Instruction Emphasis for Mental Health Surveys

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, Irvine

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 2

Duration: 2 weeks

200 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Instruction Emphasis for mental health surveys?

The research suggests that using measurement-based care (MBC), which involves collecting and using data to guide treatment, can improve patient care in mental health settings. This approach could support the effectiveness of Instruction Emphasis by ensuring that mental health surveys are used effectively to track and improve patient outcomes. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is there any safety data available for Instruction Emphasis in mental health treatments?

The research articles focus on tools and methods to detect and report adverse events in mental health care, but they do not provide specific safety data for Instruction Emphasis as a treatment. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

How does the treatment in the 'Instruction Emphasis for Mental Health Surveys' trial differ from other mental health treatments?

This treatment focuses on improving mental health literacy (understanding and knowledge about mental health) through educational programs, which is different from traditional treatments that often involve medication or therapy sessions. It aims to reduce stigma and increase awareness, particularly in educational settings, which can lead to better mental health outcomes. ^{11 12 13 14 15}

What is the purpose of this trial?

We want to explore if emphasizing certain instructions (i.e. "bothered by") will affect the way participants respond to a questionnaire.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for individuals experiencing depression, anxiety, major depression, or panic attacks. It's designed to see if the way questions are asked can influence how people respond about their mental health.

Inclusion Criteria

U.S. resident

I have been diagnosed or treated for anxiety or depression by a licensed provider in the last year.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants complete the mental health questionnaire twice, with emphasis on instructions during the second administration for the experimental group

2 weeks

2 visits (virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for any changes in response patterns after completing the questionnaires

2 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Instruction Emphasis

Trial Overview The study is testing whether emphasizing certain words in instructions (like 'bothered by') changes responses on a mental health questionnaire. There's no medication involved; it's about survey methodology.

Participant Groups

Group I: Instruction Emphasis Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The second time participants are asked a questionnaire, the study team will emphasize the instructions.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will be asked the questionnaire the same way both times

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Irvine

Lead Sponsor

Trials

580

Recruited

4,943,000+

Findings from Research

Outcome research is crucial for assessing the effectiveness of mental health services, but current conditions make it unlikely to be widely implemented in the future.

A new method for estimating clinical improvement using routinely collected data (like treatment duration and termination status) was proposed, highlighting different categories of patient outcomes such as early dropouts and appropriate terminators.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The use of termination status and treatment duration patterns as an indicator of clinical improvement. Pekarik, G.[2019]

The Mental Health Trigger Tool (MHTT) was developed to effectively identify adverse events (AEs) and mental health-related patient safety incidents (MHPSIs) in mental health settings, demonstrating a high sensitivity of 98.6% and perfect specificity of 100% based on a review of 515 patient records.

Using the MHTT, researchers found AEs in 19% and MHPSIs in 11% of patient records, indicating its practical utility in enhancing patient safety monitoring in mental health care.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Mental Health Trigger Tool: Development and Testing of a Specialized Trigger Tool for Mental Health Settings. Sajith, SG., Fung, DSS., Chua, HC.[2023]

Adverse events in mental health care are common and can lead to significant distress and even death, highlighting the need for improved practices in treatment and discharge processes.

The study identifies critical areas for improvement, including assessment processes, communication, documentation, and training, to reduce the frequency of these adverse events based on coronial recommendations in three Australian States.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety, risk and mental health: decision-making processes prescribed by Australian mental health legislation. Smith-Merry, J., Caple, A.[2014]

The study successfully translated and validated the 'Global Trigger Tool-Psychiatry' (GTT-P) for identifying iatrogenic adverse events in psychiatric care in Norway, incorporating insights from both health professionals and service users to enhance its effectiveness.

Implementing the GTT-P can help mental health nurses in Norway and Sweden to better identify potential triggers for adverse events, ultimately improving patient safety and reducing the risk of harm in psychiatric settings.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Developing a research tool to detect iatrogenic adverse events in psychiatric health care by involving service users and health professionals. Okkenhaug, A., Tritter, JQ., Landstad, BJ.[2023]

The implementation of the Psychiatry Morbidity and Mortality Incident Reporting Tool (PMIRT) led to psychiatrists filing 65 reports over one year, indicating increased engagement in reporting adverse events (AEs).

Following the introduction of PMIRT, the average number of AEs reported in the hospital's formal event reporting system significantly increased, demonstrating that targeted tools can enhance safety reporting practices among psychiatrists.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Psychiatry Morbidity and Mortality Incident Reporting Tool Increases Psychiatrist Participation in Reporting Adverse Events. Kroll, DS., Shellman, AD., Gitlin, DF.[2019]

The comprehensive body system review (BSR) in the Safety Monitoring Uniform Report Form (SMURF) identified 129 additional adverse events (AEs) in pediatric patients, significantly more than the 48 AEs from the general inquiry and 16 from the drug-specific inquiry, highlighting its effectiveness in capturing important safety data.

Parents found the detailed BSR acceptable and satisfactory, while clinicians did not share the same level of acceptance, indicating a potential gap in the perceived utility of detailed adverse event reporting methods in pediatric psychopharmacology.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of increasingly detailed elicitation methods for the assessment of adverse events in pediatric psychopharmacology. Greenhill, LL., Vitiello, B., Fisher, P., et al.[2007]

A study involving 332 grade 9 students showed that using an evidence-based mental health literacy curriculum significantly improved students' knowledge and reduced stigma about mental health, with lasting effects observed one year later.

Both students and educators experienced substantial improvements in mental health knowledge and stigma reduction, indicating that the curriculum is effective for enhancing mental health literacy outcomes in a school setting.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Long-term impact of a mental health literacy resource applied by regular classroom teachers in a Canadian school cohort. Wei, Y., Church, J., Kutcher, S.[2023]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Objective measurement of psychiatric symptoms: a quality improvement process for inpatient care. [2019]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

What Gets Measured Gets Done: How Mental Health Agencies can Leverage Measurement-Based Care for Better Patient Care, Clinician Supports, and Organizational Goals. [2022]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving Communication Between Hospital and Outpatient Psychiatric Providers. [2021]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Clinical status. Charting for outcomes in behavioral health. [2019]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The use of termination status and treatment duration patterns as an indicator of clinical improvement. [2019]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Mental Health Trigger Tool: Development and Testing of a Specialized Trigger Tool for Mental Health Settings. [2023]

7. Australia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety, risk and mental health: decision-making processes prescribed by Australian mental health legislation. [2014]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Developing a research tool to detect iatrogenic adverse events in psychiatric health care by involving service users and health professionals. [2023]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Psychiatry Morbidity and Mortality Incident Reporting Tool Increases Psychiatrist Participation in Reporting Adverse Events. [2019]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of increasingly detailed elicitation methods for the assessment of adverse events in pediatric psychopharmacology. [2007]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Long-term impact of a mental health literacy resource applied by regular classroom teachers in a Canadian school cohort. [2023]

12. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Integrating health and mental health: opportunities in undergraduate health programs. [2000]

13. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Experimental evaluation of a school-based mental health literacy program in two Southeast Asian nations. [2022]

14. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effectiveness of Mental Health Literacy Curriculum among Undergraduate Public Health Students. [2023]

15. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Changing Knowledge and Attitudes with a Middle School Mental Health Education Curriculum. [2022]