Online Mental Health Coaching for Anxiety and Depression (SWAG-R Trial)
Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Travel: May be covered
Time Reimbursement: Varies
Trial Phase: Academic
Recruiting
Sponsor: Nova Southeastern University
No Placebo Group
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?The purpose of this research study is to provide a free 6-week, online psychological coaching program to NSU undergraduate students to help with anxiety, depression, and stress, while improving quality of life and healthy coping skills.
Is online mental health coaching for anxiety and depression safe for humans?
Online mental health programs, including those with coaching, have been used safely by many people for anxiety and depression. These programs are designed to be low-risk and are often used without direct therapist involvement, making them accessible and safe for a wide range of users.
126912How does the SWAG-R Program treatment differ from other treatments for anxiety and depression?
The SWAG-R Program is unique because it offers online mental health coaching, which is a self-guided, web-based approach that focuses on teaching mental health skills like behavioral activation and mindfulness. This method is distinct from traditional in-person therapy or medication, providing a flexible and accessible option for individuals seeking help with anxiety and depression.
4781012Do I need to stop taking my current medications to join the trial?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It might be best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your healthcare provider.
What data supports the effectiveness of the SWAG-R Program treatment for anxiety and depression?
Research shows that online mental health programs with coaching can help people with anxiety and depression by improving engagement and understanding of the therapy. Coaching has been found to be important for building a positive relationship and helping patients apply skills, which enhances the overall experience and effectiveness of the treatment.
345911Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for NSU undergraduate students who are experiencing anxiety, depression, or stress. It aims to improve their quality of life and coping skills through a free 6-week online coaching program.Inclusion Criteria
I am an 18+ year old undergraduate student currently enrolled at NSU.
Exclusion Criteria
I am 17 years old or younger.
Participant Groups
The SWAG-R Program tests the effectiveness of an online mental health coaching intervention designed to support emotional well-being and resilience among college students.
2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Active Control
Group I: Intervention GroupExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
The coaching program will consist of (6) free, 60 minute online coaching sessions. You will be assigned the same coach for the 6 weeks. You can coordinate schedule day/time preferences as the sessions will be done through HIPAA Zoom. Everyone in the study will get the same coaching topics in the same order.
Group II: Waitlist GroupActive Control1 Intervention
Waitlist, no intervention group
Find A Clinic Near You
Research locations nearbySelect from list below to view details:
Nova Southeastern UniversityFort Lauderdale, FL
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Who is running the clinical trial?
Nova Southeastern UniversityLead Sponsor
References
e-hub: an online self-help mental health service in the community. [2020]Self-help delivered through online websites has been found to be beneficial for people with mental health problems, and consumers find internet support groups helpful. The Australian National University e-hub group delivers automated web interventions (BluePages, MoodGYM, e-couch) and an online bulletin board (BlueBoard) to the public for mental health self-help. The evidence-based web interventions require no direct therapist or other human involvement, while the bulletin board is moderated by trained consumers under the supervision of a clinical psychologist. Users may contact the e-hub service by email. These web services are used by a large number of users, with and without clinical mental disorders, often over a long period of time. These services provide programs for prevention and early intervention and are particularly suited to people who prefer anonymous services, live in rural and remote areas, or have a preference for self-help methods, as well as for use in school and workplace settings. A range of best-practice measures have been developed and put in place to ensure high-quality service delivery. Evaluation and quality control are enabled by a database and associated software.
A randomized controlled trial on the role of support in Internet-based problem solving therapy for depression and anxiety. [2022]Internet-based interventions can be effective treatments for anxiety and depression. Meta-analytic evidence suggests that they should be delivered with human support to reach optimal effects. These findings have not consistently been replicated in direct comparisons of supported and unsupported interventions, however. This study examined the role of support in Internet-based problem solving treatment (PST) for symptoms of anxiety and/or depression. Adults with mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety and/or depression were recruited from the general population and randomized to: (1) PST without support (n = 107), (2) PST with support on request (n = 108), (3) PST with weekly support (n = 106), (4) no Internet-based intervention but non-specific chat or email (n = 110), or (5) waitlist control (WLC; n = 106). Primary outcomes were symptoms of anxiety (HADS) and depression (CES-D) measured at baseline and 6 weeks later. Analyses were first based on the intention-to-treat principle (ITT) and repeated with intervention completers. Only participants who received PST with weekly support improved significantly more than WLC for depressive symptoms. Results for anxiety were less robust but in favor of the weekly support condition. The results underscore the importance of structural support in Internet-based interventions for depression and anxiety.
Effectiveness of an internet intervention (Deprexis) for depression in a united states adult sample: A parallel-group pragmatic randomized controlled trial. [2019]To examine the effectiveness of an Internet intervention for depression with a randomized, controlled trial in a large sample of adults recruited from the United States.
[Indication and Evidence of Internationally Developed Online Coaches as Intervention for Mental Illness - a Meta-Review]. [2019]The aim of the study was to investigate the current state of research concerning internationally developed Online Coaches for treatment support and prevention of mental disorders. Evidence and effectiveness of the Online Coaches ought to be explored.
Web-based Therapy Plus Support by a Coach in Depressed Patients Referred to Secondary Mental Health Care: Randomized Controlled Trial. [2020]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.
Consumer-Guided Development of an Engagement-Facilitation Intervention for Increasing Uptake and Adherence for Self-Guided Web-Based Mental Health Programs: Focus Groups and Online Evaluation Survey. [2020]Self-guided web-based mental health programs are effective in treating and preventing mental health problems. However, current engagement with these programs in the community is suboptimal, and there is limited evidence indicating how to increase the use of existing evidence-based programs.
Evaluating the effects of guided coaching calls on engagement and outcomes for online acceptance and commitment therapy. [2021]Previous research indicates mixed results for guided support with online interventions. The current secondary analysis evaluated the effects of phone coaching from a dismantling trial of online acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in a sample of 136 distressed college students randomized to one of three versions of an ACT website. Participants were randomized to receive email prompts alone (non-coaching condition) or email plus phone coaching (coaching condition). Results indicated no differences between the coaching and non-coaching conditions on program engagement, program satisfaction, mental health outcomes, and almost all psychological flexibility processes. However, participants in the coaching condition reported stronger pre- to posttreatment improvements in psychological inflexibility than the non-coaching condition. This effect was moderated by ACT component condition, with larger pre- to posttreatment effects from coaching on psychological inflexibility in the values/committed action condition and weaker improvements from coaching in the acceptance/defusion condition. Overall, results indicate online self-guided ACT interventions with email prompts are sufficient for addressing college student mental health and that phone coaching provided minimal additional benefit.
Feasibility of a web-based program for universal prevention of anxiety and depression in university students: An open trial. [2022]Objective: To examine the feasibility of a self-guided, Web-based program for universal prevention of anxiety and depression in university students. Participants: University students (n = 651) enrolled in the tested program (March, 2016). Methods: The program delivered eight weeks of mental health skills (e.g., behavioral activation, mindfulness). Data was collected online through an entry survey, weekly check-in surveys, and a post-program feedback survey. Results: Campus-wide recruitment emails were the most encountered recruitment strategy (82%). In terms of adherence, the program was initiated by 73% of students and fully completed by 11% of students. There was some evidence of program acceptability (e.g., 71% of students endorsed the program as "useful"). Common qualitative themes further suggested acceptability for some aspects of the program while also highlighting others for revision. Conclusion: Findings support further development of the online program and recommendations are made for improving the platform before future testing.
Lessons Learned: Providing Supportive Accountability in an Online Anxiety Intervention. [2023]Technology-delivered interventions have the potential to help address the treatment gap in mental health care but are plagued by high attrition. Adding coaching, or minimal contact with a nonspecialist provider, may encourage engagement and decrease dropout, while remaining scalable. Coaching has been studied in interventions for various mental health conditions but has not yet been tested with anxious samples. This study describes the development of and reactions to a low-intensity coaching protocol administered to N = 282 anxious adults identified as high risk to drop out of a web-based cognitive bias modification for interpretation intervention. Undergraduate research assistants were trained as coaches and communicated with participants via phone calls and synchronous text messaging. About half of the sample never responded to coaches' attempts to schedule an initial phone call or did not answer the call, though about 30% completed the full intervention with their coach. Some anxious adults may choose technology-delivered interventions specifically for their lack of human contact and may fear talking to strangers on the phone; future recommendations include taking a more intensive user-centered design approach to creating and implementing a coaching protocol, allowing coaching support to be optional, and providing users with more information about how and why the intervention works.
A Pilot Evaluation of a University Health and Wellness Coaching Program for College Students. [2023]Poor mental well-being has been associated with negative student success outcomes among college students. Health and wellness coaching programs have been implemented in college campuses to address gaps in well-being support services. This pilot study evaluated a health and wellness coaching program at a large, urban university. A total of 499 students expressed interest in the program with 120 responding to a retrospective survey about their experience. Findings revealed that most students attended coaching for issues related to time and stress management or factors that commonly influence stress. Overall, students who participated in coaching were successful at improving their self-efficacy toward behavior change, changing their behavior, and achieving their goals. Students reported attending an average of four sessions with number of sessions attended being associated with increased confidence and motivation. In addition, autonomy, competence, and relatedness felt within the relationship with the coach were correlated with increased motivation, confidence, and readiness for behavior change. There was some relapse in terms of goal attainment observed with 17.4% of students who met their goals being unable to maintain progress. The program participants appeared to have enjoyed the process with 96% of students saying they would recommend the program to a friend. Health and wellness coaching programs may alleviate the burden of stress and other subclinical mental health concerns as well as decrease the number of students requiring services from more intensive mental health resources on campus.
Coaching with Internet-Based Mental Health Program: Patient and Coach Experiences. [2023]Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the need for mental health treatment and the shortage of available providers. Internet-based, asynchronous mental health programs that incorporate coaching with a licensed provider address this widespread challenge. This study provides an in-depth exploration of both the patient and provider experience in webSTAIR, a coached, internet-based psychoeducational program, where coaching took place over video-telehealth. We focus on how patients and licensed mental health providers understood their coaching relationship in an internet-based mental health program. Materials and Methods: We interviewed a purposive sample of 60 patients who completed the coached, internet-based program and all 9 providers who provided coaching from 2017 to 2020. The project team and interviewers took notes during interviews. Patient interviews were studied using content and matrix analysis. Coach interviews were studied using thematic analysis. Results: Interviews across patients and coaches reveal the continued importance of relationship building and rapport and emphasized the central role of the coach in providing content clarification and application of skills. Discussion: For patients, coaches were critical for understanding and completing the internet-based program. As well, positive relationship with their coach further enhanced their experience in the program. Providers echoed the importance of relationship building and rapport for program success and saw their main role as helping patients to understand content and apply skills.
Training, supervision, and experience of coaches offering digital guided self-help for mental health concerns. [2023]Accessible, low-cost intervention options are necessary to address the rise in mental health problems among college students. Digital guided self-help, or coached, programs have been developed to provide such services, with many commercially available. As such, there are a large and growing number of individuals coaching these programs. However, an unmet need is to evaluate and assess best practices for training and supervising individuals in these positions. To this end, we describe how we recruited, trained, and supervised coaches as part of a large randomized controlled trial using a widely available digital commercial platform. Coaches were trained to provide digital guided self-help for depression, anxiety, and/or eating disorders for college students. Coaches initially attended three live training sessions over 2-3 weeks, viewed multiple training videos, and read a detailed coaching manual developed by our team. Thereafter, they attended weekly supervision. Following their term, coaches completed an exit survey to assess their supervision and training experiences. A total of 37 of 70 (53%) graduate-level student coaches completed the survey. The experience was reported as very positive (95%). In particular, the majority reported feeling well prepared, more confident, and felt they had developed useful skills for their own practice.