180 Participants Needed

Online Skills Training for Emotional Distress

DS
Overseen ByDouglas S Mennin, PhD
Age: 18+
Sex: Any
Trial Phase: Academic
Sponsor: Teachers College, Columbia University
No Placebo GroupAll trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial is testing three types of online lessons to help adults in NYC manage stress and negative thoughts. The lessons focus on improving attention, thinking about thoughts, and learning about health. These methods aim to reduce anxiety and depression by teaching better focus and rethinking negative thoughts.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but it requires that any psychotropic medication you are taking has been stable for at least 3 months.

Is online skills training for emotional distress safe for humans?

The research articles provided do not contain specific safety data for the online skills training for emotional distress. However, similar online interventions like internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) have been generally well-received by participants, with many finding them helpful and worth their time, suggesting a positive safety profile.12345

What makes the Online Skills Training for Emotional Distress treatment unique?

This treatment is unique because it combines online, self-directed training with coaching support to improve emotional skills like mindfulness and emotion regulation, which can help manage emotional distress. It offers a flexible, accessible approach that can be particularly beneficial for those who may not have access to traditional in-person therapy.12678

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Online, Self-Directed Attention & Reflective Thought Skills Training with Coaching Support?

Research on internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (iCBT) shows that online therapy with therapist support can be effective for treating depression and anxiety, as patients appreciate the flexibility and content of online courses. Additionally, online training for cognitive behavior therapy has been found to be as effective as in-person training, suggesting that online delivery of therapeutic skills can be successful.910111213

Who Is on the Research Team?

DS

Douglas S Mennin, PhD

Principal Investigator

Teachers College, Columbia University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults aged 18-65 in New York City who are fluent in English and experiencing high levels of worry, rumination, or self-criticism. Participants must have a psychological disorder as per DSM-5 criteria and access to a smartphone with internet. It's not for those currently receiving other treatments, college students at Teachers College, on unstable psychotropic meds, with suicidal thoughts, certain medical conditions or severe psychiatric disorders.

Inclusion Criteria

Fluent in English (and therefore able to provide consent)
Currently living in New York City
Access to a smartphone and the internet
See 2 more

Exclusion Criteria

Active suicidal ideation or intent
Current students at Teachers College, Columbia University
My mental health medication has been stable for less than 3 months.
See 3 more

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1 week
1 visit (online)

Treatment

Participants complete 6 weeks of self-directed, online skills training for coping with distress

6 weeks
6 weekly online modules, weekly 5-10 minute calls

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

  • Online, Self-Directed Attention & Reflective Thought Skills Training with Coaching Support
  • Online, Self-Directed Attention Skills Training with Coaching Support
  • Online, Self-Directed Health & Wellness Education Training with Coaching Support
Trial Overview The study compares three online skills trainings aimed at coping with distress: one focuses on attention skills; another combines attention with reflective thought; the third offers health and wellness education. Each participant receives coaching support throughout the training process.
How Is the Trial Designed?
3Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Health and Wellness Education TrainingExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants assigned to Health and Wellness Education Training will receive 6-weeks of self-directed, online skills training on stress-reduction psychoeducation. Six weekly modules will include 10-15 minutes of narrated videos, as well as suggestions for activities and skills practices between modules. Participants will also schedule weekly, 5-10 minute calls with an assigned skills training coach to discuss the participant's experience with the skills training.
Group II: Attention and Reflective Thought Skills TrainingExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants assigned to Attention and Reflective Thought Skills Training will receive 6-weeks of self-directed, online skills training on attention and metacognitive regulation skills for coping with distress. Six weekly modules will include 10-15 minutes of narrated videos, as well as suggestions for activities and skills practices between modules. Participants will also schedule weekly, 5-10 minute calls with an assigned skills training coach to discuss the participant's experience with the skills training.
Group III: Attention Skills TrainingExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
Participants assigned to Attention Skills Training will receive 6-weeks of self-directed, online skills training on attention regulation skills for coping with distress. Six weekly modules will include 10-15 minutes of narrated videos, as well as suggestions for activities and skills practices between modules. Participants will also schedule weekly, 5-10 minute calls with an assigned skills training coach to discuss the participant's experience with the skills training.

Find a Clinic Near You

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Teachers College, Columbia University

Lead Sponsor

Trials
27
Recruited
6,100+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Clinicians who participated in a didactic seminar followed by supervised casework demonstrated significantly better adherence and skill in implementing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) compared to those who only reviewed a CBT manual.
The addition of a CBT training website provided intermediate results, suggesting that more interactive and supportive training methods enhance the effectiveness of clinicians in applying CBT techniques.
We don't train in vain: a dissemination trial of three strategies of training clinicians in cognitive-behavioral therapy.Sholomskas, DE., Syracuse-Siewert, G., Rounsaville, BJ., et al.[2019]
In a study involving 241 participants who underwent 8 weeks of internet-delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy (iCBT), a direct relationship was found between the frequency of using CBT skills and current levels of anxiety, depression, and functional impairment.
However, the study did not find consistent long-term effects of CBT skills usage on clinical outcomes, suggesting that while using these skills is beneficial in the moment, their role in maintaining improvements after therapy is still unclear.
The relationship between posttherapeutic Cognitive Behavior Therapy skills usage and follow-up outcomes of internet-delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy.Eilert, N., Wogan, R., Adegoke, A., et al.[2023]
A study involving 43 postgraduate health professionals showed that online training for Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) was as effective as traditional in-person training in terms of content satisfaction and didactic quality.
While online training was generally well-received, there was a slight preference for in-person training regarding professional benefit and active participation, suggesting that online methods can be effectively integrated into CBT education even after social distancing measures are lifted.
Teaching Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Postgraduate Health Care Professionals in Times of COVID 19 - An Asynchronous Blended Learning Environment Proved to Be Non-inferior to In-Person Training.Soll, D., Fuchs, R., Mehl, S.[2021]

Citations

We don't train in vain: a dissemination trial of three strategies of training clinicians in cognitive-behavioral therapy. [2019]
The relationship between posttherapeutic Cognitive Behavior Therapy skills usage and follow-up outcomes of internet-delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy. [2023]
Teaching Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Postgraduate Health Care Professionals in Times of COVID 19 - An Asynchronous Blended Learning Environment Proved to Be Non-inferior to In-Person Training. [2021]
Patient Perspectives on Strengths and Challenges of Therapist-Assisted Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: Using the Patient Voice to Improve Care. [2020]
The more I got, the less I need? Efficacy of Internet-based guided self-help compared to online psychoeducation for major depressive disorder. [2019]
Virtual training and coaching of health behavior: example from mindfulness meditation training. [2022]
How Reflective Automated e-Coaching Can Help Employees Improve Their Capacity for Resilience: Mixed Methods Study. [2023]
Bibliotherapy to decrease stress and anxiety and increase resilience and mindfulness: a pilot trial. [2014]
Understanding Client Difficulties in Transdiagnostic Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: A Qualitative Analysis of Homework Reflections. [2022]
Improving internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for alcohol misuse: Patient perspectives following program completion. [2021]
11.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Improvements in mindfulness, interoceptive and emotional awareness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal emotion management following completion of an online emotional skills training program. [2023]
12.United Statespubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
A Pilot Study of a 4-Week eHealth-Based Protocol of the Attention Training Technique Component of Metacognitive Therapy Among Patients With Anxiety Disorders. [2020]
The Relative Contributions of Live and Recorded Online Mindfulness Training Programs to Lower Stress in the Workplace: Longitudinal Observational Study. [2022]
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