Digital Self-efficacy Training to Bridge Waiting Times for Psychotherapy

Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Psychiatric Disorder; Waiting for Psychotherapy

Treatments: Behavioral: Digital self-efficacy training; Behavioral: Ecological Momentary Assessment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05560581

SeApp III

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Enrollment: 94 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 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)

Exclusion criteria

• current intense psychotherapy
• acute suicidality
• acute psychotic symptoms
• substance addiction

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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94 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention group

Experimental group

Description:

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).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Ecological Momentary Assessment

Behavioral: Digital self-efficacy training

Control group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive an one-week Ecological Momentary Assessment (3x/day questions on mood, social and virtual contacts).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Ecological Momentary Assessment