The effect of e-mail based depression information interventions on help seeking behaviour, mental health literacy and helping behaviour in young adults: randomised controlled trial
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN98406912 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN98406912 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | N/A |
- Submission date
- 16/01/2007
- Registration date
- 05/03/2007
- Last edited
- 26/10/2009
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Mental and Behavioural Disorders
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Plain English summary of protocol
Not provided at time of registration
Contact information
Mr Daniel Costin
Scientific
Scientific
Centre for Mental Health Research
Building 63
The Australian National University
Canberra ACT
0200
Australia
| Phone | +61 (0)2 6125 2741 |
|---|---|
| Daniel.Costin@anu.edu.au |
Study information
| Study design | Randomised controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | Not specified |
| Study type | Quality of life |
| Scientific title | |
| Study objectives | Hypotheses about the effect of the interventions on mental health literacy: 1. Participants who receive depression information interventions will form less stigmatising attitudes towards depression and more positive beliefs about the helpfulness of evidence based treatments and health professionals who provide these treatments 2. Participants who receive depression information interventions will report a greater knowledge of the types of treatment that GPs and mental health professionals provide for depression and what to expect at an initial consultation 3. The effect seen in hypothesis 2 will be strongest in participants who receive the enhanced depression information intervention. This intervention includes practical advice about how to make contact with these health professionals and what to expect at the initial consultation. 4. Participants who receive depression information interventions will be more likely to report knowledge of an Australian website that has good information about depression and its treatment Hypotheses about the effect of the interventions on help seeking behaviour: 5. The depression information interventions will modify help seeking behaviour in participants with elevated levels of depression. Specifically, at post-intervention follow-up, these participants will be more likely to report that they recently sought help for feelings of depression from their GP or a mental health professional and less likely to have sought help from informal sources 6. The study also tests the hypothesis that young adults go through particular stages of behavioural change before seeking professional help for depression; and investigates whether movement through these stages is related to informational content of the depression interventions Hypotheses about the effect of the interventions on helping behaviour: 7. The study will also investigate whether the depression information interventions have an effect on participants helping behaviour towards friends who are experiencing depression |
| Ethics approval(s) | Ethics approval received from the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Australian National University on the 2nd November 2006 (ref: 2006/247). |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Depression |
| Intervention | Two versions of the depression information interventions (basic and enhanced) will be compared to a control intervention. Participants who receive the depression information interventions receive a series of three weekly e-mails containing information about depression; its treatment; health professionals who provide these treatments; and resources for further information. The enhanced intervention contains more detailed information and also addresses ambivalence towards seeking professional help. Participants in the control intervention receive a series of three weekly e-mails containing information about Meningococcal disease, amphetamines, and Gamma-hydroxyburate (GHB). Contact details of Principal Investigator: Prof Helen Christensen Centre for Mental Health Research Building 63 The Australian National University Canberra ACT, 0200 Australia |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure | Help seeking behaviour for feelings of depression. |
| Secondary outcome measures | Mental health literacy outcomes: 1. Recognition of depression 2. Beliefs about the helpfulness of supportive counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy and anti-depressants for young adults with depression 3. Beliefs about the helpfulness of various people (including professionals and non-professionals) for young adults with depression 4. Depression stigma directed toward the self (self stigma) 5. Self-reported knowledge of processes involved in seeking help for depression from different health professionals 6. Self-reported knowledge about the types of help/treatments for depression provided by different health professionals and what to expect at an initial consultation 7. Self-reported knowledge of "an Australian website that has good information about depression and its treatment" Helping behaviour outcomes: Referral of depressed peers to a GP or mental health professional. Other help seeking intentions and behaviour outcomes: Stage of change for the behaviour of seeking professional help for feelings of depression. Mental health status outcomes: Self reported symptoms of depression. |
| Overall study start date | 05/02/2007 |
| Completion date | 30/06/2007 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | 900 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Aged 19 - 23 years 2. Report that they use e-mail in a screening questionnaire and provide researchers with their first name and e-mail address 3. Be willing to participate in the trial |
| Key exclusion criteria | For ethical reasons, participants will be excluded from participating in the trial if they obtain the maximum score on a psychological distress scale included in the screening questionnaire (indicating that they are likely to be severely depressed) |
| Date of first enrolment | 05/02/2007 |
| Date of final enrolment | 30/06/2007 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Australia
Study participating centre
Centre for Mental Health Research
Canberra ACT
0200
Australia
0200
Australia
Sponsor information
Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University (Australia)
University/education
University/education
Building 63
Canberra ACT
0200
Australia
| Phone | +61 (0)2 6125 2741 |
|---|---|
| cmhr@anu.edu.au | |
| Website | http://www.anu.edu.au/cmhr |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/019wvm592 |
Funders
Funder type
University/education
Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University (Australia)
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not provided at time of registration |
| Publication and dissemination plan | Not provided at time of registration |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | results | 22/10/2009 | Yes | No |
