Online screening and feedback to increase help-seeking for mental health problems: population-based randomised controlled trial
Open accessAbstract
Background: Community-based screening for mental health problems may increase service use through feedback to individuals about their severity of symptoms and provision of contacts for appropriate services. Aims: The effect of symptom feedback on service use was assessed. Secondary outcomes included symptom change and study attrition. Method: Using online recruitment, 2773 participants completed a comprehensive survey including screening for depression (n=1366) or social anxiety (n=1407). Across these two versions, approximately half (n=1342) of the participants were then randomly allocated to receive tailored feedback. Participants were reassessed after 3 months (Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ANZCTR12614000324617). Results: A negative effect of providing social anxiety feedback to individuals was observed, with significant reductions in professional service use. Greater attrition and lower intentions to seek help were also observed after feedback. Conclusions: Online mental health screening with feedback is not effective for promoting professional service use. Alternative models of online screening require further investigation.
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A small negative effect of providing feedback was noted in a study on social anxiety.
“However, a small negative effect of providing feedback was noted in a study on social anxiety. 23”
From Technology-Based Interventions to Improve Help-Seeking for Mental Health Concerns: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [23]
One intervention against an inactive control showed a reduction in help-seeking intention.
“However, one intervention against an inactive control showed a reduction. 23”
From Technology-Based Interventions to Improve Help-Seeking for Mental Health Concerns: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [23]
There was a decline in help-seeking intention and behavior in a study on social anxiety disorder.
“There was a decline in help-seeking intention and behavior in a study on social anxiety disorder. 23”
From Technology-Based Interventions to Improve Help-Seeking for Mental Health Concerns: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [23]
In social anxiety, providing feedback to the users based solely on the screening may be detrimental for help-seeking outcomes.
“The authors’ reasoned that in social anxiety, providing feedback to the users based solely on the screening may be detrimental for help-seeking outcomes.”
From Technology-Based Interventions to Improve Help-Seeking for Mental Health Concerns: A Systematic Review (2022) · cites this paper as [23]
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References 30 · Cited by 41
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [7]National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. Depression: The Treatment and Management of Depression in Adults (updated edition). British Psychological Society, 2010. 22132433
- Authors
- Batterham, P. J., Calear, A. L., Sunderland, M., Carragher, N., & Brewer, J. L.
- Affiliations
- Australian National University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Batterham, Philip J.
- Venue
- BJPsych Open
- Publisher
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Published
- 2016-01
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 67-73
- ISSN
- 2056-4724 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4995576
- OpenAlex
- W2339042913
- Cited by
- 41
- References
- 30
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2
- FWCI
- 6.80
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- BJPsych Open (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UNSWorks (University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- UNSWorks (UNSW Sydney) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Australian National University
- University of New South Wales
- National Health and Medical Research Council (1043952, 1083311, 1013199, 1052327)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- help-seeking, mental health service utilization, social anxiety, personalized feedback, attrition, community-based screening
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