{"title":"A Prompt Engineering Framework for Large Language Model-Based Mental Health Chatbots: Design Principles and Insights for AI-Supported Care.","authors":"Sorio Boit, Rajvardhan Patil","doi":"10.2196/75078","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2196/75078","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly large language models (LLMs), presents a significant opportunity to transform mental healthcare through scalable, on-demand support. While LLM-powered chatbots may help reduce barriers to care, their integration into clinical settings raises critical concerns regarding safety, reliability, and ethical oversight. A structured framework is needed to capture their benefits while addressing inherent risks. This paper introduces a conceptual model for prompt engineering, outlining core design principles for the responsible development of LLM-based mental health chatbots.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This paper proposes a comprehensive, layered framework for prompt engineering that integrates evidence-based therapeutic models, adaptive technology, and ethical safeguards. The objective is to propose and outline a practical foundation for developing AI-driven mental health interventions that are safe, effective, and clinically relevant.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We outline a layered architecture for an LLM-based mental health chatbot. The design incorporates: (1) an input layer with proactive risk detection; (2) a dialogue engine featuring a user state database for personalization and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) to ground responses in evidence-based therapies such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT); and (3) a multi-tiered safety system, including a post-generation ethical filter and a continuous learning loop with therapist oversight.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The primary contribution is the framework itself, which systematically embeds clinical principles and ethical safeguards into system design. We also propose a comparative validation strategy to evaluate the framework's added value against a baseline model. Its components are explicitly mapped to the FAITA-MH and READI frameworks, ensuring alignment with current scholarly standards for responsible AI development.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The framework offers a practical foundation for the responsible development of LLM-based mental health support. By outlining a layered architecture and aligning it with established evaluation standards, this work offers guidance for developing AI tools that are technically capable, safe, effective, and ethically sound. Future research should prioritize empirical validation of the framework through the phased, comparative approach introduced in this paper.</p><p><strong>Clinicaltrial: </strong></p>","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145151129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhao Hui Koh, Duygu Serbetci, Jason Skues, Greg Murray
{"title":"Toward Digital Self-Monitoring of Mental Health in the General Population: Scoping Review of Existing Approaches to Self-Report Measurement.","authors":"Zhao Hui Koh, Duygu Serbetci, Jason Skues, Greg Murray","doi":"10.2196/59351","DOIUrl":"10.2196/59351","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>With the ubiquity of smartphones, digital self-report instruments have enormous potential to support the general population in monitoring their mental health. A primary challenge for researchers committed to advancing this work is simply to scope the plethora of widely used candidate instruments. The overarching aim of this study was to address this challenge to support and guide future research in this burgeoning area.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to conduct a literature review of self-report instruments used in empirical studies to measure mental health (1) in the general population, (2) delivered in a digital format, and (3) in longitudinal designs. Given the wide range of recognized \"mental health\" constructs, the review's search strategies were guided by Keyes' dual continua model of mental health, recognizing both deficits- and strengths-based constructs. This study's primary objective was to develop a first-of-its-kind ranking and synthesis of the most frequently used instruments that are potentially suitable for mental health self-monitoring. It was not an objective of this study to evaluate psychometric properties of the identified instruments-we hope the present ranking and synthesis will provide the foundation for future research into optimal digital, prospective self-report of mental health.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Five major electronic databases were searched. Studies that administered digital mental health instruments (in English) repeatedly to community dwellers in the general adult population were eligible. The included studies were grouped by instruments for synthesis using a narrative approach.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Preliminary screening of 95,849 records identified 8460 eligible records, among which 1000 records were randomly selected over 4 iterations for full-text screening. A total of 223 records were included. We found that the top 30 most commonly used instruments accounted for 78.4% (308/393) of the total usage across studies. These instruments predominantly measure deficits-based mental health constructs. The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 Items and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 Items were by far the most used instruments. The most commonly measured strengths-based constructs were life satisfaction and mental well-being.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings of this review strongly suggest that scientific investigation of mental health constructs across time on digital platforms still prioritizes deficits-focused instruments originally developed for pen-and-paper administration using classical test theory. These findings are discussed in light of evidence in the literature that deficits-focused instruments demonstrate inferior distributional properties (floor effects) in the general population and theory suggesting that both deficits- and strengths-focused measurements are required to holistically assess mental health. Limitations of the ","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"e59351"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12491901/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145087733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Boyu Ren, WonJin Yoon, Spencer Thomas, Guergana Savova, Timothy Miller, Mei-Hua Hall
{"title":"Cross-Site Predictions of Readmission After Psychiatric Hospitalization With Mood or Psychotic Disorders: Retrospective Study.","authors":"Boyu Ren, WonJin Yoon, Spencer Thomas, Guergana Savova, Timothy Miller, Mei-Hua Hall","doi":"10.2196/71630","DOIUrl":"10.2196/71630","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Patients with mood or psychotic disorders experience high rates of unplanned hospital readmissions. Predicting the likelihood of readmission can guide discharge decisions and optimize patient care.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>The purpose of this study is to evaluate the predictive power of structured variables from electronic health records for all-cause readmission across multiple sites within the Mass General Brigham health system and to assess the transportability of prediction models between sites.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective, multisite study analyzed structured variables from electronic health records separately for each site to develop in-site prediction models. The transportability of these models was evaluated by applying them across different sites. Predictive performance was measured using the F1-score, and additional adjustments were made to account for differences in predictor distributions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study found that the relevant predictors of readmission varied significantly across sites. For instance, length of stay was a strong predictor at only 3 of the 4 sites. In-site prediction models achieved an average F1-score of 0.661, whereas cross-site predictions resulted in a lower average F1-score of 0.616. Efforts to improve transportability by adjusting for differences in predictor distributions did not improve performance.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings indicate that individual site-specific models are necessary to achieve reliable prediction accuracy. Furthermore, the results suggest that the current set of predictors may be insufficient for cross-site model transportability, highlighting the need for more advanced predictor variables and predictive algorithms to gain robust insights into the factors influencing early psychiatric readmissions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"e71630"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12431164/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145056053","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Allyson Cruickshank, Pantelis Andreou, Debbie Johnson Emberly, Sandra Meier, Leslie Anne Campbell
{"title":"Child and Adolescent Virtual Mental Health Care and Duration of Treatment: Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Allyson Cruickshank, Pantelis Andreou, Debbie Johnson Emberly, Sandra Meier, Leslie Anne Campbell","doi":"10.2196/70650","DOIUrl":"10.2196/70650","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Due to public health restrictions, the COVID-19 pandemic required significant changes in the delivery of child and adolescent mental health services. The use of virtual care for balancing access with treatment needs requires a shared decision between clients, caregivers, and clinicians. One aspect for consideration is the length of treatment necessary to achieve desired outcomes and whether it differs by treatment modality. Insights gained from the comparison of treatment duration between modalities may improve our understanding of the effectiveness of virtual care and help to inform clinical decision-making and effective use of resources.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>We sought to improve our understanding of how treatment modality impacts treatment duration for children and adolescents accessing Community Mental Health and Addictions services at IWK Health following the rapid implementation of virtual care in March 2020. In this study, we aimed to compare the duration of treatment within episodes of care by treatment modality and determine whether client characteristics, system factors, or time period influenced any associations between treatment modality and treatment duration.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Episodes of care were created using administrative data collected by the IWK Mental Health and Addictions program and used as the unit of analysis. A multilevel mixed-effects negative binomial model and time-to-event analysis were used to model the association between treatment modality and treatment duration, both in visits and days, adjusting for client and system characteristics.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Virtual episodes of care had more visits than in-person episodes between April 1, 2020, and March 31, 2021 (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.59, 95% CI 1.38-1.83), and April 1, 2021, and March 31, 2022 (IRR 1.22, 95% CI 1.10-1.35), whereas between April 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, virtual episodes of care were associated with fewer visits (IRR 0.82, 95% CI 0.74-0.91). Comparable results were seen for treatment duration in days (2020-2021: hazard ratio [HR] 0.64, 95% CI 0.54-0.76; 2021-2022: HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.70-0.90; and 2022-2023: HR 1.10, 95% CI 0.97-1.25). These differences by time period relative to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and switch to virtual care were consistent after adjusting for client and system characteristics.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the association between virtual or in-person treatment modality and treatment duration. While initially longer than in-person episodes of care, both in numbers of visits and length in days, over time the average length of episodes conducted mainly virtually had attenuated. These findings may be due to growing comfort with the technology or client factors not adequately captured in administrative data. This information can be valuable to clinicians, clients, and their families reg","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"e70650"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12425424/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145041966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iftikhar Ahmed, Anushree Brahmacharimayum, Raja Hashim Ali, Talha Ali Khan, Muhammad Ovais Ahmad
{"title":"Explainable AI for Depression Detection and Severity Classification From Activity Data: Development and Evaluation Study of an Interpretable Framework.","authors":"Iftikhar Ahmed, Anushree Brahmacharimayum, Raja Hashim Ali, Talha Ali Khan, Muhammad Ovais Ahmad","doi":"10.2196/72038","DOIUrl":"10.2196/72038","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders globally, affecting approximately 280 million people and frequently going undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. The growing ubiquity of wearable devices enables continuous monitoring of activity levels, providing a new avenue for data-driven detection and severity assessment of depression. However, existing machine learning models often exhibit lower performance when distinguishing overlapping subtypes of depression and frequently lack explainability, an essential component for clinical acceptance.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to develop and evaluate an interpretable machine learning framework for detecting depression and classifying its severity using wearable-actigraphy data, while addressing common challenges such as imbalanced datasets and limited model transparency.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used the Depresjon dataset and applied Adaptive Synthetic Sampling (ADASYN) to mitigate class imbalance. We extracted multiple statistical features (eg, power spectral density mean and autocorrelation) and demographic attributes (eg, age) from the raw activity data. Five machine learning algorithms (logistic regression, support vector machines, random forest, XGBoost, and neural networks) were assessed via accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, specificity, and Matthew correlation constant. We further used Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) and Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME) to elucidate prediction drivers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>XGBoost achieved the highest overall accuracy of 84.94% for binary classification and 85.91% for multiclass severity. SHAP and LIME revealed power spectral density mean, age, and autocorrelation as top predictors, highlighting circadian disruptions' role in depression.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our interpretable framework reliably identifies depressed versus nondepressed individuals and differentiates mild from moderate depression. The inclusion of SHAP and LIME provides transparent, clinically meaningful insights, emphasizing the potential of explainable artificial intelligence to enhance early detection and intervention strategies in mental health care.</p>","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"e72038"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12425426/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145041974","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sophie S Hall, Olivia Hastings, Kelly Marie Prentice, Beverley Brown, Jacob Andrews, Sonal Marner, Rebecca Woodcock, Jennifer Martin, Charlotte L Hall
{"title":"Principles of Industry-Academic Partnerships Informed by Digital Mental Health Collaboration: Mixed Methods Study.","authors":"Sophie S Hall, Olivia Hastings, Kelly Marie Prentice, Beverley Brown, Jacob Andrews, Sonal Marner, Rebecca Woodcock, Jennifer Martin, Charlotte L Hall","doi":"10.2196/77439","DOIUrl":"10.2196/77439","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cross-sector collaboration is increasingly recognized as essential for addressing complex health challenges, including those in mental health. Industry-academic partnerships play a vital role in advancing research and developing health solutions, yet differing priorities and perspectives can make collaboration complex.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to identify key principles to support effective industry-academic partnerships, from the perspective of industry partners, and develop this into actionable guidance, which can be applied across sectors. Mental health served as a motivating example due to its urgent public health relevance and the growing role of digital innovation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using a 3-stage, mixed-methods approach, we conducted a web-based survey of UK-based digital mental health companies (N=22) to identify key barriers and facilitators to industry-academic partnerships. This was followed by 2 focus groups (n=5) that explored emerging themes from the survey using thematic analysis. Finally, we conducted a workshop with industry representatives, researchers, clinicians, and PPI members to co-develop the Principles of Industry-Academic Partnerships (PIP) guidance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Survey findings highlighted that industry partners valued academic collaboration for enhancing credibility, facilitating knowledge transfer, and gaining access to PPI networks. However, key barriers included high costs, slow academic timelines, and complex contracting processes. The 4 major themes that emerged from the focus groups were: advantages of collaboration, cultural differences between organizations, collaboration models, and structural barriers within universities. Through informed discussions in the workshop, these themes were explored, leading to the development of 14 actionable strategies. These strategies reflect industry perspectives and formed the PIP guidance, categorized under project initiation, defining the scope and agreements, project execution, and promoting sustainability.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The PIP guidance provides a practical framework to support more effective and mutually beneficial collaborations between industry and academia. Developed through the lens of mental health research, the strategies identified are broadly applicable across disciplines where cross-sector partnerships are essential. Industry partners valued academic collaborations for their credibility and scientific rigor, but highlighted persistent structural and cultural barriers within universities. Addressing these challenges by aligning expectations and timelines, adopting flexible collaboration models, and streamlining operational processes can help foster impactful and sustainable partnerships in mental health and beyond.</p>","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"e77439"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12422718/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145034517","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hua Min, Xia Jing, Cui Tao, Joel E Williams, Sarah F Griffin, Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Bruce Chorpita
{"title":"Directory of Public Datasets for Youth Mental Health to Enhance Research Through Data, Accessibility, and Artificial Intelligence: Scoping Review.","authors":"Hua Min, Xia Jing, Cui Tao, Joel E Williams, Sarah F Griffin, Christianne Esposito-Smythers, Bruce Chorpita","doi":"10.2196/73852","DOIUrl":"10.2196/73852","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Youth mental health issues have been recognized as a pressing crisis in the United States in recent years. Effective, evidence-based mental health research and interventions require access to integrated datasets that consolidate diverse and fragmented data sources. However, researchers face challenges due to the lack of centralized, publicly available datasets, limiting the potential for comprehensive analysis and data-driven decision-making.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This paper introduces a curated directory of publicly available datasets focused on youth mental health (less than 18 years old). The directory is designed to serve as critical infrastructure to enhance research, inform policymaking, and support the application of artificial intelligence and machine learning in youth mental health research.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Unlike a systematic review, this paper offers a brief overview of open data resources, addressing the challenges of fragmented health data in youth mental health research. We conducted a structured search using 3 approaches: targeted searches on reputable health organization websites (eg, National Institutes of Health [NIH] and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]), librarian consultation to identify hard-to-find datasets, and expert knowledge from prior research. Identified datasets were curated with key details, including name, description, components, format, access information, and study type, with a focus on freely available resources.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A curated list of publicly available datasets on youth mental health and school policies was compiled. While not exhaustive, it highlights key resources relevant to youth mental health research. Our findings identify major national survey series conducted by organizations such as the NIH, CDC, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the U.S. Census Bureau, which focus on youth mental health and substance use. In addition, we include data on state and school health policies, offering varying scopes and granularities. Valuable health data repositories such as ICPSR, Data.gov, Healthdata.gov, Data.CDC.gov, OpenFDA, and Data.CMS.gov host a wide range of research data, including surveys, longitudinal studies, and individual research projects.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Publicly accessible health data are essential for improving youth mental health outcomes. Compiling and centralizing these resources streamlines access, enhances research impact, and informs interventions and policies. By improving data integration and accessibility, it encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and supports evidence-based interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"e73852"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12422525/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145024450","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lana Bojanić, Isabelle M Hunt, Saied Ibrahim, Pauline Turnbull, Sandra Flynn
{"title":"Characteristics of Suicidal Patients Who Engaged in Suicide-Related Internet Use in the United Kingdom: Cross-Sectional Survey Findings.","authors":"Lana Bojanić, Isabelle M Hunt, Saied Ibrahim, Pauline Turnbull, Sandra Flynn","doi":"10.2196/73702","DOIUrl":"10.2196/73702","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Suicide-related internet use encompasses various web-based behaviors, including searching for suicide methods, sharing suicidal thoughts, and seeking help. Research suggests that suicide-related internet use is prevalent among people experiencing suicidality, but its characteristics among mental health patients remain underexplored.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to examine the sociodemographic, clinical, and suicidality-related characteristics of suicidal mental health patients who engage in suicide-related internet use compared with those who do not.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional survey was conducted from June to December 2023, recruiting participants aged 18 years and older with recent contact with secondary mental health services in the United Kingdom. The survey assessed sociodemographic characteristics, psychiatric diagnoses, suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and engagement in suicide-related internet use. Statistical analyses included chi-square tests, Wilcoxon tests, and multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of engaging in suicide-related internet use.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 696 participants, 75% (522) engaged in suicide-related internet use in the past 12 months. Those who engaged in suicide-related internet use were almost 3 times as likely to have attempted suicide in the past year (32.5% vs 9.2%, P<.001). They were more likely to have a diagnosis of personality disorder (34.4% vs 18.5%, P<.001) and to disclose suicidal thoughts to someone (87.8% vs 72.8%, P<.001). They also reported higher levels of suicidal ideation intensity (median =6.6 vs 5.1, P<.001). There were no significant sociodemographic differences between groups, including age.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings suggest that suicide-related internet use is a common behavior among suicidal mental health patients across various age groups, challenging the notion that it is primarily a concern for younger populations. The association between suicide-related internet use and increased suicidality highlights the need for clinicians to incorporate discussions about web-based behaviors in suicide risk assessments. Given the high rate of disclosure of suicidal thoughts among suicide-related internet users, clinicians may have an opportunity to engage in open, nonjudgmental discussions about their patients' internet use.</p>","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"e73702"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12413185/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145006688","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Digital Contingency Management for Substance Use Disorder Treatment: 12-Month Quasi-Experimental Design.","authors":"Xiaoni Zhang, Valerie Hardcastle","doi":"10.2196/73617","DOIUrl":"10.2196/73617","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Although contingency management has shown some efficacy in substance use disorder treatment, digital contingency management (DCM) needs more evidence supporting its value in treating substance misuse.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of DCM in treating substance use disorder by examining 2 key outcome variables-abstinence and appointment attendance.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A 12-month quasi-experimental design was conducted by enrolling patients into 2 groups using an alternating assignment process: one group receiving treatment-as-usual plus DCM and the other receiving treatment as usual with no contingency management. Propensity score matching was conducted to match groups on covariates. After matching, t tests were conducted to examine the difference between groups on urine abstinence and appointment attendance rates.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two cohorts of propensity-matched patients (66 interventions and 59 controls) were analyzed. Abstinence was significantly higher in the DCM group (mean 0.92, 95% CI 0.88-0.96) than in the treatment-as-usual group (mean 0.85, 95% CI 0.79-0.90; P<.01). Appointment attendance also demonstrated significant differences between the groups, with the DCM group achieving a mean rate of 0.69 (95% CI 0.65-0.74) compared with 0.50 (95% CI 0.45-0.55) in the treatment-as-usual group (P<.001). This notable increase highlights the role of DCM in fostering engagement with care, an essential factor for successful treatment outcomes.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The results suggest that DCM can be an effective treatment modality for substance use disorder.</p>","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"e73617"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12404579/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144975153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juliet Hassard, Holly Blake, Teixiera Mishael Dulal-Arthur, Alexandra Frost, Craig Bartle, Joanna Yarker, Fehmidah Munir, Ben Vaughan, Guy Daly, Caroline Meyer, Sean Russell, Louise Thomson
{"title":"Web-Based Interactive Training for Managers (Managing Minds at Work) to Promote Mental Health at Work: Pilot Feasibility Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.","authors":"Juliet Hassard, Holly Blake, Teixiera Mishael Dulal-Arthur, Alexandra Frost, Craig Bartle, Joanna Yarker, Fehmidah Munir, Ben Vaughan, Guy Daly, Caroline Meyer, Sean Russell, Louise Thomson","doi":"10.2196/76373","DOIUrl":"10.2196/76373","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Line managers play a key role in preventing poor mental health but often lack necessary skills and knowledge. Existing interventions typically focus on mental health awareness rather than practical skills. The evidence-based Managing Minds at Work (MMW) web-based training program was developed to address this gap by enhancing line managers' confidence and competence in prevention.</p><p><strong>Objective: </strong>This study piloted the MMW intervention to assess its feasibility. Objectives included evaluating (1) uptake potential across small, medium, and large companies; (2) perceived suitability and effectiveness of the intervention; and (3) feasibility of outcome data collection methods.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a 2-arm pilot cluster randomized controlled trial of a self-guided, web-based training intervention for line managers. Twenty-four organizations were randomly assigned to the MMW intervention or a 3-month waitlist. A total of 224 line managers completed baseline measures (intervention: n=141, 62.9%; control: n=83, 37.1%), along with 112 of their direct reports (intervention: n=74, 66.1%; control: n=38, 33.9%). Follow-up data were collected at 3 and 6 months. Semistructured interviews with line managers and stakeholders (n=20) explored experiences with the study and intervention, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Line managers also completed feedback forms after each of the 5 MMW modules.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The recruitment of organizations and line managers exceeded targets, and retention rates of line managers were good at 3 months (161/224, 71.9%) but not at the 6-month follow-up (55/224, 24.6%). Feedback on the intervention was very positive, indicating that line managers and organizational stakeholders found the intervention acceptable, usable, and useful. We observed significant improvements with moderate to large effect sizes for all trial outcomes for line managers in the intervention arm from baseline to the 3-month follow-up. Line managers completed a variety of questionnaires, which showed increased scores for confidence in creating a mentally healthy workplace (intervention group: mean change 3.8, SD 3.2; control group: mean change 0.6, SD 3.2), mental health knowledge (intervention group: mean change 1.9, SD 3.0; control group: mean change 0.2, SD 2.9), psychological well-being (intervention group: mean change 3.6, SD 8.3; control group: mean change -0.7, SD 7.7), and mental health literacy at work (intervention group: mean change 11.8, SD 8.9; control group: mean change 0.8, SD 6.2). Collecting data from direct reports in both study arms was challenging, with results inconclusive regarding observed changes in trial outcomes. Time constraints and workload were commonly cited barriers to completion of the intervention.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This pilot feasibility trial provides strong evidence for the usability and acceptability of ","PeriodicalId":48616,"journal":{"name":"Jmir Mental Health","volume":"12 ","pages":"e76373"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12441645/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144975208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}