Coach-supported versus self-guided digital training course for a problem-solving psychological intervention for nonspecialists: protocol for a pre-post nested randomized controlled trial
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Abstract
Background: Psychosocial interventions delivered by nonspecialists can be effective at reducing common adolescent mental health problems in low-resource settings. However, there is a lack of evidence on resource-efficient methods for building capacity to deliver these interventions. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of a digital training (DT) course, delivered in a self-guided format or with coaching, on nonspecialists’ competency to deliver a problem-solving intervention intended for adolescents with common mental health problems in India. Methods: We will conduct a pre-post study with a nested parallel, 2-arm, individually randomized controlled trial. The study aims to recruit 262 participants, randomized 1:1 to receive either a self-guided DT course or a DT course with weekly individualized coaching provided remotely by telephone. In both arms, the DT will be accessed over 4 to 6 weeks. Participants will be nonspecialists (ie, without prior practice-based training in psychological therapies) recruited from among university students and affiliates of nongovernmental organizations in Delhi and Mumbai, India. Results: Outcomes will be assessed at baseline and 6 weeks post randomization using a knowledge-based competency measure that incorporates a multiple-choice quiz format. The primary hypothesis is that self-guided DT will lead to increased competency scores among novices with no prior experience of delivering psychotherapies. The secondary hypothesis is that digital training with coaching will have an incremental effect on competency scores compared with DT alone. The first participant was enrolled on April 4, 2022. Conclusions: The study will address an evidence gap on the effectiveness of training methods for nonspecialist providers of adolescent mental health interventions in low-resource settings. The findings from this study will be used to support wider efforts to scale up evidence-based mental health interventions for young people. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05290142; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05290142 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/41981
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A randomised trial of two different e-learning formats found that periodic coaching can improve learning outcomes and engagement among novice counsellors.
“A randomised trial of two different e-learning formats found that periodic coaching can improve learning outcomes and engagement among novice counsellors.”
From The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [343]
The Introduction and Methods describe a randomized comparison of coach-supported and self-guided digital training for novices. But the Abstract > Results presents improved competency as a hypothesis, and Methods > Statistical Analysis describes engagement-related analyses that will be conducted; this protocol does not report that coaching improved either outcome. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredPeer or lay workers are a core component of the youth mental health workforce across all resource settings, complementing traditional clinical roles rather than merely filling staff shortages.
“Peer or lay workers are a core component of the youth mental health workforce across all resource settings, 29,286,343 complementing traditional clinical roles rather than merely filling staff shortages.”
From The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [343]
The Introduction says trained community and voluntary-sector workers deliver mental health services in roles traditionally held by specialists, and the paper focuses on adolescent interventions in low-resource settings. It does not establish that peer or lay workers are a core workforce component across all resource settings or that they complement clinical roles rather than address shortages. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health
McGorry, P. D., Mei, C., Dalal, N., Alvarez-Jimenez, M., Blakemore, S.-J., Browne, V., Dooley, B., Hickie, I. B., Jones, P. B., McDaid, D., et al. (2024) · The Lancet Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s2215-0366(24)00163-9 · Cited by 663 · see citing works
- Authors
- Mathur, S., Weiss, H. A., Neuman, M., Field, A. P., Leurent, B., Shetty, T., J, J. E., Nair, P., Mathews, R., Malik, K., Michelson, D., & Patel, V.
- Affiliations
- Sangath (IN)
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (GB)
- University of Sussex (GB)
- University College London (GB)
- O. P. Jindal Global University (IN)
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Patel, Vikram
- ORCID
- Venue
- JMIR Research Protocols
- Publisher
- JMIR Publications Inc.
- Published
- 2023-06-13
- Volume
- 12
- Pages
- e41981
- ISSN
- 1929-0748 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC10337372
- OpenAlex
- W4321512761
- Cited by
- 6
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2024: 2 · 2023: 4
- FWCI
- 1.55
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- JMIR Research Protocols (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Sussex Research Online (University of Sussex) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Funders
- Wellcome Trust (106919/A/15/Z)
- Population Foundation of India
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Innovations in Medical Education
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- coaching, self-guided training, problem-solving intervention, adolescent mental health, common mental disorders, training competencies, capacity building, resource-limited settings, telephone coaching
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