Health TrialsbyHealthPanel

RCT for Latina Mental Health Using Web-Based Apps

ConditionsMental HealthAnxietyDepressionWell-Being, Psychological
Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexFemale
Age18+
SponsorUniversity of California, Los Angeles

About this trial

This study compares a choice-driven, interactive, evidence-informed storytelling web-based app intervention with links to resources and treatment (Tx) recommendations (made by a character via her blog) and Tx locator, to a web-based app with links to publicly available informational internet videos, MH resources, and a treatment locator for at least moderately anxious/depressed untreated English and Spanish speaking Latinas to determine if a story-based, character-driven approach is more effective for catalyzing mental health treatment initiation.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

Latina (women who are from or have family ties to Latin America)

Currently resides in LA or Orange County

Age 18 and older

Able to speak, read, and write in English or Spanish

Disqualifiers

Not Latina or Hispanic

Under age 18

Trial design

Design model

Parallel

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Catalina

    Behavioral

    Catalina transmedia web-based app intervention with 10 story-based videos (including bonus story extender videos) totaling 31 minutes plus the blog of the character, "Veronica," which has MH resource links including Veronica's recommendations of at least 3 local Latinx-serving clinics in LA and Orange County ZIP Codes that offer low-cost MH Tx.

  • Control webpage

    Behavioral

    Links to informational videos (totaling 31 minutes) on depression and anxiety, listing of the same 3 local Latinx-serving clinics in LA and Orange County ZIP codes that offer low-cost MH Tx, and links to nationally available websites that offer resources (including access to service locators).

Treatment groups

700 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups
Group A: Catalina transmedia web-based appExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Group B: Links to informational videosActive comparator 1 intervention

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

1

Number of Participants Initiating Mental Health Treatment (MH Tx)

MH Tx initiation, defined as completing a MH specialist visit (initial evaluation or therapy visit) or a primary care visit that results in a pharmacotherapy prescription as documented by EHR data at the site identified by the participant as where they initiated MH Tx.

Time frame
9 months

Secondary outcomes

1

Psychological openness

Psychological openness (attitudes) subscale score of the Inventory of Attitudes towards Seeking Mental Health Services (IASMHS). The IASMHS is a 24 item scale and has three internally consistent factors: psychological openness, help-seeking propensity, and indifference to stigma. The subscales,range from 0 to 32. Higher scores indicate more positive attitude toward seeking mental health services.

Time frame
9 months
2

Mental health help seeking attitude

The Mental Health Seeking Attitudes Scale (MHSAS) contains 9 items which produce a single mean score, ranging 1-7. It measures respondents' overall evaluation (unfavorable vs. favorable) of their seeking help from a mental health professional if they found themselves to be dealing with a mental health concern. A higher score indicates a more favorable attitude toward seeking help.

Time frame
9 months
3

Propensity to seek help

Help seeking propensity subscale score of the Inventory of Attitudes towards Seeking Mental Health Services (IASMHS). The IASMHS is a 24 item scale and has three internally consistent factors: psychological openness, help-seeking propensity, and indifference to stigma. Subscales range from 0 to 32. Higher scores indicate a greater willingness to seek help.

Time frame
9 months
4

Indifference to Stigma

Indifference to Stigma subscale score of the Inventory of Attitudes towards Seeking Mental Health Services (IASMHS). The IASMHS is a 24 item scale and has three internally consistent factors: psychological openness, help-seeking propensity, and indifference to stigma. The subscale contains 8 items related to how concerned an individual would feel if others knew they were seeking psychological help, with each item rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 (disagree) to 4 (agree); a higher score indicates a greater indifference to stigma; meaning the person is less concerned about others finding out about their mental health treatment.

Time frame
9 months

Other outcomes

1

Depression

The Patient Health Questionnaire 8 (PHQ-8) is an 8 item questionnaire for depression symptoms experienced during the preceding 2 weeks. Responses are scaled 0-3, total score range 0-24. A score of 10 or greater is considered major depression, 20 or more is severe major depression.

Time frame
9 months
2

Anxiety

The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD7) is a 7-item questionnaire to measure the severity of anxiety over the preceding 2 weeks. Responses range from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day), with total score range 0-21. Higher scores indicate more severe anxiety.

Time frame
9 months

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

University of California, Los Angeles

Lead sponsor

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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