TechCare: mobile assessment and therapy for psychosis – an intervention for clients in the Early Intervention Service: A feasibility study protocol

Husain, N, Gire, N, Kelly, J, Duxbury, J, McKeown, M, Riley, M, Taylor, CDJ, Taylor, PJ, Emsley, R, Farooq, S, Caton, N, Naeem, F, Kingdon, D and Chaudhry, I (2016) TechCare: mobile assessment and therapy for psychosis – an intervention for clients in the Early Intervention Service: A feasibility study protocol. SAGE Open Medicine, 4. pp. 1-9. ISSN 2050-3121

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Abstract

Objectives: Technological advances in healthcare have shown promise when delivering interventions for mental health problems such as psychosis. The aim of this project is to develop a mobile phone intervention for people with psychosis and to conduct a feasibility study of the TechCare App. Methods: The TechCare App will assess participant’s symptoms and respond with a personalised guided self-help-based psychological intervention with the aim of exploring feasibility and acceptability. The project will recruit 16 service users and 8–10 health professionals from the Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust Early Intervention Service. Results: In strand 1 of the study, we will invite people to discuss their experience of psychosis and give their opinions on the existing evidence-based treatment (cognitive behavioural therapy) and how the mobile app can be developed. In strand 2, we will complete a test run with a small number of participants (n = 4) to refine the mobile intervention (TechCare). Finally, in strand 3 of the study, the TechCare App will be examined in a feasibility study with 12 participants. Conclusion: It has been suggested that there is a need for a rapid increase in the efforts to develop the evidence base for the clinical effectiveness of digital technologies, considering mHealth research can potentially be helpful in addressing the demand on mental health services globally.