Digital Self-efficacy Training to Bridge Waiting Times for Psychotherapy
- Conditions
- Psychiatric DisorderWaiting for Psychotherapy
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Digital self-efficacy trainingBehavioral: Ecological Momentary Assessment
- Registration Number
- NCT05560581
- Lead Sponsor
- Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich
- Brief Summary
The main aim of this project is to improve waiting periods for specialised psychotherapy. We will apply a brief, smartphone-based self-efficacy training to patients with psychiatric disorders waiting for specialised psychotherapy. Additionally, we will use Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to assess mood, social contacts, and other parameters daily. We will investigate whether the training can improve self-efficacy and related constructs and if it can help reduce stress and waitlist drop-outs during waiting periods. Additionally, we will investigate if the self-efficacy training has a positive effect on motivation and therapeutical relationship regarding the subsequent therapy.
After a screening for eligibility, participants will be randomly assigned to intervention and control group. At baseline, participants attend a laboratory session where they are assessed for current psychiatric disorders and further relevant psychological variables. They will then either participate in the digital self-efficacy training combined with EMA (intervention group) or in EMA only (control group). Both will be conducted via a smartphone app. Subsequently, participants will be asked to fill in post questionnaires at three different time points: after having finished app usage, one month later, and after the beginning of the subsequent psychotherapy.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 94
- psychiatric disorder
- age 18-65
- waiting for psychiatric assessment/treatment (being on waitlist)
- sufficient knowledge of the German language
- smartphone user
- internet access via smartphone
- internet access at home (laptop, tablet, or computer)
- current intense psychotherapy
- acute suicidality
- acute psychotic symptoms
- substance addiction
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Intervention group Ecological Momentary Assessment Participants will receive an one-week digital self-efficacy training (3x/day) and an one-week Ecological Momentary Assessment (3x/day questions on mood, social and virtual contacts). Intervention group Digital self-efficacy training Participants will receive an one-week digital self-efficacy training (3x/day) and an one-week Ecological Momentary Assessment (3x/day questions on mood, social and virtual contacts). Control group Ecological Momentary Assessment Participants will receive an one-week Ecological Momentary Assessment (3x/day questions on mood, social and virtual contacts).
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in self-efficacy baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began Validated measures ("General Self-Efficacy Scale" (10 items; higher scores indicate higher self-efficacy -\> better outcome), "Coping Self-efficacy scale" (26 items; higher scores indicate higher self-effiacy -\> better outcome) and individual questions based on validated measures assessing specific self-efficacy regarding emotion regulation, therapy and waitlist will be used to assess self-efficacy at baseline and 3 different time points after the intervention.
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in hopelessness baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began Hopelessness will be assessed using the validated measure "Beck Hopelessness Scale" (20 items; higher scores indicate greater hopelessness -\> worse outcome).
Change in stress baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began Stress will be assessed using the validated measure "Perceived Stress Scale" (10 items; higher scores indicate greater stress -\> worse outcome).
Change in anxiety baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began Anxiety will be assessed using the validated measure "State and Trait Anxiety Scale" (40 items; higher scores indicate greater anxiety -\> worse outcome).
Change in therapy expectations baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began Therapy expectations will be assessed using the validated measure "Patient Questionnaire on Therapy Expectation and Evaluation" (11 items; higher score indicates higher satisfaction -\> better outcome).
Change in intolerance of uncertainty baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began Intolerance of uncertainty will be assessed using the validated measure "Intolerance of uncertainty scale" (18 items; higher scores indicate greater uncertainty -\> worse outcome).
Change in depression baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began Depression will be assessed using the validated measure "Beck Depression Inventory II" (21 items; higher scores indicate greater depression -\> worse outcome).
Change in optimism baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began Change in life orientation will be assessed using the validated measure "Life Orientation Test Revised" (10 items; higher scores indicate greater optimism -\> better outcome)
Trial Locations
- Locations (2)
Psychiatric University Hospital
🇨ðŸ‡Zurich, Switzerland
Integrated Psychiatry Winterthur
🇨ðŸ‡Winterthur, Switzerland