REMOTION Blended Transdiagnostic Intervention for Symptom Reduction and Improvement of Emotion Regulation in an Outpatient Psychotherapeutic Setting: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

A Self-Applied Psychological Treatment for Gambling-Related Problems via The Internet: A Pilot, Feasibility Study

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of an online psychological intervention for individuals with gambling-related problems, supported by ecological momentary assessments and interventions (EMAs and EMIs), along with weekly phone-calls, before conducting a randomized controlled trial. Participants were required to complete 3 of the 8 modules of the program based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and extensions and innovations of CBT. The study measured the outcomes of feasibility (i.e., reach, appropriateness, technology literacy and technology usability, fidelity, and adherence). In terms of reach, 19.8% (n = 11) of the initial population met the inclusion criteria and completed the three modules (mean age = 41; 90.9% men). The perceived appropriateness and the technology usability after the first use were both excellent, fidelity and adherence to the online treatment (73.3%) were adequate. Adherence to the EMAs and the weekly phone calls were more modest (54.51% and 66.67%, respectively). The results of the present study show that an online treatment for gambling problems enhanced by EMA and EMI might be feasible but challenges were noted in terms of reach and adherence to these assessments and calls. These challenges are important to consider for future trials and the scalability of treatments for individuals with gambling disorders.

Fostering resilience and well-being in emerging adults with adverse childhood experiences: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the FACE self-help app

BACKGROUND

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are linked to an increased risk of psychological disorders and lower psychosocial functioning throughout life. This study aims to evaluate the FACE self-help app, designed to promote resilience and well-being in emerging adults with a history of ACE. The app is based on cognitive-behavioural principles and consists of two thematic components: (1) self- and emotion regulation (SER) and (2) social skills and biases in social information processing (SSIP).

METHODS

The efficacy of the app will be tested through a single-centre, two-arm randomized controlled trial, comparing an active intervention group against a waiting list control group. The active group is divided into two subgroups, in which the two components are delivered in a different order to investigate differential effects in a crossover design. Up to 250 emerging adults aged 18 to 25 years with a history of ACE from a general population cohort study will be recruited. The primary objective is to test the efficacy of the app in improving resilience (primary outcome) and well-being (co-primary outcome) compared to a waiting list control group and to examine the stability of these effects. The secondary objectives include testing the efficacy of the app in improving the secondary outcomes, i.e., self-efficacy in managing emotions, problem solving, fear of evaluation, social avoidance, and self-esteem; examining the differential effects of the two components; and assessing the effect of the app on real-life data on resilience, affective states, distress in social interactions and coping strategies. Furthermore, the study will investigate potential moderators (e.g. ACE severity) and mediators of intervention outcomes (e.g. self-efficacy in managing emotions).

DISCUSSION

The results will provide insights into the efficacy of the self-help intervention as well as mediators and moderators of outcomes. Furthermore, results will extend the existing knowledge by testing the differential effects of the SER and SSIP component on the outcomes. Findings can inform improvements to the FACE app and the development of other interventions for this target group and assess its potential as a scalable, low-threshold intervention to support emerging adults with a history of ACE in their transition to adulthood.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT05824182.

Blending an internet-based emotion regulation intervention with face-to-face psychotherapy: Findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial

Background

Transdiagnostic interventions targeting shared mechanisms may improve treatment of mental health disorders. One way of providing such interventions is through blended treatment. This study examined the addition of an internet-based emotion regulation intervention to face-to-face psychotherapy in an outpatient setting.

Methods

In a pilot randomized controlled trial, 70 patients with a range of diagnoses were assigned to an internet-based program targeting emotion regulation + treatment as usual (face-to-face psychotherapy; TAU) (n = 35) or TAU (n = 35). Assessments occurred at baseline, after six, and after 12 weeks and included measures of symptom severity, emotion regulation, and various intervention feasibility parameters.

Results

ITT-analyses revealed no significant group-by-time interaction for the primary and almost all secondary outcomes. Descriptively, between-group effect sizes were in favor of the intervention group for almost all outcomes. Sensitivity analysis with patients who completed a minimum of three modules of the internet-based program showed a significant group-by-time interaction for the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale in favor of the intervention group. The internet-based intervention showed good satisfaction ratings, user experience and usability. Findings from therapist measures complemented patient measures.

Conclusion

Preliminary results show that an internet-based emotion regulation intervention added to psychotherapy may not reduce symptom severity compared to psychotherapy alone. The intervention was rated positively by patients and therapists regarding several parameters, but certain features still need to be improved. An RCT powered to detect small between-group effect-sizes is necessary to consolidate findings.

Does an Internet-Based Emotion Regulation Intervention Provide Added Value for Acute Psychiatric Inpatient Care? Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

BACKGROUND

There is a lack of studies on internet-based interventions in inpatient settings. This is especially true for studies of internet-based interventions in acute psychiatric inpatient care. Internet-based interventions in this specific setting may provide benefits such as patient empowerment and overall improved treatment outcomes. However, there may also be specific barriers to their implementation that are unique due to the complexity of acute psychiatric inpatient care.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to examine the feasibility and preliminary evidence for effectiveness of a web-based emotion regulation intervention provided as an add-on to acute psychiatric inpatient care.

METHODS

The goal is to randomly allocate 60 patients with a range of different diagnoses in a 1:1 ratio to either treatment as usual (TAU), which consists of acute psychiatric inpatient treatment, or to the intervention group, which will receive TAU plus access to a web-based intervention that focuses on reduction of emotion regulation difficulties and improvement of emotion regulation skills. The primary outcome is symptom severity, assessed with the short form of the Brief Symptom Inventory at baseline, after 4 weeks, after 8 weeks, and at hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes include 2 emotion regulation parameters, intervention use, usability, patient satisfaction, and reasons for patient loss to follow-up.

RESULTS

Participant recruitment started in August 2021 and as of March 2023 was ongoing. First publication of study results is expected in 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

This study protocol describes a study that intends to examine a web-based emotion regulation intervention in acute psychiatric inpatient care. The study will provide information on the feasibility of the intervention and possible effects on symptom severity and emotion regulation. The results will provide new insights on blended treatment, in this case the combination of a web-based intervention and face-to-face psychiatric treatment, in an understudied patient group and setting.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04990674; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04990674.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/47656.

Evaluation of Two Web-Based Interventions (Res-Up! and REMOTION) in Routine Outpatient Psychotherapy (Therapy Online Plus-TOP): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND

Only 11%-40% of those with a mental disorder in Germany receive treatment. In many cases, face-to-face psychotherapy is not available because of limited resources, such as an insufficient number of therapists in the area. New approaches to improve the German health care system are needed to counter chronification. Web-based interventions have been shown to be effective as stand-alone and add-on treatments to routine practice. Interventions designed for a wide range of mental disorders such as transdiagnostic interventions are needed to make treatment for mental disorders more accessible and thus shorten waiting times and mitigate the chronification of mental health problems. In general, interventions can be differentiated as having either a capitalization (CAP) focus-thus drawing on already existing strengths-or a compensation (COMP) focus-trying to compensate for deficits. Up to now, the effectiveness of transdiagnostic web-based interventions with either a CAP or a COMP focus has not yet been evaluated.

OBJECTIVE

This study is the first to examine the effectiveness of two transdiagnostic web-based interventions: (1) the activation of resilience and drawing on existing strengths (CAP: Res-Up!) and (2) the improvement of emotion regulation (COMP: REMOTION), compared with care as usual (CAU) in routine outpatient psychotherapy.

METHODS

Adults with at least 1 mental health disorder will be recruited at 4 outpatient centers in Germany. Participants will then be randomized equally into 1 of the 2 intervention groups Res-Up! (CAP) and REMOTION (COMP) or into the control group (CAU). Assessments will be made at baseline (T0), at 6 weeks after treatment start (T1), and at 12 weeks after treatment start (T2). A primary outcome will be symptom severity (Brief Symptom Inventory-18). Secondary outcomes will focus on emotion regulation and resilience.

RESULTS

Participant recruitment and data collection started in April 2020 and were ongoing as of July 2022. We expect participants to benefit more from the interventions than from the CAU control on the dimensions of symptom severity, resilience, and emotion regulation. Furthermore, we expect to find possible differences between CAP and COMP. The results of the study are expected in 2023.

CONCLUSIONS

This randomized controlled trial will compare CAU with the transdiagnostic web-based interventions Res-Up! and REMOTION, and will thus inform future studies concerning the effectiveness of transdiagnostic web-based interventions in routine outpatient psychotherapy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04352010; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04352010.

INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/41413.

"Managing emotion": Open label trial and waitlist controlled trial of an emotion regulation program for university students

Background: More than one-third of university students meet diagnostic criteria for a mental disorder, and three quarters experience role impairment in some aspect of their life. One determinant of whether young adults will experience mental health difficulties is their ability to regulate emotion. We conducted two pilot trials of a brief online program designed to teach emotion regulation skills to university students. Methods: In Study 1, we conducted an open-label trial (n = 104). In Study 2, we conducted a waitlist controlled trial (n = 167). In both studies, pre- and post-assessment of emotion regulation, psychological distress, and self-compassion were conducted. Results: In both trials, we observed improvements in emotion regulation, and reductions in symptoms of psychological distress. Acceptability and feasibility were also satisfactory. Conclusion: An online emotion regulation program may offer promise in improving emotion regulation and subsequent mental health concerns among university students. (ACTRN12620000390987; ACTRN12620000839909).

Two sides of the same coin? Patient and therapist experiences with a transdiagnostic blended intervention focusing on emotion regulation

INTRODUCTION

The combination of internet-based intervention and psychotherapy, commonly termed blended therapy (BT), has gained popularity in recent years. While advantages and disadvantages of BT have been identified from the patient and therapist perspective, the two perspectives have rarely been examined within the same treatment. Moreover, almost all available research on patient and therapist experiences with BT is disorder-specific. This study aimed to investigate patient and therapist experiences within the same transdiagnostic BT.

METHODS

A qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with eight patients and eight therapists taking part in a transdiagnostic blended intervention focusing on the topic of emotion regulation was conducted. A qualitative content analysis approach was used. Category frequencies were calculated and similarities and differences between the patient and therapist experience were explored.

RESULTS

Ten main themes and 59 subthemes were identified in the category system for patient interviews and ten main themes and 50 subthemes were identified in the category system for therapist interviews. Similarities and differences between the two perspectives were reported with regard to 1) expectations toward the intervention, 2) the internet-based intervention, 3) symptomatology and emotion regulation, 4) the therapeutic relationship and 5) the blended format.

CONCLUSION

This study provides first insights on the experiences with transdiagnostic BT focusing on emotion regulation. Based on the results, different recommendations for the improvement of transdiagnostic BT are made. Future research on patient and therapist experiences with transdiagnostic BT is necessary, in order to further improve the experience of those involved.

[All in the mix? Blended psychotherapy as an example of digitalization in psychotherapy]

Hintergrund

Über die letzten Jahrzehnte wurden verschiedene Ansätze zur Digitalisierung der Psychotherapie (PT) entwickelt. Eine Behandlungsform stellt die Kombination von „Face-to-face“-PT und Online-Interventionen, die „Blended-PT“, dar. Während das Forschungsinteresse zu Blended-PT in den letzten Jahren zugenommen hat, wurde die praktische Anwendung von Blended-PT im deutschsprachigen Raum bisher weniger stark umgesetzt. Auch bedingt durch die globale, durch die „coronavirus disease 2019“ (COVID-19) ausgelöste Pandemie gewinnen Blended-PT und andere Online-Ansätze zunehmend an Bedeutung.

Ziel der Arbeit

Ein Überblick zum Thema und zu verschiedenen Formen von Blended-PT wird gegeben. Im Weiteren wird auf die Wirksamkeit, die Sicht der Patient:innen und Therapeut:innen sowie auf das Thema der Implementierung eingegangen.

Material und Methoden

Narrative Übersicht der Literatur zum Thema Blended-PT; auf Basis einer umfassenden Suche werden wichtige Überlegungen und Befunde eingeordnet und beschrieben.

Ergebnisse

Der Begriff der Blended-PT wird bisher uneinheitlich verwendet. In Anlehnung an Blended-Learning-Ansätze können „blends“ auf verschiedenen Ebenen stattfinden. Es kann zwischen ergänzenden und transformierenden Blends unterschieden werden. In transformierenden Blends verändert das Format die Face-to-face-PT grundlegend. Zu einigen Blended-PT-Formen gibt es bereits Wirksamkeitsbelege, zu anderen besteht dringender Forschungsbedarf. Im Vergleich zu Face-to-face-PT und reiner Online-Therapie könnte die Blended-PT verschiedene Vorteile bieten.

Schlussfolgerung

Das Interesse an Blended-PT wächst aufseiten von Patient:innen und Therapeut:innen. Um evidenzbasierte Blended-PT erfolgreich anbieten zu können, bedarf es der engen Zusammenarbeit zwischen Wissenschaft, Institutionen, Therapeut:innen und Kostenträgern im Gesundheitssystem.