Electronic Media and Its Application in Psychotherapy

NCT ID: NCT03712267

Last Updated: 2025-11-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 110 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-12-13
• Study Completion Date: 2023-08-31

Brief Summary

This randomized control trial aims to establish whether viewing and discussing patients' electronic communication (texts, emails, Facebook direct messaging, etc) impacts clinical care and decision making across the lifespan.

Detailed Description

This study explores the usefulness and effectiveness of including electronic communication as part of standard clinical care. Participants will provide information and content from their electronic media to research assistants during in person interviews if they are in the intervention group. Research assistants will then give clinicians the information collected, so the clinicians can incorporate the data into the session as they see fit. Therapists will retain full clinical discretion of how they continue to conduct their therapy sessions. The investigators will compare the impact of receiving this electronic enhancement intervention versus only receiving treatment as usual care on mental health related functioning and therapeutic alliance.

Conditions

Anxiety Disorders; Depression; Electronic Media

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Electronic Media Enhanced

Research assistants will collect information on participants' electronic messaging behavior and content and provide that for use to participants' clinicians.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Electronic Media Enhanced

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Research assistants will provide participants' therapists with information from participants' electronic messaging prior to typically scheduled clinical appointments.

Treatment As Usual

Participants will not have their electronic messaging reviewed prior to their typically scheduled clinical appointments.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Treatment as Usual

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Research assistants will not review or provide participants' therapists with information from participants' electronic media and will compare with the Electronic Media Enhanced cohort to see if there was a difference in therapy outcomes.

Interventions

Electronic Media Enhanced

Research assistants will provide participants' therapists with information from participants' electronic messaging prior to typically scheduled clinical appointments.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Treatment as Usual

Research assistants will not review or provide participants' therapists with information from participants' electronic media and will compare with the Electronic Media Enhanced cohort to see if there was a difference in therapy outcomes.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Are currently receiving psychotherapy at McLean and have had at least 4 visits with their current therapy provider in outpatient clinics or 2 sessions with their therapy provider in partial hospitalization or residential settings

2. Age 18-85, and fluent in English

3. Have a primary diagnosis of anxiety or depression (as determined by self-report and review of medical records, which should list a primary depression or anxiety spectrum diagnosis). Symptomatology can be active or in remission.

4. Are actively using at least 1 platform for text messaging (i.e. they should have an account on each platform and have produced content within the month prior to beginning the study). This will be based on self report.

5. Use a mobile device for text messaging

6. Able to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Probable or diagnosed dementia or cognitive impairment, or neurodevelopmental disorder (such as an autism spectrum disorder) based on self report and review of medical records.

• Individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD) may be eligible provided symptoms have been stable for at least 6 months.

2. Active psychotic symptoms

• History of psychosis is allowable only if the patient has not had symptoms for at least a year

3. Are actively receiving ECT treatment

4. Current alcohol or drug abuse problem (based on self report and review of medical records)

• History of substance use is fine, provided there has been no relapse or withdrawal symptoms in the month leading up to enrollment

5. Are involuntarily admitted to McLean Hospital

• Minimum Eligible Age: 14 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 85 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Once Upon a Time Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Mclean Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Ipsit Vihang Vahia

Medical Director, Geriatric Psychiatry Outpatient Programs

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Ipsit Vahia, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Mclean Hospital

Kerry Ressler, MD; PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Mclean Hospital

Locations

McLean Hospital

Belmont, Massachusetts, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

2018P002179

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id