The prevalence of mental disorders is high and appears to be growing, yet the majority of individuals who meet diagnostic criteria for a mental disorder are not able to access an adequate treatment. While evidence-based psychological treatments (EBPTs) are effective single or adjunctive treatments for mental disorders, there is also evidence that access to these treatments is diminishing. We seek to highlight modifiable barriers to these problems at the patient, therapist, treatment, organization and government-levels of analysis. A range of solutions to each set of contributors is offered and domains for future research are highlighted. In particular, we focus on the need to continue to work toward innovation in treatment development while also solving the difficulties relating to the dissemination of EBPTs. Several relatively new concepts in the field will be discussed (implementation cliff, program drift, voltage drop and deployment treatment development) and we contrast America and England as examples of government-level processes that are in the process of major change with respect to EBPTs. We conclude that there is a need for people in our field to become more knowledgeable about, and get involved in, shaping public policy.

Objective

Existing research has demonstrated that patient ratings of usefulness and ratings of utilization of treatment elements are associated with treatment outcome. Few studies have examined this relationship among adolescents and with an extended follow-up. This study examined the extent to which elements of the Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention (TranS-C) were rated by youth as useful and utilized 6-months and 12-months after treatment.

Method

Participants were 64 adolescents with an evening circadian preference who were given TranS-C as a part of their participation in a NICHD-funded study. At 6-month and 12-month follow-up, they completed the Usefulness Scale, the Utilization Scale, a 7-day sleep diary assessing total sleep time (TST) and bedtime, and the Children's Morningness-Eveningness Preference Scale (CMEP).

Results

On average, adolescents rated treatment elements as moderately useful and they utilized the treatment elements occasionally. Ratings of usefulness were associated with TST at 6-month follow-up, but not with bedtime or CMEP. Ratings of utilization were associated with a change in bedtime from 6-month to 12-month follow-up, but not with TST or CMEP. Ratings of usefulness and utilization were associated with selected treatment outcome measures at both follow-ups.

Conclusions

These findings have implications for understanding mechanisms of change following treatment.

Background and objectives

Progress toward establishing treatments for mental disorders has been good, particularly for cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). However, there is considerable room for improvement. The goal of this study was to begin the process of investigating the potential for improving treatment outcome via improving our understanding of learning processes.

Methods

Individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder (N = 20) participated in three computer-delivered CBT lessons for depression. Indices of learning were taken after each lesson, during three phone calls over the week following the lesson, and one week later. These were: (a) whether the participant thought about the lesson, (b) whether the participant applied the lesson, and (c) whether the participant generalized the lesson. Based on a predetermined list of therapy points (i.e., distinct ideas and principles), all participant responses were coded for the number of therapy points they thought about, applied, or generalized following each lesson.

Results

Less than half of the thoughts and applications were accurate. Generalization, but not thoughts nor application, was associated with improved depression scores one week later.

Limitations

The follow up period was only one week later and there was no comparison group so we cannot speak to the long term outcome of these measures or generalize to other mental disorders.

Conclusions

These results point to the importance of improving transfer of learning in CBT and represent a promising first step toward the development of methods to study and optimize learning of CBT so as to improve patient outcomes.

Background and objectives

Research has demonstrated that both memory and learning for treatment contents are poor, and that both are associated with worse treatment outcome. The Memory Support Intervention has been shown to improve memory for treatment, but it has not yet been established if this intervention can also improve learning of treatment contents. This study was designed to document the number of times participants exhibited each of the indices of learning, to examine the indices of learning and their relationship to recall of treatment points, and to investigate the association between the indices of learning and depression outcome.

Methods

Adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder (N = 48) were randomly assigned to 14 sessions of cognitive therapy-as-usual (CT-as-usual) or cognitive therapy plus the Memory Support Intervention (CT + Memory Support). Measures of learning, memory, and depressive symptomatology were taken at mid-treatment, post-treatment, and at 6-month follow-up.

Results

Relative to the CT-as-usual group, participants in the CT + Memory Support group reported more accurate thoughts and applications of treatment points at mid-treatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up. Patient recall was significantly correlated with application and cognitive generalization. Thoughts and application at mid-treatment were associated with increased odds of treatment response at post-treatment.

Limitations

The learning measure for this study has not yet been psychometrically validated. The results are based on a small sample.

Conclusions

Learning during treatment is poor, but modifiable via the Memory Support Intervention. These results provide encouraging data that improving learning of treatment contents can reduce symptoms during and following treatment.

Monitoring treatment fidelity is essential to check if patients receive adequate doses of treatment and to enhance our theoretical understanding of how psychosocial treatments work. Developing valid and efficient measures to assess fidelity is a priority for dissemination and implementation efforts. The present study reports on the psychometric properties of the Provider-Rated TranS-C Checklist-a provider-reported fidelity measure for the Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention (TranS-C). Adults with severe mental illness (SMI; N = 101) seeking treatment in a community mental health setting received eight sessions of TranS-C. Therapists completed the Provider-Rated TranS-C Checklist at the end of each treatment session (N = 808) to indicate which modules they delivered during that session. To assess convergent validity, independent raters scored modules delivered from audio recordings of a subset of sessions (n = 257) for the modules delivered using the Independent-Rater TranS-C Checklist. Using exploratory factor analysis, a unidimensional scale composed of TranS-C's modules was identified. Provider-Rated TranS-C Checklist scores were positively associated with the Independent-Rater TranS-C Checklist scores demonstrating convergent validity. Results indicate that the Provider-Rated TranS-C Checklist yields reliable and valid scores of providers' delivery of TranS-C.

There are mixed findings when examining if technology use is harmful for adolescent sleep and health. This study builds on these mixed findings by examining the association between technology use with sleep and health in a high-risk group of adolescents. Adolescents with an evening circadian preference (N = 176; 58% female, mean age = 14.77, age range = 10-18) completed measures over one week. Sleep was measured via actigraphy. Technology use and health were measured using ecological momentary assessment. Technology use was associated with an increase in sleep onset latency; with better emotional, social, cognitive, and physical health; and with worse behavioral health. This study offers support for technology use having some benefits and expands research on technology use to adolescents with an evening circadian preference.

Background and objectives

Patient adherence to treatment is an important barrier to the implementation of evidence-based psychological treatments (EBPTs). There is a need for simple and deployable measures of patient adherence to treatment for use across EBPTs. The Treatment Adherence Rating Scale (TARS) was developed and validated in two samples.

Methods

This study includes two samples: adults with Major Depressive Disorder who received Cognitive Therapy for depression (Sample 1; N = 48, mean age = 44.27 years), and at-risk adolescents who received either the Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention or Psychoeducation (Sample 2; N = 176, mean age = 14.77 years). Factor structure of the TARS scores was examined via Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA) in Sample 1 and Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA) in Sample 2. Internal consistency, predictive validity, and construct validity of the TARS scores were examined.

Results

Results from EFA in Sample 1 supported a one-factor model. Results from CFA in Sample 2 suggested that a two-factor model (i.e., agreement and compliance) fit better than a one-factor model. TARS scores from both samples demonstrated adequate predictive validity with primary clinical outcomes and construct validity with treatment expectations.

Limitations

The sample was small with two specific populations. Future research should focus on other patient populations, a larger population, and other EBPTs. Future research examining patient ratings of these items are needed for further validation of the TARS.

Conclusions

Preliminary findings support the use of a two-factor model and highlight the potential utility of a simple measure of patient adherence to treatment across age and diagnostic groups.

Patient memory for the contents of treatment is staggeringly poor, and poor memory for treatment is associated with worse treatment outcome. Accordingly, the Memory Support Intervention was developed to improve patient memory for treatment as an adjunct to treatment as usual. As plans to disseminate the Memory Support Intervention are developed, it is important to have efficient, accurate methods of measuring fidelity to the intervention. However, the existing method of assessing fidelity to the Memory Support Intervention, the Memory Support Rating Scale (MSRS), is burdensome and requires trained independent-raters to spend multiple hours reviewing session recordings, which is not feasible in many routine mental health care settings. Hence, a provider-rated measure of fidelity to the MSI has been developed. The goal of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of scores on this measure-the Memory Support Treatment Provider Checklist. A sample of Memory Support Treatment Provider Checklists (N = 319) were completed by providers (N = 8) treating adults with depression (N = 84). Three metrics of the Memory Support Treatment Provider Checklist were evaluated: (a) the internal consistency and structural validity using confirmatory factor analysis based on prior research on the MSRS and the Memory Support Intervention, (b) construct validity, and (c) predictive validity. Results indicate that the Memory Support Treatment Provider Checklist yields reliable and valid scores of fidelity to the Memory Support Intervention. Overall, this checklist offers a viable, brief method of evaluating fidelity to the Memory Support Intervention.

Understanding patient responsiveness, a component of fidelity, is essential as it impacts treatment outcome and ongoing use of treatment elements. This study evaluated patient responsiveness-operationalized as receptivity to treatment modules and ratings of the usefulness and the utilization of treatment elements-to the Transdiagnostic Intervention for Sleep and Circadian Dysfunction (TranS-C) in a sample of adults with serious mental illness (SMI) and sleep/circadian dysfunction. Adults with SMI and sleep/circadian dysfunction (N = 104) received TranS-C in a community mental health setting. Independent raters rated TranS-C sessions to assess receptivity. At posttreatment and 6-month follow-up, participants completed a usefulness scale, utilization scale, the PROMIS Sleep Disturbance (PROMIS-SD) and Sleep-Related Impairment (PROMIS-SRI) scales, DSM-5 Cross-Cutting Measure (DSM-5-CC), and Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Receptivity was rated as somewhat to fully understood, and predicted a reduction on the DSM-5-CC. On average, participants rated TranS-C as moderately useful and utilized treatment elements occasionally. Ratings of usefulness were associated with the PROMIS-SD, PROMIS-SRI, and DSM-5-CC at posttreatment, but not with the SDS. Ratings of utilization were not associated with outcome. The findings add to the literature on patient responsiveness, an implementation outcome, and provide data on the utility of TranS-C within a community mental health setting.

Study objectives

This study sought to examine the relationship between internet use, sleep, and internalizing disorder symptoms in adolescents with an evening circadian preference.

Methods

One hundred seventy-two adolescents aged 10-18 years with an evening circadian preference completed a week of sleep diaries and questionnaires about internet use and internalizing disorder symptoms.

Results

Adolescents reported internet use for 3.81 hours on weekdays and 5.44 hours on weekends, with > 90% having access to both a computer with internet and a personal cell phone. A majority of adolescents used the internet from 4-8 pm (71%) and from 9-11 pm (62%). Common online activities included listening to music (77%), watching videos (64%), communicating with others (64%), and doing homework (58%). Late-night internet use (9-11 pm) was associated with more internalizing disorder symptoms. Middle-of-the-night internet use (midnight-5 am) was associated with a later bedtime, shorter total sleep time, and more internalizing disorder symptoms. Adolescents used the internet to fulfill social needs, to avoid or combat boredom, or for maladaptive activities. Using the internet for social interaction or avoidance/boredom was associated with higher internalizing disorder symptoms. Using the internet for maladaptive reasons was associated with more late-night and middle-of-the-night use.

Conclusions

Adolescent internet use late at night and in the middle of the night is common. Internet use may be motivated by desires for social connection, by boredom/avoidance, or for maladaptive behaviors. Because middle-of-the-night internet use was associated with higher internalizing disorder symptoms and worse sleep, it presents as a potential target for intervention.

Citation

Asarnow LD, Gasperetti CE, Gumport NB, Harvey AG. Internet use and its impact on internalizing disorder symptoms and sleep in adolescents with an evening circadian preference. J Clin Sleep Med. 2021;17(10):2019-2027.