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A randomised controlled trial of JK's "The Journal" for depressed out-patients

Year:
2012
Duration:
18 months
Approved budget:
$199,500.00
Researchers:
Professor Robyn Whittaker
Health issue:
Mental health (and sleep disorders)
Proposal type:
Health Delivery Research Partnership Project
Lay summary
This project aims to answer the question whether computers can replace humans to provide effective psychological therapies. The problem is that in secondary care there is limited access to non-drug treatments because of the lack of trained therapists. Computerised psychological therapies, or e-therapies, have the advantage of being accessible and convenient for users with no waiting lists. We plan to use John Kirwan's 'The Journal', supplemented by a health professional acting as a coach, to test whether this is better than usual care for people referred to mental health services with depression. If the e-therapy is effective used in this way, it will result in shorter waiting times and more convenient treatment for patients and free-up clinicians to focus on more complex problems which do not respond to routine care.