Towards developing a digital mental health interventions for a clinical population
Type of research: Mixed-method
Description:
Depression and anxiety are among the most common mental disorders and lead to high levels of distress and a decreased functioning in daily life. The mental health care system is increasingly overwhelmed by the high demand for therapeutic treatment and many people do not receive timely support. Addressing this deficit, digital mental health interventions have emerged as a cost-effective alternative that is more easily accessible for people in immediate need of treatment. In the past few months, we have been working on designing a digital mental health intervention for people with clinical anxiety and/or depression. Before our digital mental health intervention can be provided to a clinical sample, it’s usability and potential benefits need to be evaluated in a non-clinical sample.
In this thesis project, you will therefore conduct a pilot study on a non-clinical population to evaluate the current intervention based on quantitative EMA data as well as qualitative insights from participants. Around 10 to 15 people will participate in this study. During the study period, we will provide participants with a digital mental health app in which they can deploy different brief interventions at self-chosen times over two to three weeks. These smartphone-delivered interventions will each take a few minutes to complete and will focus on various transdiagnostic factors that are relevant for improving or maintaining an individual’s well-being. Interventions that will be included for this project might focus on savoring positive moments and being grateful, or they could also ask participants to non-judgmentally observe their current thoughts. In this study, we will focus on the usability and acceptability of the intervention. We are especially interested in participants’ preferences for specific interventions and whether there are any contexts or circumstances under which a participant is more likely to use an intervention in the app. For example, are participants generally more likely to request an intervention when they are alone, or with others? And how does an individual’s current mood affect the selection of a specific intervention?
Your contribution for this project will be on both the quantitative as well as the qualitative part. You will analyze empirical data on the acceptability and usability of the study, conduct interviews with participants and investigate preferences for specific interventions given certain circumstances.