Transdiagnostic and tailored internet intervention to improve mental health among university students: Research protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Emerging adulthood is often associated with mental health problems. About one in three university students report symptoms of depression and anxiety that can negatively affect their developmental trajectory concerning work, intimate relationships, and health. This can interfere with academic performance, as mood and anxiety disorders are key predictors of dropout from higher education.

Training, supervision, and experience of coaches offering digital guided self-help for mental health concerns.

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.

"Good job!": Therapists' encouragement, affirmation, and personal address in internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for adolescents with depression.

Internet-delivered interventions are generally effective for psychological problems. While the presence of a clinician guiding the client via text messages typically leads to better outcomes, the characteristics of what constitutes high-quality communication are less well investigated. This study aimed to identify how an internet therapist most effectively communicates with clients in internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT).

Academic self-efficacy: Associations with self-reported COVID-19 symptoms, mental health, and trust in universities' management of the pandemic-induced university lockdown.

To investigate perceived changes in academic self-efficacy associated with self-reported symptoms of COVID-19, changes in mental health, and trust in universities' management of the pandemic and transition to remote education during lockdown of Swedish universities in the spring of 2020. 4495 participated and 3638 responded to self-efficacy questions. Associations were investigated using multinomial regression.

Therapist-guided internet-based psychodynamic therapy versus cognitive behavioural therapy for adolescent depression in Sweden: a randomised, clinical, non-inferiority trial.

Background: Adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) is highly prevalent and associated with lifelong adversity. Evidence-based treatments exist, but accessible treatment alternatives are needed. We aimed to compare internet-based psychodynamic therapy (IPDT) with an established evidence-based treatment (internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy [ICBT]) for the treatment of adolescents with depression.

Symptoms of COVID-19 contagion in different social contexts in association to self-reported symptoms, mental health and study capacity in Swedish university students.

Objective: The present study investigates if symptoms of COVID-19 contagion in different social contexts (cohabitants, family, acquaintances, and others) are associated with university students' own self-reported symptoms of COVID-19 contagion, mental health, and study capacity. This was investigated by a cross-sectional survey administrated in Sweden during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, at the time when universities were locked down to limit viral spread and contagion.

Results: Mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 in cohabitants and family members were associated with student's self-reported symptoms of contagion, while no associations could be seen in relation to mental health and study capacity.

Digital interventions to address mental health needs in colleges: Perspectives of student stakeholders.

Objective: The need for clinical services in U.S. colleges exceeds the supply.

A Data-Driven Clustering Method for Discovering Profiles in the Dynamics of Major Depressive Disorder Using a Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment of Mood.

Background: Although major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by a pervasive negative mood, research indicates that the mood of depressed patients is rarely entirely stagnant. It is often dynamic, distinguished by highs and lows, and it is highly responsive to external and internal regulatory processes. Mood dynamics can be defined as a combination of mood variability (the magnitude of the mood changes) and emotional inertia (the speed of mood shifts).

Effect of Sleep Disturbance Symptoms on Treatment Outcome in Blended Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression (E-COMPARED Study): Secondary Analysis.

Background: Sleep disturbance symptoms are common in major depressive disorder (MDD) and have been found to hamper the treatment effect of conventional face-to-face psychological treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy. To increase the dissemination of evidence-based treatment, blended cognitive behavioral therapy (bCBT) consisting of web-based and face-to-face treatment is on the rise for patients with MDD. To date, no study has examined whether sleep disturbance symptoms have an impact on bCBT treatment outcomes and whether it affects bCBT and treatment-as-usual (TAU) equally.

Effectiveness of a chatbot for eating disorders prevention: A randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Prevention of eating disorders (EDs) is of high importance. However, digital programs with human moderation are unlikely to be disseminated widely. The aim of this study was to test whether a chatbot (i.

The Challenges in Designing a Prevention Chatbot for Eating Disorders: Observational Study.

Background: Chatbots have the potential to provide cost-effective mental health prevention programs at scale and increase interactivity, ease of use, and accessibility of intervention programs.

Objective: The development of chatbot prevention for eating disorders (EDs) is still in its infancy. Our aim is to present examples of and solutions to challenges in designing and refining a rule-based prevention chatbot program for EDs, targeted at adult women at risk for developing an ED.

Examining the Theoretical Framework of Behavioral Activation for Major Depressive Disorder: Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment Study.

Background: Behavioral activation (BA), either as a stand-alone treatment or as part of cognitive behavioral therapy, has been shown to be effective for treating depression. The theoretical underpinnings of BA derive from Lewinsohn et al's theory of depression. The central premise of BA is that having patients engage in more pleasant activities leads to them experiencing more pleasure and elevates their mood, which, in turn, leads to further (behavioral) activation.

Associations between compliance with covid-19 public health recommendations and perceived contagion in others: a self-report study in Swedish university students.

Objective: During the COVID pandemic, government authorities worldwide have tried to limit the spread of the virus. Sweden's distinctive feature was the use of voluntary public health recommendations. Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of this strategy.

Does the management of personal integrity information lead to differing participation rates and response patterns in mental health surveys with young adults? A three-armed methodological experiment.

Objectives: This study evaluates whether initiation rates, completion rates, response patterns and prevalence of psychiatric conditions differ by level of personal integrity information given to prospective participants in an online mental health self-report survey.

Methods: A three-arm, parallel-group, single-blind experiment was conducted among students from two Swedish universities. Consenting participants following e-mail invitation answered the World Health Organization (WHO) World Mental Health-International College Student (WMH-ICS) mental health self-report survey, screening for eight psychiatric conditions.

Compliance with recommendations limiting COVID-19 contagion among university students in Sweden: associations with self-reported symptoms, mental health and academic self-efficacy.

Aims: The COVID-19 containment strategy in Sweden uses public health recommendations relying on personal responsibility for compliance. Universities were one of few public institutions subject to strict closure, meaning that students had to adapt overnight to online teaching. This study investigates the prevalence of self-reported recommendation compliance and associations with self-reported symptoms of contagion, self-experienced effects on mental health and academic self-efficacy among university students in Sweden in May-June 2020.

Harnessing mobile technology to reduce mental health disorders in college populations: A randomized controlled trial study protocol.

About a third of college students struggle with anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder, and only 20-40% of college students with mental disorders receive treatment. Inadequacies in mental health care delivery result in prolonged illness, disease progression, poorer prognosis, and greater likelihood of relapse, highlighting the need for a new approach to detect mental health problems and engage college students in services. We have developed a transdiagnostic, low-cost mobile mental health targeted prevention and intervention platform that uses population-level screening to engage college students in tailored services that address common mental health problems.

Knowledge gain and usage of knowledge learned during internet-based CBT treatment for adolescent depression - a qualitative study.

Background: The role of explicit learning of treatment content in internet-based cognitive-behavioural treatment (ICBT) is an emerging field of research. The objective of this study was to explore clients experiences of their ICBT treatment for depression with a focus on knowledge gain and usage of knowledge learned during treatment.

Methods: A strategic sample of ten adolescents, aged between 15 and 19 years, who had received ICBT for major depression within a clinical controlled trial were recruited for the study.

Using Digital Technology to Reduce the Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders in Populations: Time for a New Approach.

Digital technology, which includes the collection, analysis, and use of data from a variety of digital devices, has the potential to reduce the prevalence of disorders and improve mental health in populations. Among the many advantages of digital technology is that it allows preventive and clinical interventions, both of which are needed to reduce the prevalence of mental health disorders, to be feasibly integrated into health care and community delivery systems and delivered at scale. However, the use of digital technology also presents several challenges, including how systems can manage and implement interventions in a rapidly changing digital environment and handle critical issues that affect population-wide outcomes, including reaching the targeted population, obtaining meaningful levels of uptake and use of interventions, and achieving significant outcomes.

Internet-based psychodynamic versus cognitive behaviour therapy for adolescents with depression: study protocol for a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial (the ERiCA study).

Background: Adolescent depression is a common mental health problem and there is an urgent need for effective and accessible treatments. Internet-based interventions solve many obstacles for seeking and receiving treatment, thus increasing access to effective treatments. Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) for adolescent depression has demonstrated efficacy in previous trials.

The Role of Learning Support and Chat-Sessions in Guided Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescents With Anxiety: A Factorial Design Study.

Background: Increased awareness of anxiety in adolescents emphasises the need for effective interventions. Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) could be a resource-effective and evidence-based treatment option, but little is known about how to optimize ICBT or which factors boost outcomes. Recently, the role of knowledge in psychotherapy has received increased focus.

Advantages and disadvantages of online and blended therapy: Replication and extension of findings on psychotherapists' appraisals.

Therapists hold a key role for the uptake of digital mental health interventions (DMHI) within regular care services but have demonstrated cautious attitudes towards such interventions. It is relevant to explore in detail what factors may positively influence therapists' perception when considering DMHI implementation within routine care. We recently assessed therapist views towards Internet-based and blended treatment in Austria (low implementation level).

Affect-Focused Psychodynamic Internet-Based Therapy for Adolescent Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Adolescent depression is one of the largest health issues in the world and there is a pressing need for effective and accessible treatments.

Objective: This trial examines whether affect-focused internet-based psychodynamic therapy (IPDT) with therapist support is more effective than an internet-based supportive control condition on reducing depression in adolescents.

Methods: The trial included 76 adolescents (61/76, 80% female; mean age 16.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Blended With Synchronous Chat Sessions to Treat Adolescent Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Depression is a common and serious problem among adolescents, but few seek or have access to therapy. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapies (ICBTs), developed to increase treatment access, show promise in reducing depression. The inclusion of coach support in treatment is desired and may be needed.