scholarly journals Using the Intervention Mapping Approach to Develop a Mental Health Intervention: A Case Study on Improving the Reporting Standards for Developing Psychological Interventions

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joep van Agteren ◽  
Matthew Iasiello ◽  
Kathina Ali ◽  
Daniel B. Fassnacht ◽  
Gareth Furber ◽  
...  

Replicating or distilling information from psychological interventions reported in the scientific literature is hindered by inadequate reporting, despite the existence of various methodologies to guide study reporting and intervention development. This article provides an in-depth explanation of the scientific development process for a mental health intervention, and by doing so illustrates how intervention development methodologies can be used to improve development reporting standards of interventions. Intervention development was guided by the Intervention Mapping approach and the Theoretical Domains Framework. It relied on an extensive literature review, input from a multi-disciplinary group of stakeholders and the learnings from projects on similar psychological interventions. The developed programme, called the “Be Well Plan”, focuses on self-exploration to determine key motivators, resources and challenges to improve mental health outcomes. The programme contains an online assessment to build awareness about one’s mental health status. In combination with the exploration of different evidence-based mental health activities from various therapeutic backgrounds, the programme teaches individuals to create a personalised mental health and wellbeing plan. The use of best-practice intervention development frameworks and evidence-based behavioural change techniques aims to ensure optimal intervention impact, while reporting on the development process provides researchers and other stakeholders with an ability to scientifically interrogate and replicate similar psychological interventions.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edith van 't Hof ◽  
Eva Heim ◽  
Jinane Abi Ramia ◽  
Sebastian Burchert ◽  
Ilja Cornelisz ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND The lack of availability of evidence-based services for people exposed to adversity globally has led to the development of psychological interventions with features that will likely make them more scalable. The evidence for the efficacy of e-mental health from high-income countries is compelling and the use of these interventions could be a way to increase the coverage of evidence--based psychological interventions in low- and middle-income countries. Step-by-Step, is a brief (5 session) intervention proposed by WHO as an innovative approach to reducing the suffering and disability associated with depression. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a locally adapted version of Step-by-Step with Syrian nationals (trial 1) and Lebanese nationals and other populations residing in Lebanon (trial 2). METHODS This Step-by-Step trial involves two parallel, two-armed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the e-intervention Step-by-Step to enhanced care as usual (ECAU) in participants with depressive symptoms and impaired functioning. The RCTs are designed and powered to detect effectiveness in two populations: Syrians in Lebanon (n=568) and other people residing in Lebanon (n=568) (Lebanese nationals and other populations resident in Lebanon). The primary outcomes are depressive symptomatology (measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire [PHQ-9]) and functioning (measured by the WHODAS 2.0). Secondary outcomes include anxiety symptoms, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, personalized measures of psychosocial problems, subjective wellbeing and economic effectiveness. Participants are mainly recruited through online advertising. Additional outreach methods will be used if required, for example through dissemination of information through partner agencies and organizations. They can access the intervention on a computer, tablet and mobile phone through a hybrid app. Step-by-Step has 5-sessions and users are guided by trained non-specialist “e-helpers” providing phone or message-based support for around 15 minutes a week. RESULTS The trials were funded in 2018. The study protocol was last verified 20.06.2019 (WHO ERC.0002797) and registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03720769). The trials started recruitment as of December 9th, 2019 and all data collection will likely be completed by November 2020. CONCLUSIONS The Step-by-Step trials will provide evidence about the effectiveness of an E-mental health intervention in Lebanon. If the intervention proves to be effective, this will inform future scale up of this and similar interventions in Lebanon and in other settings across the world. CLINICALTRIAL NCT03720769


Autism ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (5) ◽  
pp. 1286-1299
Author(s):  
Teresa Lind ◽  
Anna S Lau ◽  
Christopher Gomez ◽  
Adriana Rodriguez ◽  
Karen Guan ◽  
...  

Mental health clinicians often report significant challenges when delivering evidence-based interventions in community settings, particularly when unexpected client stressors (or emergent life events) interfere with the therapy process. The current study sought to extend the study of emergent life events to children with autism spectrum disorder by examining the occurrence and impact of emergent life events in the context of a collaborative, caregiver-mediated intervention for reducing challenging behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorder, An Individualized Mental Health Intervention for ASD (AIM HI). Participants included 38 child–clinician dyads enrolled in a community effectiveness trial of An Individualized Mental Health Intervention for ASD. Video recordings of 100 therapy sessions were coded for caregiver-reported emergent life events and clinician adherence to the Individualized Mental Health Intervention for ASD protocol. Results indicated that mild to severe emergent life events were reported in 36% of sessions, and were reported for 58% of children at some point during treatment. Greater number of child comorbid diagnoses and less clinician experience were both significantly associated with a higher number of caregiver-reported emergent life events. There was no significant link between emergent life events and clinician adherence to the Individualized Mental Health Intervention for ASD protocol. Findings offer implications for evidence-based intervention implementation, particularly the importance of incorporating clinician training in addressing complex presentations and crises in the context of evidence-based interventions. Lay abstract Mental health clinicians often report significant challenges when delivering evidence-based interventions (EBI) in community settings, particularly when unexpected client stressors (or emergent life events; ELEs) interfere with the therapy process. The current study sought to extend the study of ELEs to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) by examining the occurrence and impact of ELEs in the context of a collaborative, caregiver-mediated intervention for reducing challenging behaviors in children with ASD. This intervention was An Individualized Mental Health Intervention for children with ASD (referred to as AIM HI). Participants included 38 clinicians and child clients who were enrolled in a community effectiveness trial of AIM HI. Video recordings of 100 therapy sessions were coded for caregiver-reported ELEs and also how well clinicians adhered to the AIM HI protocol. Results indicated that mild to severe ELEs were reported in 36% of therapy sessions, and were reported for 58% of children at some point during the intervention. Children who had a greater number of diagnoses (in addition to the autism diagnosis) tended to have more ELEs. In addition, clinicians with less years of experience tended to have sessions with more ELEs. There was no significant link between ELEs and how well clinicians adhered to the AIM HI protocol. Findings offer implications for the implementation of EBI, particularly the importance of incorporating clinician training in addressing complex presentations and crises in the context of EBIs.


Author(s):  
John McLennan ◽  
Katholiki Georgiades ◽  
Andrea Gonzalez ◽  
Magdalena Janus ◽  
Ellen Lipman ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 647-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Bäuerle ◽  
Johanna Graf ◽  
Christoph Jansen ◽  
Nora Dörrie ◽  
Florian Junne ◽  
...  

Abstract The outbreak of the novel SARS CoV-2-virus (COVID-19) is pushing national and international healthcare systems to their limits. The aspect of mental health issues, which has been neglected (so far) in times of social isolation and governmental restrictions, now demands innovative and situation-based approaches to support psychological burdened people. The developed e-mental health intervention ‘CoPE It’ offers manualized, evidence-based psychotherapeutic/psychological support to overcome psychological distress in times of COVID-19. E-mental health approaches offer great possibilities to support burdened people during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic effectively.


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