Evaluation of the E-Mental Health Mindfulness-Based and Skills-Based “CoPE It” Intervention to Reduce Psychological Distress in Times of COVID-19: Results of a Bicentre Longitudinal Study

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic poses immense challenges for health care systems and population-wide mental health. The e-mental health intervention “CoPE It” has been developed to offer standardized and manualized support to overcome psychological distress caused by the pandemic. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of “CoPE It” in terms of reducing distress (primary outcome), depression and anxiety symptoms, and improving self-efficacy, and mindfulness (secondary outcomes). Furthermore, the intervention's usability, feasibility, and participants' satisfaction with “CoPE It” was evaluated (tertiary outcome). The study protocol has been published previously.

Methods: A bicentre longitudinal study was conducted from April 27th 2020 to May 3rd 2021. N = 110 participants were included in the analyses. The intervention consisted of four modules featuring different media promoting evidence-based methods of cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction. Difference in psychological distress between baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1) were analyzed by repeated measure analysis of covariance. Mixed linear models were applied to assess moderating effects. Depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety symptoms, self-efficacy, and mindfulness were compared between baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1) via t-tests. Usability of the “CoPE It” intervention and participants' satisfaction was evaluated by calculation means and frequencies.

Results: Primary outcome: A significant effect of time on psychological distress at post-intervention (T1) after controlling for age, gender, education, mental illness and attitudes toward online interventions was found. Depressive and anxiety symptoms, and mindfulness were a significant moderators of the relationship between time and psychological distress for consistent wording. Secondary outcomes: There was a significant decrease in depressive symptoms and generalized anxiety, and a significant increase in self-efficacy and mindfulness between baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T1). Tertiary outcomes: 95.83% of the participants thought the “CoPE It” intervention was easy to use and 87.50% were satisfied with the “CoPE It” intervention in an overall, general sense.

Conclusion: The e-mental health “CoPE It” intervention seems to be an effective approach in reducing psychological distress, anxiety and depressive symptoms, and in enhancing self-efficacy and mindfulness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants' satisfaction and the program‘s feasibility, and usability were proven to be high.

Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: DRKS00021301.

Related collections

Most cited references 78

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

A Novel Coronavirus from Patients with Pneumonia in China, 2019

Na Zhu, Dingyu Zhang, Wenling Wang … (2020)

Summary In December 2019, a cluster of patients with pneumonia of unknown cause was linked to a seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, China. A previously unknown betacoronavirus was discovered through the use of unbiased sequencing in samples from patients with pneumonia. Human airway epithelial cells were used to isolate a novel coronavirus, named 2019-nCoV, which formed a clade within the subgenus sarbecovirus, Orthocoronavirinae subfamily. Different from both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, 2019-nCoV is the seventh member of the family of coronaviruses that infect humans. Enhanced surveillance and further investigation are ongoing. (Funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China and the National Major Project for Control and Prevention of Infectious Disease in China.)

0 comments Cited 12931 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7.

Robert L Spitzer, Kurt Kroenke, Janet B W Williams … (2006)

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most common mental disorders; however, there is no brief clinical measure for assessing GAD. The objective of this study was to develop a brief self-report scale to identify probable cases of GAD and evaluate its reliability and validity. A criterion-standard study was performed in 15 primary care clinics in the United States from November 2004 through June 2005. Of a total of 2740 adult patients completing a study questionnaire, 965 patients had a telephone interview with a mental health professional within 1 week. For criterion and construct validity, GAD self-report scale diagnoses were compared with independent diagnoses made by mental health professionals; functional status measures; disability days; and health care use. A 7-item anxiety scale (GAD-7) had good reliability, as well as criterion, construct, factorial, and procedural validity. A cut point was identified that optimized sensitivity (89%) and specificity (82%). Increasing scores on the scale were strongly associated with multiple domains of functional impairment (all 6 Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form General Health Survey scales and disability days). Although GAD and depression symptoms frequently co-occurred, factor analysis confirmed them as distinct dimensions. Moreover, GAD and depression symptoms had differing but independent effects on functional impairment and disability. There was good agreement between self-report and interviewer-administered versions of the scale. The GAD-7 is a valid and efficient tool for screening for GAD and assessing its severity in clinical practice and research.

0 comments Cited 7542 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China

Cuiyan Wang, Riyu Pan, Xiaoyang Wan … (2020)

Background: The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic is a public health emergency of international concern and poses a challenge to psychological resilience. Research data are needed to develop evidence-driven strategies to reduce adverse psychological impacts and psychiatric symptoms during the epidemic. The aim of this study was to survey the general public in China to better understand their levels of psychological impact, anxiety, depression, and stress during the initial stage of the COVID-19 outbreak. The data will be used for future reference. Methods: From 31 January to 2 February 2020, we conducted an online survey using snowball sampling techniques. The online survey collected information on demographic data, physical symptoms in the past 14 days, contact history with COVID-19, knowledge and concerns about COVID-19, precautionary measures against COVID-19, and additional information required with respect to COVID-19. Psychological impact was assessed by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), and mental health status was assessed by the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Results: This study included 1210 respondents from 194 cities in China. In total, 53.8% of respondents rated the psychological impact of the outbreak as moderate or severe; 16.5% reported moderate to severe depressive symptoms; 28.8% reported moderate to severe anxiety symptoms; and 8.1% reported moderate to severe stress levels. Most respondents spent 20–24 h per day at home (84.7%); were worried about their family members contracting COVID-19 (75.2%); and were satisfied with the amount of health information available (75.1%). Female gender, student status, specific physical symptoms (e.g., myalgia, dizziness, coryza), and poor self-rated health status were significantly associated with a greater psychological impact of the outbreak and higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (p < 0.05). Specific up-to-date and accurate health information (e.g., treatment, local outbreak situation) and particular precautionary measures (e.g., hand hygiene, wearing a mask) were associated with a lower psychological impact of the outbreak and lower levels of stress, anxiety, and depression (p < 0.05). Conclusions: During the initial phase of the COVID-19 outbreak in China, more than half of the respondents rated the psychological impact as moderate-to-severe, and about one-third reported moderate-to-severe anxiety. Our findings identify factors associated with a lower level of psychological impact and better mental health status that can be used to formulate psychological interventions to improve the mental health of vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 epidemic.

0 comments Cited 4090 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

Bookmark

All references

Author and article information

Contributors

Alexander Bäuerle: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1008336/overview

Lisa Jahre: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1495196/overview

Martin Teufel: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/179602/overview

Christoph Jansen: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1463473/overview

Venja Musche: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/979073/overview

Adam Schweda: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/910357/overview

Madeleine Fink: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/989671/overview

Benjamin Weismüller: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/988988/overview

Nora Dörrie: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/986696/overview

Johanna Graf: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/964253/overview

Eva-Maria Skoda: URI : http://loop.frontiersin.org/people/1482556/overview

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Front Psychiatry

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Front Psychiatry

Journal ID (publisher-id): Front. Psychiatry

Title: Frontiers in Psychiatry

Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.

ISSN (Electronic): 1664-0640

Publication date (Electronic): 04 November 2021

Publication date Collection: 2021

Publication date PMC-release: 04 November 2021

Volume: 12

Electronic Location Identifier: 768132

Affiliations

[1] ¹Clinic for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, LVR-University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen , Essen, Germany

[2] ²Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Tübingen, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen , Tübingen, Germany

[3] ³Department for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Otto Von Guericke University Magdeburg , Magdeburg, Germany

Author notes

Edited by: Charlotte R. Blease, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, United States

Reviewed by: Wanderson Moreira, University of São Paulo, Brazil; Ling Wang, King's College London, United Kingdom

*Correspondence: Martin Teufel martin.teufel@ 123456uni-due.de

This article was submitted to Public Mental Health, a section of the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry

†These authors have contributed equally to this work and share last authorship

Article

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.768132

PMC ID: 8599585

PubMed ID: 34803775

SO-VID: f6b2841d-3374-4aec-8835-029759fac345

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

History

Date received : 01 September 2021

Date accepted : 11 October 2021

Page count

Figures: 1, Tables: 4, Equations: 0, References: 82, Pages: 10, Words: 8172

Comments

Comment on this article

scite_

Cited by 14

See all cited by

Most referenced authors 1,660

See all reference authors

Evaluation of the E-Mental Health Mindfulness-Based and Skills-Based “CoPE It” Intervention to Reduce Psychological Distress in Times of COVID-19: Results of a Bicentre Longitudinal Study

Read this article at

Abstract

Related collections

Novel Coronavirus Disease COVID-19

Most cited references 78

A Novel Coronavirus from Patients with Pneumonia in China, 2019

A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: the GAD-7.

Immediate Psychological Responses and Associated Factors during the Initial Stage of the 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Epidemic among the General Population in China

Author and article information

Contributors

Journal

Affiliations

Author notes

Article

History

Page count

Categories

Comments

Comment on this article

Similar content 116

Cited by 14

Most referenced authors 1,660