Combining Guided Self-help Approaches for Common Mental Disorders

The first page participants will see is the informed consent document describing the study, delineating risks/benefits, payment, who to contact with problems, etc. Once participants have read through the informed consent, those who wish to participate will be taken to the survey battery.

The baseline survey should take about 15 minutes to complete. Individuals who score at least a 6 on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6) are eligible to participate. After participants are deemed eligible, they will be randomized to one of 2 conditions: guided self-help bibliotherapy or unguided self-help bibliotherapy. Participants who qualify and are randomized to the guided self-help condition will provide their phone number, email, address, whether they would like the Doing what matters in times of stress book to also be mailed to them, what their preferred method of initial contact is, and a list of timeframes in which they would have the privacy to be contacted by the research team. Participants who qualify and are randomized to the unguided self-help condition will provide their phone number, email, address, and confirm whether they would like the Doing what matters in times of stress book to also be mailed to them. Participants who do not qualify will be thanked for their time and receive the link to the book so they can use it on their own time if they wish.

After filling out their contact information, eligible participants will be taken directly to the Common Elements Toolbox (COMET) intervention. The COMET intervention will be delivered via Qualtrics and will include the following modules: cognitive restructuring (labeled "flexible thinking"), behavioral activation (labeled "positive activities"), gratitude, and self-compassion. The total time for completing the COMET intervention is around 45 minutes, which means the total approximate time for completing the entire baseline assessment (survey + COMET) is around 60 minutes.

For participants in the guided self-help condition, within 1 week of completing the baseline assessment a member of the research team will either email participants to schedule a time to call, or call eligible participants to explain the study in more detail, and answer any questions they may have. Participants will be sent a welcome email with the Doing what matters in times of stress book, a copy of the informed consent, and a participation guide. Each participant will receive a unique Zoom Health link to use for participation. These calls will not be recorded. This initial call will also serve to introduce the participant to the Doing what matters in times of stress book, create a plan for using the book, and schedule the remaining calls. The welcome call should take up to 30 minutes.

For participants in the unguided condition, within 1 week of completing the baseline assessment they will be emailed a copy of the book, the informed consent statement, the Making a Plan Worksheet, and a participation guide.