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Predictors of acceptability and engagement in a self-guided online program for depression and anxiety

Gulliver, Amelia; Calear, Alison; Sunderland, Matthew; Kay-Lambkin, Frances; Farrer, Lou; Batterham, Philip

Description

Background: Low engagement with self-guided online programs limits the potential of these programs to provide effective and low-cost treatment of mild to moderate depression and anxiety at scale. Identifying factors that increase uptake and adherence in self-guided online programs may facilitate the development of targeted implementation strategies to increase engagement with these programs in the community. Using data from a randomized controlled trial of a self-guided online program for...[Show more]

dc.contributor.authorGulliver, Amelia
dc.contributor.authorCalear, Alison
dc.contributor.authorSunderland, Matthew
dc.contributor.authorKay-Lambkin, Frances
dc.contributor.authorFarrer, Lou
dc.contributor.authorBatterham, Philip
dc.date.accessioned2023-03-17T02:58:49Z
dc.date.available2023-03-17T02:58:49Z
dc.identifier.issn2214-7829
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/287147
dc.description.abstractBackground: Low engagement with self-guided online programs limits the potential of these programs to provide effective and low-cost treatment of mild to moderate depression and anxiety at scale. Identifying factors that increase uptake and adherence in self-guided online programs may facilitate the development of targeted implementation strategies to increase engagement with these programs in the community. Using data from a randomized controlled trial of a self-guided online program for depression and anxiety, the aim of this study was to identify predictors of the acceptability of internet-based psychological programs, and engagement (uptake and adherence) with the online program tested in the trial. Methods: A total of 556 community members with elevated symptoms of depression or anxiety were recruited via social media into the two active conditions of a three-arm randomized controlled trial. This trial tested the effectiveness of a 7-week self-guided online program for depression and anxiety called myCompass 2, delivered with or without an Engagement-Facilitation Intervention. Predictors of uptake (accessing at least one therapeutic module of the program), adherence (modules completed), and acceptability of internet-based psychological programs (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, UTAUT scale) were examined, including demographics, mental health status, help-seeking attitudes, stigma, acceptability of internet programs, and personality factors. Results: Logistic regression demonstrated that higher levels of conscientiousness (OR = 1.06, p = .026, 95% CI =1.01–1.12), and acceptability of internet-based psychological programs (OR = 1.09, p = .005, 95% CI =1.03–1.16) predicted greater uptake, and that failing to complete a module was predicted by lower levels of acceptability (OR = 0.88, p = .027, 95% CI =0.78–0.99). Linear regression showed that higher levels of agreeableness (t = 4.66, p < .001), lower levels of stigma (t = −2.28, p = .023) and more positive help-seeking attitudes (t = 2.05, p = .041) predicted higher acceptability attitudes. Discussion: Acceptability of internet-based psychological programs was identified as a factor that increased both uptake and adherence to the myCompass 2 program. Efforts to increase the acceptability of these programs may improve engagement with these programs in the community. It may also be useful to consider personality traits and clinical profiles when considering the appropriate audience for self-guided internet interventions.
dc.description.sponsorshipThis project is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Fund grant (#1138713). The lead author can disseminate the results of this trial without the express permission of the funder. PB is supported by NHMRC Fellowship 1158707; ALC is supported by NHMRC Fellow- ship 1173146; FK-L is supported by NHMRC Fellowship 1110371. LF is supported by an ARC DECRA DE190101382
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.language.isoen_AU
dc.publisherElsevier B.V.
dc.rights© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.sourceInternet Interventions
dc.subjectAdherence
dc.subjectUptake
dc.subjectMental health
dc.subjectEngagement-facilitation intervention
dc.subjectInternet
dc.titlePredictors of acceptability and engagement in a self-guided online program for depression and anxiety
dc.typeJournal article
local.description.notesImported from ARIES
local.identifier.citationvolume25
dc.date.issued2021
local.identifier.absfor520300 - Clinical and health psychology
local.identifier.absfor420300 - Health services and systems
local.identifier.ariespublicationa383154xPUB21107
local.publisher.urlhttps://www.elsevier.com/en-au
local.type.statusPublished Version
local.contributor.affiliationGulliver, Amelia, College of Health and Medicine, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationCalear, Alison, College of Health and Medicine, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationSunderland, Matthew, University of Sydney
local.contributor.affiliationKay-Lambkin, Frances, University of Newcastle
local.contributor.affiliationFarrer, Lou, College of Health and Medicine, ANU
local.contributor.affiliationBatterham, Philip, College of Health and Medicine, ANU
dc.relationhttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1138713
dc.relationhttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/GNT1158707
dc.relationhttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/GNT1110371
dc.relationhttp://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE190101382
local.bibliographicCitation.startpage1
local.bibliographicCitation.lastpage9
local.identifier.doi10.1016/j.invent.2021.100400
local.identifier.absseo200409 - Mental health
dc.date.updated2022-01-09T07:18:27Z
local.identifier.scopusID2-s2.0-85110484294
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Access
dc.provenanceThis is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
dc.rights.licenseCreative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License
CollectionsANU Research Publications

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