diagnostic criteria for depression on the SCID-IV (these outcome data were missing for 2 intervention participants). This contrasted with only 18% (4/22) remission in the treatment as usual condition. Depression scores on the BDI-II showed a large effect favoring the intervention group (d=.83, 95% CI 0.20-1.45). Small to medium effects were found on the PHQ-9 and on measures of anxiety and stress. Adherence to the program was very good with 86% (18/21) of users completing all sessions; satisfaction with the program was rated 3.1 out of 4 on average. Conclusions: Our results suggest that our Internet CBT program, MumMoodBooster, is an effective treatment option for women clinically diagnosed with PND. This is one of only two controlled evaluations of specialized online psychological treatment among women clinically diagnosed with PND. MumMoodBooster appears to be a feasible, effective treatment option, which is potentially accessible to large numbers of women in metropolitan, rural, and remote areas. Future work might be focused profitably on establishing comparability with face-to-face treatments and purely self-guided delivery. We have commenced a larger RCT comparing MumMoodBooster with face-to-face CBT. Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12613000113752; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=363561 (Archived by WebCite® at http://www.webcitation.org/6f64kuyLf). %M 26952645 %R 10.2196/jmir.4993 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/3/e54/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4993 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26952645 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 1 %P e10 %T Therapeutic Alliance With a Fully Automated Mobile Phone and Web-Based Intervention: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial %A Clarke,Janine %A Proudfoot,Judith %A Whitton,Alexis %A Birch,Mary-Rose %A Boyd,Megan %A Parker,Gordon %A Manicavasagar,Vijaya %A Hadzi-Pavlovic,Dusan %A Fogarty,Andrea %+ Black Dog Institute, UNSW Australia, Hospital Road, Randwick NSW 2031, Australia, 61 2 9382 3767, Janine.clarke@unsw.edu.au %K therapeutic alliance %K e-therapy %K Internet interventions %K depression %K computerized cognitive behavior therapy %D 2016 %7 25.02.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Studies of Internet-delivered psychotherapies suggest that clients report development of a therapeutic alliance in the Internet environment. Because a majority of the interventions studied to date have been therapist-assisted to some degree, it remains unclear whether a therapeutic alliance can develop within the context of an Internet-delivered self-guided intervention with no therapist support, and whether this has consequences for program outcomes. Objective: This study reports findings of a secondary analysis of data from 90 participants with mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety, and/or stress who used a fully automated mobile phone and Web-based cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) intervention called “myCompass” in a recent randomized controlled trial (RCT). Methods: Symptoms, functioning, and positive well-being were assessed at baseline and post-intervention using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), and the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF). Therapeutic alliance was measured at post-intervention using the Agnew Relationship Measure (ARM), and this was supplemented with qualitative data obtained from 16 participant interviews. Extent of participant engagement with the program was also assessed. Results: Mean ratings on the ARM subscales were above the neutral midpoints, and the interviewees provided rich detail of a meaningful and collaborative therapeutic relationship with the myCompass program. Whereas scores on the ARM subscales did not correlate with treatment outcomes, participants’ ratings of the quality of their emotional connection with the program correlated significantly and positively with program logins, frequency of self-monitoring, and number of treatment modules completed (r values between .32-.38, P≤.002). The alliance (ARM) subscales measuring perceived empowerment (r=.26, P=.02) and perceived freedom to self-disclose (r=.25, P=.04) also correlated significantly in a positive direction with self-monitoring frequency. Conclusions: Quantitative and qualitative findings from this analysis showed that a positive therapeutic alliance can develop in the Internet environment in the absence of therapist support, and that components of the alliance may have implications for program usage. Further investigation of alliance features in the Internet environment and the consequences of these for treatment outcomes and user engagement is warranted. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry Number (ACTRN): 12610000625077; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=335772&isReview=true (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6efAc5xj4). %M 26917096 %R 10.2196/mental.4656 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/1/e10/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4656 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26917096 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 18 %N 2 %P e35 %T Examining the Relationship Between Past Orientation and US Suicide Rates: An Analysis Using Big Data-Driven Google Search Queries %A Lee,Donghyun %A Lee,Hojun %A Choi,Munkee %+ Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Graduate School of Innovation and Technology Management, Number 2115, N5 Building, 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141, Republic Of Korea, 82 42 350 4341, mk1515@kaist.ac.kr %K attitude %K big data %K Google search query %K Internet search %K past orientation %K suicide %D 2016 %7 11.02.2016 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Internet search query data reflect the attitudes of the users, using which we can measure the past orientation to commit suicide. Examinations of past orientation often highlight certain predispositions of attitude, many of which can be suicide risk factors. Objective: To investigate the relationship between past orientation and suicide rate by examining Google search queries. Methods: We measured the past orientation using Google search query data by comparing the search volumes of the past year and those of the future year, across the 50 US states and the District of Columbia during the period from 2004 to 2012. We constructed a panel dataset with independent variables as control variables; we then undertook an analysis using multiple ordinary least squares regression and methods that leverage the Akaike information criterion and the Bayesian information criterion. Results: It was found that past orientation had a positive relationship with the suicide rate (P≤.001) and that it improves the goodness-of-fit of the model regarding the suicide rate. Unemployment rate (P≤.001 in Models 3 and 4), Gini coefficient (P≤.001), and population growth rate (P≤.001) had a positive relationship with the suicide rate, whereas the gross state product (P≤.001) showed a negative relationship with the suicide rate. Conclusions: We empirically identified the positive relationship between the suicide rate and past orientation, which was measured by big data-driven Google search query. %M 26868917 %R 10.2196/jmir.4981 %U http://www.jmir.org/2016/2/e35/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4981 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26868917 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 4 %N 1 %P e15 %T Interrater Reliability of mHealth App Rating Measures: Analysis of Top Depression and Smoking Cessation Apps %A Powell,Adam C %A Torous,John %A Chan,Steven %A Raynor,Geoffrey Stephen %A Shwarts,Erik %A Shanahan,Meghan %A Landman,Adam B %+ Payer+Provider Syndicate, 8 Garrison St Ste 101, Boston, MA, MA, United States, 1 6179399168, powell@payerprovider.com %K mobile applications %K mental health %K evaluation studies %K health apps %K ratings %D 2016 %7 10.02.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR mHealth uHealth %G English %X Background: There are over 165,000 mHealth apps currently available to patients, but few have undergone an external quality review. Furthermore, no standardized review method exists, and little has been done to examine the consistency of the evaluation systems themselves. Objective: We sought to determine which measures for evaluating the quality of mHealth apps have the greatest interrater reliability. Methods: We identified 22 measures for evaluating the quality of apps from the literature. A panel of 6 reviewers reviewed the top 10 depression apps and 10 smoking cessation apps from the Apple iTunes App Store on these measures. Krippendorff’s alpha was calculated for each of the measures and reported by app category and in aggregate. Results: The measure for interactiveness and feedback was found to have the greatest overall interrater reliability (alpha=.69). Presence of password protection (alpha=.65), whether the app was uploaded by a health care agency (alpha=.63), the number of consumer ratings (alpha=.59), and several other measures had moderate interrater reliability (alphas>.5). There was the least agreement over whether apps had errors or performance issues (alpha=.15), stated advertising policies (alpha=.16), and were easy to use (alpha=.18). There were substantial differences in the interrater reliabilities of a number of measures when they were applied to depression versus smoking apps. Conclusions: We found wide variation in the interrater reliability of measures used to evaluate apps, and some measures are more robust across categories of apps than others. The measures with the highest degree of interrater reliability tended to be those that involved the least rater discretion. Clinical quality measures such as effectiveness, ease of use, and performance had relatively poor interrater reliability. Subsequent research is needed to determine consistent means for evaluating the performance of apps. Patients and clinicians should consider conducting their own assessments of apps, in conjunction with evaluating information from reviews. %M 26863986 %R 10.2196/mhealth.5176 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2016/1/e15/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.5176 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26863986 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 1 %P e8 %T Efficacy of Adolescent Suicide Prevention E-Learning Modules for Gatekeepers: A Randomized Controlled Trial %A Ghoncheh,Rezvan %A Gould,Madelyn S %A Twisk,Jos WR %A Kerkhof,Ad JFM %A Koot,Hans M %+ Department of Clinical Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, Amsterdam, 1081, BT, Netherlands, 31 636503652, ghonchehr@gmail.com %K Adolescent %K E-learning %K Gatekeepers %K Learning %K Modules %K Online Systems %K Suicide %K Prevention %K Training %K Web-based %K Referral and Consultation %D 2016 %7 29.01.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Face-to-face gatekeeper training can be an effective strategy in the enhancement of gatekeepers’ knowledge and self-efficacy in adolescent suicide prevention. However, barriers related to access (eg, time, resources) may hamper participation in face-to-face training sessions. The transition to a Web-based setting could address obstacles associated with face-to-face gatekeeper training. Although Web-based suicide prevention training targeting adolescents exists, so far no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have been conducted to investigate their efficacy. Objective: This RCT study investigated the efficacy of a Web-based adolescent suicide prevention program entitled Mental Health Online, which aimed to improve the knowledge and self-confidence of gatekeepers working with adolescents (12-20 years old). The program consisted of 8 short e-learning modules each capturing an important aspect of the process of early recognition, guidance, and referral of suicidal adolescents, alongside additional information on the topic of (adolescent) suicide prevention. Methods: A total of 190 gatekeepers (ages 21 to 62 years) participated in this study and were randomized to either the experimental group or waitlist control group. The intervention was not masked. Participants from both groups completed 3 Web-based assessments (pretest, posttest, and 3-month follow-up). The outcome measures of this study were actual knowledge, and participants’ ratings of perceived knowledge and perceived self-confidence using questionnaires developed specifically for this study. Results: The actual knowledge, perceived knowledge, and perceived self-confidence of gatekeepers in the experimental group improved significantly compared to those in the waitlist control group at posttest, and the effects remained significant at 3-month follow-up. The overall effect sizes were 0.76, 1.20, and 1.02, respectively, across assessments. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that Web-based suicide prevention e-learning modules can be an effective educational method to enhance knowledge and self-confidence of gatekeepers with regard to adolescent suicide prevention. Gatekeepers with limited time and resources can benefit from the accessibility, simplicity, and flexibility of Web-based training. Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Register NTR3625; http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=3625 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6eHvyRh6M) %M 26825006 %R 10.2196/mental.4614 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/1/e8/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4614 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26825006 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-5222 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 4 %N 1 %P e8 %T MoodHacker Mobile Web App With Email for Adults to Self-Manage Mild-to-Moderate Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Birney,Amelia J %A Gunn,Rebecca %A Russell,Jeremy K %A Ary,Dennis V %+ ORCAS, P.O. Box 1226, Eugene, OR, 97440, United States, 1 541 349 4826, abirney@orcasinc.com %K depression %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K behavioral activation %K positive psychology %K mobile apps %K Internet %K computers %D 2016 %7 26.01.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR mHealth uHealth %G English %X Background: Worldwide, depression is rated as the fourth leading cause of disease burden and is projected to be the second leading cause of disability by 2020. Annual depression-related costs in the United States are estimated at US $210.5 billion, with employers bearing over 50% of these costs in productivity loss, absenteeism, and disability. Because most adults with depression never receive treatment, there is a need to develop effective interventions that can be more widely disseminated through new channels, such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), and directly to individuals who will not seek face-to-face care. Objective: This study evaluated a self-guided intervention, using the MoodHacker mobile Web app to activate the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills in working adults with mild-to-moderate depression. It was hypothesized that MoodHacker users would experience reduced depression symptoms and negative cognitions, and increased behavioral activation, knowledge of depression, and functioning in the workplace. Methods: A parallel two-group randomized controlled trial was conducted with 300 employed adults exhibiting mild-to-moderate depression. Participants were recruited from August 2012 through April 2013 in partnership with an EAP and with outreach through a variety of additional non-EAP organizations. Participants were blocked on race/ethnicity and then randomly assigned within each block to receive, without clinical support, either the MoodHacker intervention (n=150) or alternative care consisting of links to vetted websites on depression (n=150). Participants in both groups completed online self-assessment surveys at baseline, 6 weeks after baseline, and 10 weeks after baseline. Surveys assessed (1) depression symptoms, (2) behavioral activation, (3) negative thoughts, (4) worksite outcomes, (5) depression knowledge, and (6) user satisfaction and usability. After randomization, all interactions with subjects were automated with the exception of safety-related follow-up calls to subjects reporting current suicidal ideation and/or severe depression symptoms. Results: At 6-week follow-up, significant effects were found on depression, behavioral activation, negative thoughts, knowledge, work productivity, work absence, and workplace distress. MoodHacker yielded significant effects on depression symptoms, work productivity, work absence, and workplace distress for those who reported access to an EAP, but no significant effects on these outcome measures for those without EAP access. Participants in the treatment arm used the MoodHacker app an average of 16.0 times (SD 13.3), totaling an average of 1.3 hours (SD 1.3) of use between pretest and 6-week follow-up. Significant effects on work absence in those with EAP access persisted at 10-week follow-up. Conclusions: This randomized effectiveness trial found that the MoodHacker app produced significant effects on depression symptoms (partial eta2 = .021) among employed adults at 6-week follow-up when compared to subjects with access to relevant depression Internet sites. The app had stronger effects for individuals with access to an EAP (partial eta2 = .093). For all users, the MoodHacker program also yielded greater improvement on work absence, as well as the mediating factors of behavioral activation, negative thoughts, and knowledge of depression self-care. Significant effects were maintained at 10-week follow-up for work absence. General attenuation of effects at 10-week follow-up underscores the importance of extending program contacts to maintain user engagement. This study suggests that light-touch, CBT-based mobile interventions like MoodHacker may be appropriate for implementation within EAPs and similar environments. In addition, it seems likely that supporting MoodHacker users with guidance from counselors may improve effectiveness for those who seek in-person support. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02335554; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02335554 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6dGXKWjWE) %M 26813737 %R 10.2196/mhealth.4231 %U http://mhealth.jmir.org/2016/1/e8/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mhealth.4231 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26813737 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 1 %P e6 %T Automated Remote Monitoring of Depression: Acceptance Among Low-Income Patients in Diabetes Disease Management %A Ramirez,Magaly %A Wu,Shinyi %A Jin,Haomiao %A Ell,Kathleen %A Gross-Schulman,Sandra %A Myerchin Sklaroff,Laura %A Guterman,Jeffrey %+ Edward R Roybal Institute on Aging, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 1150 S Olive Street, Suite 1400, Los Angeles, CA, 90015, United States, 1 213 821 6442, shinyiwu@usc.edu %K technology assessment %K telecommunications %K telemedicine %K patient care management %K clinical decision support systems %K depression %K diabetes mellitus %K safety-net clinics %D 2016 %7 25.01.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Remote patient monitoring is increasingly integrated into health care delivery to expand access and increase effectiveness. Automation can add efficiency to remote monitoring, but patient acceptance of automated tools is critical for success. From 2010 to 2013, the Diabetes-Depression Care-management Adoption Trial (DCAT)–a quasi-experimental comparative effectiveness research trial aimed at accelerating the adoption of collaborative depression care in a safety-net health care system–tested a fully automated telephonic assessment (ATA) depression monitoring system serving low-income patients with diabetes. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine patient acceptance of ATA calls over time, and to identify factors predicting long-term patient acceptance of ATA calls. Methods: We conducted two analyses using data from the DCAT technology-facilitated care arm, in which for 12 months the ATA system periodically assessed depression symptoms, monitored treatment adherence, prompted self-care behaviors, and inquired about patients’ needs for provider contact. Patients received assessments at 6, 12, and 18 months using Likert-scale measures of willingness to use ATA calls, preferred mode of reach, perceived ease of use, usefulness, nonintrusiveness, privacy/security, and long-term usefulness. For the first analysis (patient acceptance over time), we computed descriptive statistics of these measures. In the second analysis (predictive factors), we collapsed patients into two groups: those reporting “high” versus “low” willingness to use ATA calls. To compare them, we used independent t tests for continuous variables and Pearson chi-square tests for categorical variables. Next, we jointly entered independent factors found to be significantly associated with 18-month willingness to use ATA calls at the univariate level into a logistic regression model with backward selection to identify predictive factors. We performed a final logistic regression model with the identified significant predictive factors and reported the odds ratio estimates and 95% confidence intervals. Results: At 6 and 12 months, respectively, 89.6% (69/77) and 63.7% (49/77) of patients “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that they would be willing to use ATA calls in the future. At 18 months, 51.0% (64/125) of patients perceived ATA calls as useful and 59.7% (46/77) were willing to use the technology. Moreover, in the first 6 months, most patients reported that ATA calls felt private/secure (75.9%, 82/108) and were easy to use (86.2%, 94/109), useful (65.1%, 71/109), and nonintrusive (87.2%, 95/109). Perceived usefulness, however, decreased to 54.1% (59/109) in the second 6 months of the trial. Factors predicting willingness to use ATA calls at the 18-month follow-up were perceived privacy/security and long-term perceived usefulness of ATA calls. No patient characteristics were significant predictors of long-term acceptance. Conclusions: In the short term, patients are generally accepting of ATA calls for depression monitoring, with ATA call design and the care management intervention being primary factors influencing patient acceptance. Acceptance over the long term requires that the system be perceived as private/secure, and that it be constantly useful for patients’ needs of awareness of feelings, self-care reminders, and connectivity with health care providers. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01781013; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01781013 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6e7NGku56) %M 26810139 %R 10.2196/mental.4823 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/1/e6/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4823 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26810139 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 1 %P e4 %T Reducing Depression Through an Online Intervention: Benefits From a User Perspective %A Crisp,Dimity A %A Griffiths,Kathleen M %+ Centre for Applied Psychology, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, 2601, Australia, 61 62012069, Dimity.Crisp@canberra.edu.au %K Internet interventions %K depression %D 2016 %7 08.01.2016 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Internet interventions are increasingly being recognized as effective in the treatment and prevention of mental health conditions; however, the usefulness of such programs from the perspective of the participants is often not reported. Objective: This study explores the experiences of participants of a 12-week randomized controlled trial of an automated self-help training program (e-couch), with and without an Internet support group, targeting depression. Methods: The study comprised a community sample of 298 participants who completed an online survey both prior to and on completion of an intervention for preventing or reducing depressive symptoms. Results: Overall, participants reported a high level of confidence in the ability of an online intervention to improve a person’s understanding of depression. However, confidence that a website could help people learn skills for preventing depression was lower. Benefits reported by participants engaged in the intervention included increased knowledge regarding depression and its treatment, reduced depressive symptoms, increased work productivity, and improved ability to cope with everyday stress. A minority of participants reported concerns or problems resulting from participation in the interventions. Conclusions: The findings provide consumer support for the effectiveness of this online intervention. Trial Registration: International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN): 65657330;http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN65657330 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6cwH8xwF0) %M 26747378 %R 10.2196/mental.4356 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2016/1/e4/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4356 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26747378 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 17 %N 11 %P e255 %T e-CBT (myCompass), Antidepressant Medication, and Face-to-Face Psychological Treatment for Depression in Australia: A Cost-Effectiveness Comparison %A Solomon,Daniela %A Proudfoot,Judith %A Clarke,Janine %A Christensen,Helen %+ Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Rd Randwick, Sydney, , Australia, 61 0293829274, d.solomon@blackdog.org.au %K cost-utility analysis %K depression %K self-help %K computer-assisted therapy %D 2015 %7 11.11.2015 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: The economic cost of depression is becoming an ever more important determinant for health policy and decision makers. Internet-based interventions with and without therapist support have been found to be effective options for the treatment of mild to moderate depression. With increasing demands on health resources and shortages of mental health care professionals, the integration of cost-effective treatment options such as Internet-based programs into primary health care could increase efficiency in terms of resource use and costs. Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an Internet-based intervention (myCompass) for the treatment of mild-to-moderate depression compared to treatment as usual and cognitive behavior therapy in a stepped care model. Methods: A decision model was constructed using a cost utility framework to show both costs and health outcomes. In accordance with current treatment guidelines, a stepped care model included myCompass as the first low-intervention step in care for a proportion of the model cohort, with participants beginning from a low-intensity intervention to increasing levels of treatment. Model parameters were based on data from the recent randomized controlled trial of myCompass, which showed that the intervention reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress and improved work and social functioning for people with symptoms in the mild-to-moderate range. Results: The average net monetary benefit (NMB) was calculated, identifying myCompass as the strategy with the highest net benefit. The mean incremental NMB per individual for the myCompass group was AUD 1165.88 compared to treatment as usual and AUD 522.58 for the cognitive behavioral therapy model. Conclusions: Internet-based interventions can provide cost-effective access to treatment when provided as part of a stepped care model. Widespread dissemination of Internet-based programs can potentially reduce demands on primary and tertiary services and reduce unmet need. %M 26561555 %R 10.2196/jmir.4207 %U http://www.jmir.org/2015/11/e255/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4207 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26561555 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 4 %N 4 %P e123 %T Twitter-Delivered Behavioral Weight-Loss Interventions: A Pilot Series %A Pagoto,Sherry L %A Waring,Molly E %A Schneider,Kristin L %A Oleski,Jessica L %A Olendzki,Effie %A Hayes,Rashelle B %A Appelhans,Bradley M %A Whited,Matthew C %A Busch,Andrew M %A Lemon,Stephenie C %+ Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA, 01655, United States, 1 508 856 2092, Sherry.Pagoto@umassmed.edu %K social networks %K Twitter %K obesity %K weight loss %K online social networking %K peer-to-peer health care %K digital health %D 2015 %7 23.10.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Lifestyle interventions are efficacious at reducing risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease but have not had a significant public health impact given high cost and patient and provider burden. Objective: Online social networks may reduce the burden of lifestyle interventions to the extent that they displace in-person visits and may enhance opportunities for social support for weight loss. Methods: We conducted an iterative series of pilot studies to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of using online social networks to deliver a lifestyle intervention. Results: In Study 1 (n=10), obese participants with depression received lifestyle counseling via 12 weekly group visits and a private group formed using the online social network, Twitter. Mean weight loss was 2.3 pounds (SD 7.7; range -19.2 to 8.2) or 1.2% (SD 3.6) of baseline weight. A total of 67% (6/9) of participants completing exit interviews found the support of the Twitter group at least somewhat useful. In Study 2 (n=11), participants were not depressed and were required to be regular users of social media. Participants lost, on average, 5.6 pounds (SD 6.3; range -15 to 0) or 3.0% (SD 3.4) of baseline weight, and 100% (9/9) completing exit interviews found the support of the Twitter group at least somewhat useful. To explore the feasibility of eliminating in-person visits, in Study 3 (n=12), we delivered a 12-week lifestyle intervention almost entirely via Twitter by limiting the number of group visits to one, while using the same inclusion criteria as that used in Study 2. Participants lost, on average, 5.4 pounds (SD 6.4; range -14.2 to 3.9) or 3.0% (SD 3.1) of baseline weight, and 90% (9/10) completing exit interviews found the support of the Twitter group at least somewhat useful. Findings revealed that a private Twitter weight-loss group was both feasible and acceptable for many patients, particularly among regular users of social media. Conclusions: Future research should evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of online social network-delivered lifestyle interventions relative to traditional modalities. %M 26500186 %R 10.2196/resprot.4864 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2015/4/e123/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.4864 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26500186 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 4 %N 4 %P e120 %T An Internet-Based Intervention (Mamma Mia) for Postpartum Depression: Mapping the Development from Theory to Practice %A Drozd,Filip %A Haga,Silje Marie %A Brendryen,Håvar %A Slinning,Kari %+ National Network for Infant Mental Health, Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway, PO Box 4623 Nydalen, Oslo, N-0405, Norway, 47 975 16 188, filip.drozd@r-bup.no %K early intervention %K Internet %K intervention mapping %K Mamma Mia %K postpartum depression %K pregnancy %K well-being %D 2015 %7 12.10.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: As much as 10-15% of new mothers experience depression postpartum. An Internet-based intervention (Mamma Mia) was developed with the primary aims of preventing depressive symptoms and enhancing subjective well-being among pregnant and postpartum women. A secondary aim of Mamma Mia was to ease the transition of becoming a mother by providing knowledge, techniques, and support during pregnancy and after birth. Objective: The aim of the paper is to provide a systematic and comprehensive description of the intervention rationale and the development of Mamma Mia. Methods: For this purpose, we used the intervention mapping (IM) protocol as descriptive tool, which consists of the following 6 steps: (1) a needs assessment, (2) definition of change objectives, (3) selection of theoretical methods and practical strategies, (4) development of program components, (5) planning adoption and implementation, and (6) planning evaluation. Results: Mamma Mia is a fully automated Internet intervention available for computers, tablets, and smartphones, intended for individual use by the mother. It starts in gestational week 18-24 and lasts up to when the baby becomes 6 months old. This intervention applies a tunneled design to guide the woman through the program in a step-by-step fashion in accordance with the psychological preparations of becoming a mother. The intervention is delivered by email and interactive websites, combining text, pictures, prerecorded audio files, and user input. It targets risk and protective factors for postpartum depression such as prepartum and postpartum attachment, couple satisfaction, social support, and subjective well-being, as identified in the needs assessment. The plan is to implement Mamma Mia directly to users and as part of ordinary services at well-baby clinics, and to evaluate the effectiveness of Mamma Mia in a randomized controlled trial and assess users’ experiences with the program. Conclusions: The IM of Mamma Mia has made clear the rationale for the intervention, and linked theories and empirical evidence to the contents and materials of the program. This meets the recent calls for intervention descriptions and may inform future studies, development of interventions, and systematic reviews. %M 26476481 %R 10.2196/resprot.4858 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2015/4/e120/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.4858 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26476481 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 17 %N 9 %P e197 %T Predictors of Response to Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy With High-Intensity Face-to-Face Therapist Guidance for Depression: A Bayesian Analysis %A Høifødt,Ragnhild Sørensen %A Mittner,Matthias %A Lillevoll,Kjersti %A Katla,Susanne Kvam %A Kolstrup,Nils %A Eisemann,Martin %A Friborg,Oddgeir %A Waterloo,Knut %+ Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Tromsø, 9037, Norway, 47 776 49230, ragnhild.s.hoifodt@uit.no %K treatment outcome %K computer-assisted therapy %K cognitive behavior therapy %K depression %K primary health care %K Bayesian analysis %D 2015 %7 02.09.2015 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Several studies have demonstrated the effect of guided Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) for depression. However, ICBT is not suitable for all depressed patients and there is a considerable level of nonresponse. Research on predictors and moderators of outcome in ICBT is inconclusive. Objective: This paper explored predictors of response to an intervention combining the Web-based program MoodGYM and face-to-face therapist guidance in a sample of primary care patients with mild to moderate depressive symptoms. Methods: Participants (N=106) aged between 18 and 65 years were recruited from primary care and randomly allocated to a treatment condition or to a delayed treatment condition. The intervention included the Norwegian version of the MoodGYM program, face-to-face guidance from a psychologist, and reminder emails. In this paper, data from the treatment phase of the 2 groups was merged to increase the sample size (n=82). Outcome was improvement in depressive symptoms during treatment as assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Predictors included demographic variables, severity variables (eg, number of depressive episodes and pretreatment depression and anxiety severity), cognitive variables (eg, dysfunctional thinking), module completion, and treatment expectancy and motivation. Using Bayesian analysis, predictors of response were explored with a latent-class approach and by analyzing whether predictors affected the slope of response. Results: A 2-class model distinguished well between responders (74%, 61/82) and nonresponders (26%, 21/82). Our results indicate that having had more depressive episodes, being married or cohabiting, and scoring higher on a measure of life satisfaction had high odds for positively affecting the probability of response. Higher levels of dysfunctional thinking had high odds for a negative effect on the probability of responding. Prediction of the slope of response yielded largely similar results. Bayes factors indicated substantial evidence that being married or cohabiting predicted a more positive treatment response. The effects of life satisfaction and number of depressive episodes were more uncertain. There was substantial evidence that several variables were unrelated to treatment response, including gender, age, and pretreatment symptoms of depression and anxiety. Conclusions: Treatment response to ICBT with face-to-face guidance may be comparable across varying levels of depressive severity and irrespective of the presence and severity of comorbid anxiety. Being married or cohabiting, reporting higher life satisfaction, and having had more depressive episodes may predict a more favorable response, whereas higher levels of dysfunctional thinking may be a predictor of poorer response. More studies exploring predictors and moderators of Internet-based treatments are needed to inform for whom this treatment is most effective. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number: ACTRN12610000257066; https://www.anzctr.org.au/trial_view.aspx?id=335255 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6GR48iZH4). %M 26333818 %R 10.2196/jmir.4351 %U http://www.jmir.org/2015/9/e197/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4351 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26333818 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 2 %N 3 %P e22 %T Feasibility of "CopeSmart": A Telemental Health App for Adolescents %A Kenny,Rachel %A Dooley,Barbara %A Fitzgerald,Amanda %+ School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, , Ireland, 353 1 7168147, rachel.kenny.3@ucdconnect.ie %K adolescents %K emotional self-monitoring %K feasibility %K mobile apps %K positive mental health %D 2015 %7 10.08.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Early intervention is important in order to improve mental health outcomes for young people. Given the recent rise in mobile phone ownership among adolescents, an innovative means of delivering such intervention is through the use of mobile phone applications (apps). Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of “CopeSmart”, a telemental health app developed to foster positive mental health in adolescents through emotional self-monitoring and the promotion of positive coping strategies. Methods: Forty-three adolescents (88% female) aged 15-17 years downloaded the app and used it over a one-week period. They then completed self-report questionnaires containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions about their experiences of using the app. The app itself captured data related to user engagement. Results: On average participants engaged with the app on 4 of the 7 days within the intervention period. Feedback from users was reasonably positive, with 70% of participants reporting that they would use the app again and 70% reporting that they would recommend it to a friend. Thematic analysis of qualitative data identified themes pertaining to users’ experiences of the app, which were both positive (eg, easy to use, attractive layout, emotional self-monitoring, helpful information, notifications, unique) and negative (eg, content issues, did not make user feel better, mood rating issues, password entry, interface issues, engagement issues, technical fixes). Conclusions: Overall findings suggest that telemental health apps have potential as a feasible medium for promoting positive mental health, with the majority of young people identifying such technologies as at least somewhat useful and displaying a moderate level of engagement with them. Future research should aim to evaluate the efficacy of such technologies as tools for improving mental health outcomes in young people. %M 26552425 %R 10.2196/mental.4370 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2015/3/e22/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4370 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26552425 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 4 %N 3 %P e99 %T Depression Awareness and Self-Management Through the Internet: Protocol for an Internationally Standardized Approach %A Arensman,Ella %A Koburger,Nicole %A Larkin,Celine %A Karwig,Gillian %A Coffey,Claire %A Maxwell,Margaret %A Harris,Fiona %A Rummel-Kluge,Christine %A van Audenhove,Chantal %A Sisask,Merike %A Alexandrova-Karamanova,Anna %A Perez,Victor %A Purebl,György %A Cebria,Annabel %A Palao,Diego %A Costa,Susana %A Mark,Lauraliisa %A Tóth,Mónika Ditta %A Gecheva,Marieta %A Ibelshäuser,Angela %A Gusmão,Ricardo %A Hegerl,Ulrich %+ National Suicide Research Foundation, University College Cork, 4.28 Western Gateway Building, Cork, , Ireland, 353 (0)21 4205541, EArensman@ucc.ie %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K computerized %K depression %K Internet-based %K primary care %K self-management %D 2015 %7 06.08.2015 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Depression incurs significant morbidity and confers increased risk of suicide. Many individuals experiencing depression remain untreated due to systemic and personal barriers to care. Guided Internet-based psychotherapeutic programs represent a promising means of overcoming such barriers and increasing the capacity for self-management of depression. However, existing programs tend to be available only in English and can be expensive to access. Furthermore, despite evidence of the effectiveness of a number of Internet-based programs, there is limited evidence regarding both the acceptability of such programs and feasibility of their use, for users and health care professionals. Objective: This paper will present the protocol for the development, implementation, and evaluation of the iFightDepression tool, an Internet-based self-management tool. This is a cost-free, multilingual, guided, self-management program for mild to moderate depression cases. Methods: The Preventing Depression and Improving Awareness through Networking in the European Union consortium undertook a comprehensive systematic review of the available evidence regarding computerized cognitive behavior therapy in addition to a consensus process involving mental health experts and service users to inform the development of the iFightDepression tool. The tool was implemented and evaluated for acceptability and feasibility of its use in a pilot phase in 5 European regions, with recruitment of users occurring through general practitioners and health care professionals who participated in a standardized training program. Results: Targeting mild to moderate depression, the iFightDepression tool is based on cognitive behavioral therapy and addresses behavioral activation (monitoring and planning daily activities), cognitive restructuring (identifying and challenging unhelpful thoughts), sleep regulation, mood monitoring, and healthy lifestyle habits. There is also a tailored version of the tool for young people, incorporating less formal language and additional age-appropriate modules on relationships and social anxiety. The tool is accompanied by a 3-hour training intervention for health care professionals. Conclusions: It is intended that the iFightDepression tool and associated training for health care professionals will represent a valuable resource for the management of depression that will complement existing resources for health care professionals. It is also intended that the iFightDepression tool and training will represent an additional resource within a multifaceted approach to improving the care of depression and preventing suicidal behavior in Europe. %M 26251104 %R 10.2196/resprot.4358 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2015/3/e99/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.4358 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26251104 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 17 %N 7 %P e175 %T Mobile Phone Sensor Correlates of Depressive Symptom Severity in Daily-Life Behavior: An Exploratory Study %A Saeb,Sohrab %A Zhang,Mi %A Karr,Christopher J %A Schueller,Stephen M %A Corden,Marya E %A Kording,Konrad P %A Mohr,David C %+ Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies, Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, 750 N Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60611, United States, 1 312 503 1403, d-mohr@northwestern.edu %K depression %K mobile health (mHealth) %K activities of daily living %K cluster analysis %K classification %D 2015 %7 15.07.2015 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Depression is a common, burdensome, often recurring mental health disorder that frequently goes undetected and untreated. Mobile phones are ubiquitous and have an increasingly large complement of sensors that can potentially be useful in monitoring behavioral patterns that might be indicative of depressive symptoms. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the detection of daily-life behavioral markers using mobile phone global positioning systems (GPS) and usage sensors, and their use in identifying depressive symptom severity. Methods: A total of 40 adult participants were recruited from the general community to carry a mobile phone with a sensor data acquisition app (Purple Robot) for 2 weeks. Of these participants, 28 had sufficient sensor data received to conduct analysis. At the beginning of the 2-week period, participants completed a self-reported depression survey (PHQ-9). Behavioral features were developed and extracted from GPS location and phone usage data. Results: A number of features from GPS data were related to depressive symptom severity, including circadian movement (regularity in 24-hour rhythm; r=-.63, P=.005), normalized entropy (mobility between favorite locations; r=-.58, P=.012), and location variance (GPS mobility independent of location; r=-.58, P=.012). Phone usage features, usage duration, and usage frequency were also correlated (r=.54, P=.011, and r=.52, P=.015, respectively). Using the normalized entropy feature and a classifier that distinguished participants with depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score ≥5) from those without (PHQ-9 score <5), we achieved an accuracy of 86.5%. Furthermore, a regression model that used the same feature to estimate the participants’ PHQ-9 scores obtained an average error of 23.5%. Conclusions: Features extracted from mobile phone sensor data, including GPS and phone usage, provided behavioral markers that were strongly related to depressive symptom severity. While these findings must be replicated in a larger study among participants with confirmed clinical symptoms, they suggest that phone sensors offer numerous clinical opportunities, including continuous monitoring of at-risk populations with little patient burden and interventions that can provide just-in-time outreach. %M 26180009 %R 10.2196/jmir.4273 %U http://www.jmir.org/2015/7/e175/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4273 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26180009 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 4 %N 3 %P e83 %T Measuring Life Events and Their Association With Clinical Disorder: A Protocol for Development of an Online Approach %A Spence,Ruth %A Bunn,Amanda %A Nunn,Stephen %A Hosang,Georgina M %A Kagan,Lisa %A Fisher,Helen L %A Taylor,Matthew %A Bifulco,Antonia %+ Centre for Abuse and Trauma Studies, Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London, NW4 4BT, United Kingdom, 44 208411 ext 4116, r.spence@mdx.ac.uk %K disorder %K interview %K life events %K online systems %K stress %D 2015 %7 14.07.2015 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Severe life events are acknowledged as important etiological factors in the development of clinical disorders, including major depression. Interview methods capable of assessing context and meaning of events have demonstrated superior validity compared with checklist questionnaire methods and arguments for interview approaches have resurfaced because choosing the appropriate assessment tool provides clarity of information about gene-environment interactions in depression. Such approaches also have greater potential for understanding and treating clinical cases or for use in interventions. Objective: (1) To argue that life events need sophisticated measurement not satisfactorily captured in checklist approaches. (2) To review life-events measures and key findings related to disorder, exemplifying depression. (3) To describe an ongoing study with a new online measure and to assess its psychometric properties and the association of life events in relation to disorder and educational outcomes. Methods: The Computerised Life Events Assessment Record (CLEAR) is under development as a tool for online assessment of adult life events. Based on the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule interview, CLEAR seeks to assess life events to self and close others, link these to other events and difficulties, and utilize calendar-based timing, to improve upon checklist approaches. Results: The CLEAR study is in the preliminary stages and its results are expected to be made available by the end of 2015. Conclusions: There is currently no sophisticated technological application of social risk factor assessment, such as life events and difficulties. CLEAR is designed to gather reliable and valid life-event data while combating the limitations of interviews (eg, time consuming and costly) and life-event checklists (eg, inability to accurately measure severity and independence of life events). The advantages of using such innovative methodology for research, clinical practice, and interventions are discussed. %M 26175304 %R 10.2196/resprot.4085 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2015/3/e83/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.4085 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26175304 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 17 %N 6 %P e139 %T Computerized Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Rural Areas: A Systematic Review %A Vallury,Kari Dee %A Jones,Martin %A Oosterbroek,Chloe %+ Department of Rural Health (DRH), Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Department of Rural Health, 111 Nicolson Avenue, Whyalla Norrie, 5608, Australia, 61 0433773061, kari.vallury@unisa.edu.au %K eHealth %K mHealth %K depression %K anxiety %K cognitive therapy %K rural health %K mental health %D 2015 %7 05.06.2015 %9 Review %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: People living in rural and remote communities have greater difficulty accessing mental health services and evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), than their urban counterparts. Computerized CBT (CCBT) can be used to effectively treat depression and anxiety and may be particularly useful in rural settings where there are a lack of suitably trained practitioners. Objective: To systematically review the global evidence regarding the clinical effectiveness and acceptability of CCBT interventions for anxiety and/or depression for people living in rural and remote locations. Methods: We searched seven online databases: Medline, Embase Classic and Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. We also hand searched reference lists, Internet search engines, and trial protocols. Two stages of selection were undertaken. In the first, the three authors screened citations. Studies were retained if they reported the efficacy, effectiveness or acceptability of CCBT for depression and/or anxiety disorders, were peer reviewed, and written in English. The qualitative data analysis software, NVivo 10, was then used to run automated text searches for the word “rural,” its synonyms, and stemmed words. All studies identified were read in full and were included in the study if they measured or meaningfully discussed the efficacy or acceptability of CCBT among rural participants. Results: A total of 2594 studies were identified, of which 11 met the selection criteria and were included in the review. The studies that disaggregated efficacy data by location of participant reported that CCBT was equally effective for rural and urban participants. Rural location was found to both positively and negatively predict adherence across studies. CCBT may be more acceptable among rural than urban participants—studies to date showed that rural participants were less likely to want more face-to-face contact with a practitioner and found that computerized delivery addressed confidentiality concerns. Conclusions: CCBT can be effective for addressing depression and anxiety and is acceptable among rural participants. Further work is required to confirm these results across a wider range of countries, and to determine the most feasible model of CCBT delivery, in partnership with people who live and work in rural and remote communities. %M 26048193 %R 10.2196/jmir.4145 %U http://www.jmir.org/2015/6/e139/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4145 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26048193 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 4 %N 2 %P e55 %T Supportive Text Messages to Reduce Mood Symptoms and Problem Drinking in Patients With Primary Depression or Alcohol Use Disorder: Protocol for an Implementation Research Study %A Agyapong,Vincent Israel Opoku %A Mrklas,Kelly %A Suen,Victoria Yung Mei %A Rose,Marianne Sarah %A Jahn,Megan %A Gladue,Irene %A Kozak,Jody %A Leslie,Maureen %A Dursun,Serdar %A Ohinmaa,Arto %A Greenshaw,Andrew %+ Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, 1E1 Walter Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre (WMC), 8440 112 St NW, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2B7, Canada, 1 780 215 7771, agyapong@ualberta.ca %K depression %K alcohol use disorder %K supportive text messages %K intervention %D 2015 %7 15.05.2015 %9 Protocol %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Depression and Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs) are two leading causes of disability worldwide and are associated with significant treatment challenges requiring new, innovative, cost-effective and technologically-based therapies including the use of supportive text messages. Objective: To determine the feasibility and effectiveness of supportive text messages in long-term follow-up to reduce mood symptoms and problem drinking in patients with Depression or AUD respectively and to explore the usefulness of self-reports of health services utilization as an outcomes measure. Methods: This will be a longitudinal, prospective, parallel-design, two-arm, placebo-controlled single-rater-blinded randomized clinical trial with a recruitment period of 6 months and an observation period of 12 months for each participant, with two strata based on primary diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder or AUD. The sample size will be 120, with about 60 patients randomized from each primary diagnostic grouping. Patients in all intervention groups will receive twice-daily supportive SMS text messages for 3 months and then daily supportive text messages for the next three months. Patients will also receive a phone call every two weeks from the research assistant assigning treatment allocation to confirm that they are still receiving the text messages and to thank them for taking part in the study. Patients in the control group will receive no text messages but will also receive a phone call from the same research assistant every two weeks to thank them for taking part in the study. Results: The study starts in April 2015 and ends in September 2016. It is envisaged that both qualitative and quantitative primary and secondary outcomes, including patient perceptions of the intervention, will shed light on the feasibility of using automated supportive text message interventions in long term for patients with Depression and AUD. This will inform a full-scale clinical trial. Conclusions: The paradigm for behavior change using text messages as a patient-direct intervention is consistent with a cognitive behavior therapy approach and addictions counselling principles. Given the automaticity of the messages, we anticipate that if the intervention proves successful, it will represent a low cost strategy that will be readily available and can bring relief to patients in hard-to-reach areas with limited access to psychological therapies. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02327858; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02327858 (Archived by WebCite at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02327858). %M 25979786 %R 10.2196/resprot.4371 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2015/2/e55/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.4371 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25979786 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 2 %N 2 %P e15 %T Adjustment Disorders Are Uniquely Suited for eHealth Interventions: Concept and Case Study %A Maercker,Andreas %A Bachem,Rahel C %A Lorenz,Louisa %A Moser,Christian T %A Berger,Thomas %+ Division of Psychopathology and Clinical Intervention, Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Institute of Psychology, Binzmühlestrasse 14/17, Zurich, 8050, Switzerland, 41 44 635 7310, maercker@psychologie.uzh.ch %K adjustment disorders %K intervention %K e-mental health %K unguided self-help %K depression %D 2015 %7 08.05.2015 %9 Viewpoint %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Adjustment disorders (also known as mental distress in response to a stressor) are among the most frequently diagnosed mental disorders in psychiatry and clinical psychology worldwide. They are also commonly diagnosed in clients engaging in deliberate self-harm and in those consulting general practitioners. However, their reputation in research-oriented mental health remains weak since they are largely underresearched. This may change when the International Statistical Classification of Diseases-11 (ICD-11) by the World Health Organization is introduced, including a new conceptualization of adjustment disorders as a stress-response disorder with positively defined core symptoms. Objective: This paper provides an overview of evidence-based interventions for adjustment disorders. Methods: We reviewed the new ICD-11 concept of adjustment disorder and discuss the the rationale and case study of an unguided self-help protocol for burglary victims with adjustment disorder, and its possible implementation as an eHealth intervention. Results: Overall, the treatment with the self-help manual reduced symptoms of adjustment disorder, namely preoccupation and failure to adapt, as well as symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusions: E-mental health options are considered uniquely suited for offering early intervention after the experiences of stressful life events that potentially trigger adjustment disorders. %M 26543920 %R 10.2196/mental.4157 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2015/2/e15/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4157 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26543920 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 2 %N 2 %P e14 %T An Online, Moderated Peer-to-Peer Support Bulletin Board for Depression: User-Perceived Advantages and Disadvantages %A Griffiths,Kathleen Margaret %A Reynolds,Julia %A Vassallo,Sara %+ National Institute for Mental Health Research (NIMHR), Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Eggleston Road, Acton, Canberra, 2601, Australia, 61 2 6125 9723, kathy.griffiths@anu.edu.au %K Internet %K support group %K mental health %K depression %D 2015 %7 24.04.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Online, peer-to-peer support groups for depression are common on the World Wide Web and there is some evidence of their effectiveness. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which Internet support groups (ISGs) might work. Objective: This study aimed to investigate consumer perceptions of the benefits and disadvantages of online peer-to-peer support by undertaking a content analysis of the spontaneous posts on BlueBoard, a well-established, moderated, online depression bulletin board. Methods: The research set comprised all posts on the board (n=3645) for each of 3 months selected at 4 monthly intervals over 2011. The data were analyzed using content analysis and multiple coders. Results: A total of 586 relevant posts were identified, 453 (77.3%) reporting advantages and 133 (22.7%) reporting disadvantages. Positive personal change (335/453, 74.0%) and valued social interactions and support (296/453, 65.3%) emerged as perceived advantages. Other identified benefits were valued opportunities to disclose/express feelings or views (29/453, 6.4%) and advantages of the BlueBoard environment (45/453, 9.9%). Disadvantages were negative personal change (50/133, 37.6%), perceived disadvantages of board rules/moderation (42/133, 31.6%), unhelpful social interactions/contact with other members (40/133, 30.1%), and technical obstacles to using the board (14/133, 10.5%). Conclusions: Consumers value the opportunity to participate in an online mutual support group for mental health concerns. Further research is required to better understand how and if these perceived advantages translate into positive outcomes for consumers, and whether the perceived disadvantages of such boards can be addressed without compromising the safety and positive outcomes of the board. %M 26543919 %R 10.2196/mental.4266 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2015/2/e14/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4266 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26543919 %0 Journal Article %@ 1929-0748 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 4 %N 2 %P e44 %T Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Residual Symptoms in Bipolar Disorder Type II: A Single-Subject Design Pilot Study %A Holländare,Fredrik %A Eriksson,Annsofi %A Lövgren,Lisa %A Humble,Mats B %A Boersma,Katja %+ Psychiatric Research Centre, School of Health and Medical Science, Örebro University, S House, Södra Grev Rosengatan, Örebro, 70116, Sweden, 46 196025890, fredrik.hollandare@orebroll.se %K bipolar disorder %K Internet %K cognitive therapy %K behavioral therapy %K pilot projects %D 2015 %7 23.04.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Res Protoc %G English %X Background: Bipolar disorder is a chronic condition with recurring episodes that often lead to suffering, decreased functioning, and sick leave. Pharmacotherapy in the form of mood stabilizers is widely available, but does not eliminate the risk of a new depressive or (hypo)manic episode. One way to reduce the risk of future episodes is to combine pharmacological treatment with individual or group psychological interventions. However, access to such interventions is often limited due to a shortage of trained therapists. In unipolar depression there is now robust evidence of the effectiveness of Internet-based psychological interventions, usually comprising psychoeducation and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Internet-based interventions for persons suffering from bipolar disorder could increase access to psychological treatment. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an Internet-based intervention, as well as its effect on residual depressive symptoms in persons diagnosed with bipolar disorder type II (BP-II). The most important outcomes were depressive symptoms, treatment adherence, and whether the patient perceived the intervention as helpful. Methods: A total of 7 patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder type II at a Swedish psychiatric outpatient clinic were offered the opportunity to participate. Of the 7 patients, 3 (43%) dropped out before treatment began, and 4 (57%) were treated by means of an online, Internet-based intervention based on CBT (iCBT). The intervention was primarily aimed at psychoeducation, treatment of residual depressive symptoms, emotion regulation, and improved sleep. All patients had ongoing pharmacological treatment at recruitment and established contact with a psychiatrist. The duration of BP-II among the treated patients was between 6 and 31 years. A single-subject design was used and the results of the 4 participating patients were presented individually. Results: Initiating treatment was perceived as too demanding under current life circumstances for 3 patients who consequently dropped out during baseline assessment. Self-ratings using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale—Self-rated (MADRS-S) showed symptom reduction in 3 (75%) of the 4 treated cases during iCBT. In the evaluation of the treatment, 2 patients reported that they perceived that the treatment had reduced symptoms a little, 1 that it had reduced symptoms very much, and 1 not at all. Treatment adherence (ie, module completion) was fairly high in 3 cases. In general, the modules were perceived as fairly helpful or very helpful by the patients. In one case, there was a reliable change—according to the Reliable Change Index—in self-rated symptoms of depression and perseverative thinking. Conclusions: The treatment seemed to have acceptable feasibility. The iCBT intervention could be an effective way to treat residual symptoms in some patients with bipolar disorder type II. This should be investigated in a larger study. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01742351; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01742351 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6XnVpv4C3). %M 25908235 %R 10.2196/resprot.3910 %U http://www.researchprotocols.org/2015/2/e44/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/resprot.3910 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25908235 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 2 %N 2 %P e11 %T Integrating Health Behavior Theory and Design Elements in Serious Games %A Cheek,Colleen %A Fleming,Theresa %A Lucassen,Mathijs FG %A Bridgman,Heather %A Stasiak,Karolina %A Shepherd,Matthew %A Orpin,Peter %+ Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 3513, Burnie, , Australia, 61 3 6430 5922, Colleen.Cheek@utas.edu.au %K depression %K adolescent %K cognitive behavior therapy %K online intervention %K user-centered %K self-efficacy %K motivation %K adherence %K SPARX %D 2015 %7 21.04.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Internet interventions for improving health and well-being have the potential to reach many people and fill gaps in service provision. Serious gaming interfaces provide opportunities to optimize user adherence and impact. Health interventions based in theory and evidence and tailored to psychological constructs have been found to be more effective to promote behavior change. Defining the design elements which engage users and help them to meet their goals can contribute to better informed serious games. Objective: To elucidate design elements important in SPARX, a serious game for adolescents with depression, from a user-centered perspective. Methods: We proposed a model based on an established theory of health behavior change and practical features of serious game design to organize ideas and rationale. We analyzed data from 5 studies comprising a total of 22 focus groups and 66 semistructured interviews conducted with youth and families in New Zealand and Australia who had viewed or used SPARX. User perceptions of the game were applied to this framework. Results: A coherent framework was established using the three constructs of self-determination theory (SDT), autonomy, competence, and relatedness, to organize user perceptions and design elements within four areas important in design: computer game, accessibility, working alliance, and learning in immersion. User perceptions mapped well to the framework, which may assist developers in understanding the context of user needs. By mapping these elements against the constructs of SDT, we were able to propose a sound theoretical base for the model. Conclusions: This study’s method allowed for the articulation of design elements in a serious game from a user-centered perspective within a coherent overarching framework. The framework can be used to deliberately incorporate serious game design elements that support a user’s sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, key constructs which have been found to mediate motivation at all stages of the change process. The resulting model introduces promising avenues for future exploration. Involving users in program design remains an imperative if serious games are to be fit for purpose. %M 26543916 %R 10.2196/mental.4133 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2015/2/e11/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4133 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26543916 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 17 %N 3 %P e72 %T Efficacy of a Web-Based, Crowdsourced Peer-To-Peer Cognitive Reappraisal Platform for Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial %A Morris,Robert R %A Schueller,Stephen M %A Picard,Rosalind W %+ MIT Media Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, E14-348A, 75 Amherst St, Cambridge, MA, 02139, United States, 1 6172530611, rmorris@media.mit.edu %K Web-based intervention %K crowdsourcing %K randomized controlled trial %K depression %K cognitive behavioral therapy %K mental health %K social networks %D 2015 %7 30.03.2015 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: Self-guided, Web-based interventions for depression show promising results but suffer from high attrition and low user engagement. Online peer support networks can be highly engaging, but they show mixed results and lack evidence-based content. Objective: Our aim was to introduce and evaluate a novel Web-based, peer-to-peer cognitive reappraisal platform designed to promote evidence-based techniques, with the hypotheses that (1) repeated use of the platform increases reappraisal and reduces depression and (2) that the social, crowdsourced interactions enhance engagement. Methods: Participants aged 18-35 were recruited online and were randomly assigned to the treatment group, “Panoply” (n=84), or an active control group, online expressive writing (n=82). Both are fully automated Web-based platforms. Participants were asked to use their assigned platform for a minimum of 25 minutes per week for 3 weeks. Both platforms involved posting descriptions of stressful thoughts and situations. Participants on the Panoply platform additionally received crowdsourced reappraisal support immediately after submitting a post (median response time=9 minutes). Panoply participants could also practice reappraising stressful situations submitted by other users. Online questionnaires administered at baseline and 3 weeks assessed depression symptoms, reappraisal, and perseverative thinking. Engagement was assessed through self-report measures, session data, and activity levels. Results: The Panoply platform produced significant improvements from pre to post for depression (P=.001), reappraisal (P<.001), and perseverative thinking (P<.001). The expressive writing platform yielded significant pre to post improvements for depression (P=.02) and perseverative thinking (P<.001), but not reappraisal (P=.45). The two groups did not diverge significantly at post-test on measures of depression or perseverative thinking, though Panoply users had significantly higher reappraisal scores (P=.02) than expressive writing. We also found significant group by treatment interactions. Individuals with elevated depression symptoms showed greater comparative benefit from Panoply for depression (P=.02) and perseverative thinking (P=.008). Individuals with baseline reappraisal deficits showed greater comparative benefit from Panoply for depression (P=.002) and perseverative thinking (P=.002). Changes in reappraisal mediated the effects of Panoply, but not the expressive writing platform, for both outcomes of depression (ab=-1.04, SE 0.58, 95% CI -2.67 to -.12) and perseverative thinking (ab=-1.02, SE 0.61, 95% CI -2.88 to -.20). Dropout rates were similar for the two platforms; however, Panoply yielded significantly more usage activity (P<.001) and significantly greater user experience scores (P<.001). Conclusions: Panoply engaged its users and was especially helpful for depressed individuals and for those who might ordinarily underutilize reappraisal techniques. Further investigation is needed to examine the long-term effects of such a platform and whether the benefits generalize to a more diverse population of users. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02302248; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02302248 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6Wtkj6CXU). %M 25835472 %R 10.2196/jmir.4167 %U http://www.jmir.org/2015/3/e72/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4167 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25835472 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 2 %N 1 %P e8 %T Utilizing a Personal Smartphone Custom App to Assess the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Depressive Symptoms in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder %A Torous,John %A Staples,Patrick %A Shanahan,Meghan %A Lin,Charlie %A Peck,Pamela %A Keshavan,Matcheri %A Onnela,Jukka-Pekka %+ Harvard Longwood Psychiatry Residency Training Prorgam, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02115, United States, 1 (617) 667 6700 ext 11315, jtorous@bidmc.harvard.edu %K medical informatics %K mobile health %K depression %D 2015 %7 24.03.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Accurate reporting of patient symptoms is critical for diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring in psychiatry. Smartphones offer an accessible, low-cost means to collect patient symptoms in real time and aid in care. Objective: To investigate adherence among psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with major depressive disorder in utilizing their personal smartphones to run a custom app to monitor Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) depression symptoms, as well as to examine the correlation of these scores to traditionally administered (paper-and-pencil) PHQ-9 scores. Methods: A total of 13 patients with major depressive disorder, referred by their clinicians, received standard outpatient treatment and, in addition, utilized their personal smartphones to run the study app to monitor their symptoms. Subjects downloaded and used the Mindful Moods app on their personal smartphone to complete up to three survey sessions per day, during which a randomized subset of PHQ-9 symptoms of major depressive disorder were assessed on a Likert scale. The study lasted 29 or 30 days without additional follow-up. Outcome measures included adherence, measured by the percentage of completed survey sessions, and estimates of daily PHQ-9 scores collected from the smartphone app, as well as from the traditionally administered PHQ-9. Results: Overall adherence was 77.78% (903/1161) and varied with time of day. PHQ-9 estimates collected from the app strongly correlated (r=.84) with traditionally administered PHQ-9 scores, but app-collected scores were 3.02 (SD 2.25) points higher on average. More subjects reported suicidal ideation using the app than they did on the traditionally administered PHQ-9. Conclusions: Patients with major depressive disorder are able to utilize an app on their personal smartphones to self-assess their symptoms of major depressive disorder with high levels of adherence. These app-collected results correlate with the traditionally administered PHQ-9. Scores recorded from the app may potentially be more sensitive and better able to capture suicidality than the traditional PHQ-9. %M 26543914 %R 10.2196/mental.3889 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2015/1/e8/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.3889 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26543914 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 2 %N 1 %P e5 %T Evaluation of an Online Campaign for Promoting Help-Seeking Attitudes for Depression Using a Facebook Advertisement: An Online Randomized Controlled Experiment %A Hui,Alison %A Wong,Paul Wai-Ching %A Fu,King-Wa %+ Journalism and Media Studies Centre, The University of Hong Kong, Eliot Hall, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, , China (Hong Kong), 852 39171643, kwfu@hku.hk %K depression %K help-seeking %K randomized controlled experiment %D 2015 %7 18.03.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: A depression-awareness campaign delivered through the Internet has been recommended as a public health approach that would enhance mental health literacy and encourage help-seeking attitudes. However, the outcomes of such a campaign remain understudied. Objective: The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an online depression awareness campaign, which was informed by the theory of planned behavior, to encourage help-seeking attitudes for depression and to enhance mental health literacy in Hong Kong. The second aim was to examine click-through behaviors by varying the affective facial expressions of people in the Facebook advertisements. Methods: Potential participants were recruited through Facebook advertisements, using either a happy or sad face illustration. Volunteer participants registered for the study by clicking on the advertisement and were invited to leave their personal email addresses to receive educational content about depression. The participants were randomly assigned into two groups (campaign or control), and over a four consecutive week period, received either the campaign material or official information developed by the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong. Pretests and posttests were conducted before and after the campaign to measure the differences in help-seeking attitudes and mental health literacy among the campaign and control groups. Results: Of the 199 participants that registered and completed the pretest, 116 (55 campaign and 62 control) completed the campaign and the posttest. At the posttest, we found no significant changes in help-seeking attitudes between the campaign and control groups, but the campaign group participants demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in mental health literacy (P=.031) and a higher willingness to access additional information (P<.001) than the control group. Moreover, the happy face Facebook advertisement attracted more click-throughs by users into the website than did the sad face advertisement (P=.03). Conclusions: The present study provides evidence that an online campaign can enhance people’s mental health literacy. It also demonstrates the practicality and effectiveness of an online depression awareness campaign using a Facebook-based recruitment strategy and distribution of educational materials through emails. It is important for future studies to take advantage of the popularity of online social media and conduct evaluative research on mental health promotion campaigns. %M 26543911 %R 10.2196/mental.3649 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2015/1/e5/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.3649 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26543911 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 2 %N 1 %P e4 %T Feasibility and Perception of Using Text Messages as an Adjunct Therapy for Low-Income, Minority Mothers With Postpartum Depression %A Broom,Matthew A %A Ladley,Amy S %A Rhyne,Elizabeth A %A Halloran,Donna R %+ SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, 1465 S. Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO, 63104, United States, 1 314 268 4150, broomma@slu.edu %K short message service %K health care disparities %K mobile health %K mental illness %D 2015 %7 16.03.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common medical problem among new mothers that can have a negative impact on infant health. Traditional treatments are often difficult for low-income mothers to complete, particularly given the numerous barriers families face. Objective: Among low-income, primarily racial, and ethnic minority mothers with postpartum depression, our aim was to evaluate (1) the feasibility of sending supportive text messages, and (2) the perception of receiving private, supportive text messages for postpartum depression. Methods: Mothers found to be at risk for postpartum depression received supportive text messages four times weekly for 6 months in addition to receiving access to traditional counseling services based within an academic pediatric office. Feasibility was evaluated along with cellular and text messaging use, access, and perception of the message protocol. Perception of the message protocol was evaluated at study completion via a Likert scale questionnaire and open-ended qualitative survey. Results: In total, 4158/4790 (86.81%) text messages were successfully delivered to 54 mothers over a 6-month period at a low cost (US $777.60). Among the 96 scripted messages, 37 unique messages (38.54%) allowed for a response. Of all sent messages that allowed for responses, 7.30% (118/1616) were responded to, and 66.1% of those responses requested a call back; 46% (25/54) of mothers responded at least once to a text message. Mothers felt that messages were easily received and read (25/28, 89%) and relevant to them personally (23/28, 82%). Most shared texts with others (21/28, 75%). Conclusions: Text messaging is feasible, well-accepted, and may serve as a simple, inexpensive adjunct therapy well-suited to cross socioeconomic boundaries and provide private support for at-risk mothers suffering from postpartum depression. %M 26543910 %R 10.2196/mental.4074 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2015/1/e4/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.4074 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26543910 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 17 %N 3 %P e66 %T Improving Self-Help E-Therapy for Depression and Anxiety Among Sexual Minorities: An Analysis of Focus Groups With Lesbians and Gay Men %A Rozbroj,Tomas %A Lyons,Anthony %A Pitts,Marian %A Mitchell,Anne %A Christensen,Helen %+ Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society, La Trobe University, 215 Franklin Street, Melbourne, 3000, Australia, 61 9479 8700, t.rozbroj@latrobe.edu.au %K Internet therapy %K e-therapy %K cCBT %K mental health %K gay men %K lesbian %K minority stress %K depression %K anxiety %K focus groups %D 2015 %7 11.03.2015 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: E-therapies for depression and anxiety rarely account for lesbian and gay users. This is despite lesbians and gay men being at heightened risk of mood disorders and likely to benefit from having access to tailored self-help resources. Objective: We sought to determine how e-therapies for depression and anxiety could be improved to address the therapeutic needs of lesbians and gay men. Methods: We conducted eight focus groups with lesbians and gay men aged 18 years and older. Focus groups were presented with key modules from the popular e-therapy “MoodGYM”. They were asked to evaluate the inclusiveness and relevance of these modules for lesbians and gay men and to think about ways that e-therapies in general could be modified. The focus groups were analyzed qualitatively using a thematic analysis approach to identify major themes. Results: The focus groups indicated that some but not all aspects of MoodGYM were suitable, and suggested ways of improving e-therapies for lesbian and gay users. Suggestions included avoiding language or examples that assumed or implied users were heterosexual, improving inclusiveness by representing non-heterosexual relationships, providing referrals to specialized support services and addressing stigma-related stress, such as “coming out” and experiences of discrimination and harassment. Focus group participants suggested that dedicated e-therapies for lesbians and gay men should be developed or general e-therapies be made more inclusive by using adaptive logic to deliver content appropriate for a user’s sexual identity. Conclusions: Findings from this study offer in-depth guidance for developing e-therapies that more effectively address mental health problems among lesbians and gay men. %M 25761775 %R 10.2196/jmir.4013 %U http://www.jmir.org/2015/3/e66/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.4013 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25761775 %0 Journal Article %@ 1438-8871 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 17 %N 3 %P e67 %T Expectations Among Patients and Health Professionals Regarding Web-Based Interventions for Depression in Primary Care: A Qualitative Study %A Montero-Marín,Jesús %A Prado-Abril,Javier %A Botella,Cristina %A Mayoral-Cleries,Fermin %A Baños,Rosa %A Herrera-Mercadal,Paola %A Romero-Sanchiz,Pablo %A Gili,Margalida %A Castro,Adoración %A Nogueira,Raquel %A García-Campayo,Javier %+ Psychiatry Service, Miguel Servet University Hospital, Avda Isabel La Católica 1, Zaragoza, 50009, Spain, 34 976253621, jgarcamp@gmail.com %K depression %K computer-delivered psychotherapy %K qualitative methods %K expectations %D 2015 %7 10.03.2015 %9 Original Paper %J J Med Internet Res %G English %X Background: One-quarter of the world’s population will suffer from depression symptoms at some point in their lives. Mental health services in developed countries are overburdened. Therefore, cost-effective interventions that provide mental health care solutions such as Web-based psychotherapy programs have been proposed. Objective: The intent of the study was to identify expectations regarding Web-based psychotherapy for the treatment of depression in primary care among patients and health professionals that might facilitate or hinder its effects. Methods: The expectations of untreated patients and health professionals were examined by means of interviews and focus groups. There were 43 participants (20 patients with mild and moderate levels of depression, 11 primary care physicians, and 12 managers; 22 of them for interviews and 21 for groups). A thematic content analysis from the grounded theory for interviews, and an analysis of the discursive positions of participants based on the sociological model for groups were performed. Interpretations were achieved by agreement between three independent analysts. Results: All participants showed a good general acceptance of Web-based psychotherapy, appreciating possible advantages and improvements. Patients, physicians, and managers shared the same conceptualization of their expectations, although highlighting different aspects. Patients focused on the need for individualized and personalized interaction, while professionals highlighted the need for the standardization of the program. Physicians were concerned with extra workload, while managers were worried about optimizing cost-effectiveness. Conclusions: Expectations of the different participants can conflict with each other. Finding a balanced position among them is needed if we are to harmoniously implement effective Web-based interventions for depression in routine clinical practice. %M 25757358 %R 10.2196/jmir.3985 %U http://www.jmir.org/2015/3/e67/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.3985 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25757358 %0 Journal Article %@ 2368-7959 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 2 %N 1 %P e3 %T Breaking Open the Black Box: Isolating the Most Potent Features of a Web and Mobile Phone-Based Intervention for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress %A Whitton,Alexis E %A Proudfoot,Judith %A Clarke,Janine %A Birch,Mary-Rose %A Parker,Gordon %A Manicavasagar,Vijaya %A Hadzi-Pavlovic,Dusan %+ The Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, 2031, Australia, 61 2 9382 3767, alexis.e.whitton@gmail.com %K eHealth %K depression %K anxiety %K stress %K psychological stress %K self-help %K Web-based %K mental health %D 2015 %7 04.03.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Mental Health %G English %X Background: Internet-delivered mental health (eMental Health) interventions produce treatment effects similar to those observed in face-to-face treatment. However, there is a large degree of variation in treatment effects observed from program to program, and eMental Health interventions remain somewhat of a black box in terms of the mechanisms by which they exert their therapeutic benefit. Trials of eMental Health interventions typically use large sample sizes and therefore provide an ideal context within which to systematically investigate the therapeutic benefit of specific program features. Furthermore, the growth and impact of mobile phone technology within eMental Health interventions provides an opportunity to examine associations between symptom improvement and the use of program features delivered across computer and mobile phone platforms. Objective: The objective of this study was to identify the patterns of program usage associated with treatment outcome in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a fully automated, mobile phone- and Web-based self-help program, “myCompass”, for individuals with mild-to-moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and/or stress. The core features of the program include interactive psychotherapy modules, a symptom tracking feature, short motivational messages, symptom tracking reminders, and a diary, with many of these features accessible via both computer and mobile phone. Methods: Patterns of program usage were recorded for 231 participants with mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety, and/or stress, and who were randomly allocated to receive access to myCompass for seven weeks during the RCT. Depression, anxiety, stress, and functional impairment were examined at baseline and at eight weeks. Results: Log data indicated that the most commonly used components were the short motivational messages (used by 68.4%, 158/231 of participants) and the symptom tracking feature (used by 61.5%, 142/231 of participants). Further, after controlling for baseline symptom severity, increased use of these alert features was associated with significant improvements in anxiety and functional impairment. Associations between use of symptom tracking reminders and improved treatment outcome remained significant after controlling for frequency of symptom tracking. Although correlations were not statistically significant, reminders received via SMS (ie, text message) were more strongly associated with symptom reduction than were reminders received via email. Conclusions: These findings indicate that alerts may be an especially potent component of eMental Health interventions, both via their association with enhanced program usage, as well as independently. Although there was evidence of a stronger association between symptom improvement and use of alerts via the mobile phone platform, the degree of overlap between use of email and SMS alerts may have precluded identification of alert delivery modalities that were most strongly associated with symptom reduction. Future research using random assignment to computer and mobile delivery is needed to fully determine the most ideal platform for delivery of this and other features of online interventions. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN): 12610000625077; http://www.anzctr.org.au/TrialSearch.aspx? (Archived by WebCite http://www.webcitation.org/6WPqHK0mQ). %M 26543909 %R 10.2196/mental.3573 %U http://mental.jmir.org/2015/1/e3/ %U https://doi.org/10.2196/mental.3573 %U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26543909 %0 Journal Article %@ 2291-9279 %I JMIR Publications Inc. %V 3 %N 1 %P e1 %T The Design and Relevance of a Computerized Gamified Depression Therapy Program for Indigenous Māori Adolescents %A Shepherd,Matthew %A Fleming,Theresa %A Lucassen,Mathijs %A Stasiak,Karolina %A Lambie,Ian %A Merry,Sally N %+ School of Counselling, Human Services and Social Work, Department of Education, University of Auckland, 5th floor, N Building, Epsom Campus, Epsom, Auckland, Private Bag 92601, New Zealand, 64 9 623 8899 ext 46368, m.shepherd@auckland.ac.nz %K computerized cognitive behavioral therapy %K Māori %K indigenous populations %K depression %K consumer opinions %K participatory design %D 2015 %7 03.03.2015 %9 Original Paper %J JMIR Serious Games %G English %X Background: Depression is a major health issue among Māori indigenous adolescents, yet there has been little investigation into the relevance or effectiveness of psychological treatments for them. Further, consumer views are critical for engagement and adherence to therapy. However, there is little research regarding indigenous communities’ opinions about psychological interventions for depression. Objective: The objective of this study was to conduct semistructured interviews with Māori (indigenous New Zealand) young people (taitamariki) and their families to find out their opinions of a prototype computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (cCBT) program called Smart, Positive, Active, Realistic, X-factor thoughts (SPARX), a free online computer game intended to help young persons with mild to moderate depression, feeling down, stress or anxiety. The program will teach them how to resolve their issues on their own using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as psychotherapeutic approach. Methods: There were seven focus groups on the subject of the design and cultural relevance of SPARX that were held, with a total of 26 participants (19 taitamarki, 7 parents/caregivers, all Māori). There were five of the groups that were with whānau (family groups) (n=14), one group was with Māori teenage mothers (n=4), and one group was with taitamariki (n=8). The general inductive approach