IDTWO: A Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial of a Web-Based Mental Health Intervention for Australians with Intellectual Disability

Peter A. Baldwin, Victoria Rasmussen, Julian N. Trollor, Jenna L. Zhao, Josephine Anderson, Helen Christensen and Katherine Boydell
Additional contact information
Peter A. Baldwin: Black Dog Institute, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
Victoria Rasmussen: Black Dog Institute, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
Julian N. Trollor: Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
Jenna L. Zhao: Department of Developmental Disability Neuropsychiatry, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
Josephine Anderson: Black Dog Institute, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
Helen Christensen: Black Dog Institute, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia
Katherine Boydell: Black Dog Institute, Sydney, NSW 2031, Australia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-13

Abstract: People with intellectual disability (ID) experience higher rates of mental illness and reduced access to appropriate care and treatment. Tailored electronic mental health (eMH) programs offer opportunities to address these disparities. The aim of this study is to examine whether a fully automated and self-guided eMH program tailored to the needs of people with ID can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve daily functioning in people with borderline-to-mild ID. Australians with borderline-to-mild ID, aged 16 years and older with mild-to-moderate depression and/or anxiety symptoms will be eligible to participate with the help of a nominated carer, if necessary. A randomised controlled trial with a sample size of 150 participants divided into treatment and waitlist control arms will be conducted. Participants randomised to the intervention group will have full access to the Healthy Mind program for eight weeks. The waitlist control group will gain full access to the program following the eight-week treatment period. Efficacy will be assessed on the Anxiety, Depression, and Mood Scale; Kessler-10; and the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 across three time-points (baseline, eight weeks, and three months). We expect that people who use the intervention will report reduced depression and anxiety, relative to the control group. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effectiveness of a fully automated eMH program for improving mental health in people with ID. We expect our study to render new knowledge on the delivery and effects of internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) tools for people with ID.

Keywords: intellectual disability; electronic mental health; RCT; CBT; mental health promotion (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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