Current Research Studies

Unmet needs among suicide attempt survivors

This study aims to examine the unmet needs in health service use for suicide attempt survivors and individuals who contemplated suicide. Participants will receive questionnaires that pertain to services utilized in the past year, barriers to service use, life experiences, medical history and status, and standard demographic information. A semi-structured interview will be conducted to give participants the opportunity to discuss and elaborate on their experiences within the healthcare system. Inadequacy of services received will be described by evaluating the needs assessment to the actual services received.

Comparing decision-making of AI to a multi-professional care team when allocating patients with depression to stratified care in an e-CBT program

Typically, a multi-professional care team determines which kind of treatment can be most beneficial to a patient. However, this can add to the costs of these programs. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has been proposed as a means of offsetting these costs. This study aims to determine a cost-effective method to decrease depressive symptoms and increase treatment adherence to e-CBT. This will be done by comparing AI technology to a multi-professional care team when allocating the correct intensity of therapist care for individuals diagnosed with depression. The degree of therapist interaction a participant will receive will be randomly decided by either AI or a group assessment made by healthcare providers. Patients will either receive e-CBT, e-CBT with a phone call, or e-CBT with a phone call and medication.

Developing, administering, and evaluating online psychotherapy and psychoeducation to address mental health challenges faced by post-secondary students

Student mental health is an increasingly concerning issue that requires careful examination. Using qualitative interviews and surveys, we will assess the mental health challenges and care needs of post-secondary students in Ontario, Canada. The findings will inform the development of student-targeted online psychoeducation and psychotherapy programs.

Online relapse prevention psychotherapy for patients with alcohol use disorder

Alcohol use disorder has a very high relapse rate, with in-person therapies often being inaccessible, costly, and in remote areas. We have developed a 10-week virtually-delivered psychotherapy program to address the cravings and relapse associated with alcohol use disorder. The findings from this research can be the first to speak on the effectiveness of an e-psychotherapy approach to addressing relapse in alcohol use disorder patients.

Online psychotherapeutic intervention combining CBT and psychoeducation for binge eating disorder

Binge eating disorder (BED) is characterized by loss-of-control eating in a very short period of time. Both in-person and online CBT programs have been widely successful in treating this compulsive overeating disorder. To address some of the gaps in the current therapies, a novel online therapist-guided program will be developed that will combine psychoeducation and CBT. The efficacy of this program will be evaluated in patients with BED.

Comparing e-CBT for insomnia to pharmaceutical interventions

Insomnia (inability to fall asleep or stay asleep) is very prevalent and can have deleterious effects on someone's health and quality of life. Currently, medication and CBT are widely used as treatments. However, the inaccessibility of in-person CBT and the long wait times are detractors to receiving this psychotherapeutic care. We have developed an accessible e-CBT program to compare to pharmaceutical interventions in patients with insomnia.

Comparing e-CBT to a mental health coaching program for generalized anxiety disorder

This study aims to compare the efficacy of our previously validated e-CBT program for anxiety to a mental health coaching program. Both groups will complete a 12-week program of either pre-designed e-CBT modules with personalized therapy feedback, or weekly interaction with a therapist through the chat feature on the online platform.

Incorporating a stepped care approach into e-CBT for depression

Using previously validated e-CBT modules for depression that have been fine-tuned, participants will be randomly allocated to either a standard e-CBT arm or the stepped care arm. In the stepped care arm, an augmented level of therapy can be implemented if deemed necessary by the care provider. The findings from this can enlighten us on the effectiveness of providing different levels of intensities in an e-CBT program for patients with depression.

Implementing an online psychotherapy program to address mental health challenges in oncology and palliative care patients

The prevalence of mental health problems in oncology and palliative care patients is three times greater than in the general population. This increased prevalence combined with the unique obstacles that this population face requires a tailored and innovative treatment modality. We have designed a customized, 8-week e-psychotherapy program specifically aimed at addressing the mental health problems faced by oncology and palliative care patients. If proven feasible and effective, this can improve the quality of life and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety in this underserved population.

Delivering e-CBT to address mental health challenges in correctional officers and other public safety personnel

Public safety personnel have regular and often intense exposure to potentially traumatic events at work and are at a higher risk of developing mental health problems compared to the general population. Despite this increased risk, this population is often reluctant to receive mental health support, in large part due to stigma. We have developed customized e-CBT programs specifically for different groups of correctional workers, with relatable situational examples. The knowledge gained from this work can provide high-quality and clinically validated resources while addressing mental health challenges among other public safety personnel.

Online psychotherapy tailored to patients suffering from mental health problems due to COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to negatively affect many aspects of social life on top of the overwhelming burden it has placed on the healthcare system. The elevated rates of depression and anxiety that have come with the pandemic require a specialized form of treatment. We have developed a specialized e-psychotherapy program aimed at addressing mental health problems accrued secondary to the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings can influence clinical practice and policy while increasing accessibility to treatment without sacrificing the quality of care.

Delivering e-CBT to patients with bipolar disorder and residual depressive symptoms

The time spent with depressive symptoms versus hypomanic symptoms in individuals with bipolar disorder is 35:1. In-person psychotherapeutics are proven to be effective at managing these symptoms, however, they are often inaccessible, costly, and non-scalable. We have developed a 12-week e-CBT program for bipolar disorder with residual depressive symptoms to compare to in-person CBT. The findings have the potential to enlighten us on the effectiveness of in-person treatment compared to online, which offers the benefits of accessibility and scalability.

Comparing e-CBT to pharmaceutical interventions for generalized anxiety disorder

The current gold-standard treatment for generalized anxiety disorder is CBT and/or pharmacotherapy. Due to the structured nature of CBT, it can be effectively delivered electronically, while offering accessibility and scalability benefits. In this study, we have designed a 12-week e-CBT program to compare to a medication arm, as well as a combination (e-CBT + medication) arm. The findings have the potential to show that e-CBT is either comparable to medication, or that the effects of both augment each other for even greater efficacy.

Feasibility and effectiveness of e-CBT for depression

Major depressive disorder is a prevalent and debilitating mental health disorder with the current gold-standard treatment, in-person CBT is extremely resource-intensive, and inaccessible to patients. Fortunately, due to the structured nature of CBT, it can be effectively delivered electronically. We have developed a 12-week e-CBT program delivered asynchronously with personal and individualized therapy interaction, mirroring in-person content. This study has the potential to push the development of more scalable and accessible mental health interventions with high-quality care for depression.

Comparing e-CBT + exposure and response prevention to treatment as usual for obsessive-compulsive disorder patients'

The current gold-standard treatment for OCD is in-person CBT with exposure and response prevention (ERP). However, this is a very time-consuming and inaccessible treatment option for many patients. We have developed a 16-week e-CBT + ERP program delivered through OPTT that is being compared in efficacy to treatment as usual. If validated, this could be an innovative, scalable, and accessible treatment option for patients.

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Why is Webflow so amazing?

Do we need to write a business plan?

How can we get funding for our start up?

Do you offer any vegan options?

Do you offer any gluten free options?

Can I clone these sections?

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo di am libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros

Why is Webflow so amazing?

Do we need to write a business plan?

How can we get funding for our start up?

Do you offer any vegan options?

Do you offer any gluten free options?

Can I clone these sections?

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo di am libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros

Why is Webflow so amazing?

Do we need to write a business plan?

How can we get funding for our start up?