Evaluating discussion board engagement in the MoodSwings online self-help program for bipolar disorder: protocol for an observational prospective cohort study

BMC Psychiatry

Michael Berk³  Trisha Suppes²  Seetal Dodd¹  David Grimm⁴  Victoria Cosgrove²  Lesley Berk⁶  Sue Lauder⁵  Emma Gliddon¹ 

[1]The Department of Psychiatry, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia

[2]Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA

[3]Florey Institute for Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia

[4]VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto, California, USA

[5]The Collaborative Research Network, Federation University, Ballarat, Australia

[6]School of Psychology, Deakin University, Burwood, Australia

关键词: Mental health;    Support group;    Online;    Internet;    Bipolar disorder;   

Others  :  1231614
DOI  :  10.1186/s12888-015-0630-7

 received in 2015-08-18, accepted in 2015-10-02,  发布年份 2015

【 摘 要 】

Background

Online, self-guided programs exist for a wide range of mental health conditions, including bipolar disorder, and discussion boards are often part of these interventions. The impact engagement with these discussion boards has on the psychosocial well-being of users is largely unknown. More specifically we need to clarify the influence of the type and level of engagement on outcomes.

The primary aim of this exploratory study is to determine if there is a relationship between different types (active, passive or none) and levels (high, mid and low) of discussion board engagement and improvement in outcome measures from baseline to follow up, with a focus on self-reported social support, stigma, quality of life and levels of depression and mania. The secondary aim of this study is to identify any differences in demographic variables among discussion users.

Methods/design

The present study is a sub-study of the MoodSwings 2.0 3-arm randomised controlled trial (discussion board only (arm 1), discussion board plus psychoeducation (arm 2), discussion board, psychoeducation plus cognitive behavioural therapy-based tools (arm 3)). Discussion engagement will be measured via online participant activity monitoring. Assessments include online self-report as well as blinded phone interviews at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months follow up.

Discussion

The results of this study will help to inform future programs about whether or not discussion boards are a beneficial inclusion in online self-help interventions. It will also help to determine if motivating users to actively engage in online discussion is necessary, and if so, what level of engagement is optimal to produce the most benefit. Future programs may benefit through being able to identify those most likely to poorly engage, based on demographic variables, so motivational strategies can be targeted accordingly.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02118623 registered April 15 2014 and NCT02106078 registered May 16 2013.

【 授权许可】

   
2015 Gliddon et al.

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