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Online screening and feedback to increase help-seeking for mental health problems: population-based randomised controlled trial

Year: 2016

Type: article

Study designs: Randomized Controlled Trial, Clinical Trial

Abstract: 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: =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. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: None. COPYRIGHT AND USAGE: © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2016. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Non-Commercial, No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND) licence.

Source: BJPsych Open

DOI: 10.1192/bjpo.bp.115.001552

Authors: Philip J. Batterham, Alison L. Calear, Matthew Sunderland, Natacha Carragher, Jacqueline L. Brewer

Institutions: Australian National University, UNSW Sydney, National Health and Medical Research Council

Language: English

Topic: Mental Health Treatment and Access

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,550