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Essay, Pages: 2, Psychology

Proposed Study: Enhancing Depression Treatment Through Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Proposed Study: Enhancing Depression Treatment Through Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Description of the Disorder

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent mental health condition characterized by persistent low mood, diminished interest or pleasure in activities, fatigue, changes in sleep and appetite, and cognitive impairments. Proudman et al. (2021) describe that MDD is experienced by roughly 17.3 million adults in the US annually, and its lifetime prevalence is close to 20%. The disorder is more commonly diagnosed in women compared to men and typically arises in adolescence or young adulthood. Gender disparities can point towards hormonal, social, as well as cognitive vulnerabilities, whereas age trends can indicate a developmental vulnerability to stress and identity formation throughout adolescence: Proposed Study: Enhancing Depression Treatment Through Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

Risk for Developing the Disorder

Three prominent risk factors are implicated in the development of MDD. Social isolation, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, has been a strong precipitant. Proudman et al. (2021) observe that decreased social interaction and extended loneliness, particularly in young adults, have propelled the increasing load of depression. Socioeconomic disadvantage is a risk factor for MDD. Those who come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds are exposed to chronic stressors like financial insecurity and decreased access to healthcare, which in turn are reliably linked to increased depression rates (Proudman et al., 2021).

Third, having comorbid medical or psychiatric illnesses, like anxiety disorders or chronic pain, vastly elevates the risk of developing depression. These conditions contribute to physiological and psychological distress and complicate disease management, thus increasing the risk for MDD (Karrouri et al., 2021). Each of these variables—isolation, low socioeconomic status, and comorbidity—is strongly evidence-based and has an independent contribution to the causation of depression.

Common Treatments for the Disorder

Interventions for MDD are both psychological and pharmacological. Most prescribed medications are antidepressant drugs in the form of SSRIs, which have proven efficacy in alleviating symptoms of depression. Their efficacy, however, is not equal, and side effects are frequent (Karrouri et al., 2021). Of the psychological interventions, CBT is most well-supported for its potential to enable patients to recognize and reformulate negative thought processes. CBT is particularly useful for relapse prevention and can be administered in individual, group, or computerized formats, which makes it more accessible for those patients with fewer resources or mobility (Nakao et al., 2021).

Identifying Gaps in Treatment Research

Despite the efficacy of CBT, accessibility and adherence remain critical challenges. Karrouri et al. (2021) mentioned that although iCBT is promising, most trials have small, homogeneous samples and no longitudinal follow-up to determine long-term outcomes. This constrains our knowledge about its long-term effectiveness, especially in racially, socioeconomically, and digitally literacy-level diverse populations (Karlsson-Good et al., 2023). These are significant areas to address to promote equitable and effective mental health care delivery via digital technologies.

Proposed Study: Research Design and Implications

To build on this research, we propose a study that investigates the long-term efficacy of culturally adapted internet-based CBT in reducing depressive symptoms among low-income, racially diverse young adults (Christ et al., 2020).

Research Question: Does a culturally tailored iCBT program lead to greater reductions in depressive symptoms over six months compared to a standard iCBT program?

Hypothesis: Participants receiving the culturally adapted iCBT intervention will report significantly greater decreases in depressive symptoms (dependent variable) than those receiving standard iCBT (independent variable).

The study sample will include 200 participants aged 18–25 from low-income backgrounds, with equal representation across racial and ethnic groups. Recruitment will occur through university counseling centers, community clinics, and social media advertisements.

An experimental, longitudinal design will be used. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two iCBT conditions: standard or culturally adapted. Measures will include pre-treatment, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up assessments using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and satisfaction surveys. The research will offer important information on the benefits of customizing digital therapies for different cultures. The findings may be used to improve mental health care and help bridge the gap experienced by underprivileged people.

References

Christ, C., Schouten, M. J., Blankers, M., van Schaik, D. J., Beekman, A. T., Wisman, M. A., Stikkelbroek, Y. A., & Dekker, J. J. (2020). Internet and computer-based cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression in adolescents and young adults: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(9), e17831. https://doi.org/10.2196/17831

Karlsson-Good, M., Kaldo, V., Lundberg, L., Kraepelien, M., Anthony, S. A., & Holländare, F. (2023). Increasing the accessibility to internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for depression: A single-blind randomized controlled trial of condensed versus full-text versions. Internet Interventions, 34, 100678. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2023.100678

Karrouri, R., Hammani, Z., Benjelloun, R., & Otheman, Y. (2021). Major depressive disorder: Validated treatments and future challenges. World Journal of Clinical Cases, 9(31), 9350–9367. https://doi.org/10.12998/wjcc.v9.i31.9350

Nakao, M., Shirotsuki, K., & Sugaya, N. (2021). Cognitive–behavioral therapy for management of mental health and stress-related disorders: Recent advances in techniques and technologies. BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-021-00219-w

Proudman, D., Greenberg, P., & Nellesen, D. (2021). The growing burden of major Depressive Disorders (MDD): implications for researchers and policy makers. PharmacoEconomics, 39(6), 619–625. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40273-021-01040-7

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Question 

Assignment Prompt: Proposed Study Essay

Overview

The Proposed Study Essay assignment is designed to assist students with conceptualizing a new research study that builds on what they’ve learned about psychological disorders and treatment and some of the newest, peer-reviewed scientific literature on the topic. In the process of your work, you will:

  1. read and digest a portion of the scientific literature (2 peer-reviewed journal articles),
  2. analyze the articles for their content, strengths, and limitations, and
  3. design a proposed study that would extend the literature on this disorder in a meaningful way.

Learning Outcomes 

By completing this assignment, you will learn how to:

  • Identify and explain key terms and concepts in psychological science and research.
  • Discuss the biological, physical, cognitive, emotional, and social factors that influence this specific disorder / syndrome.
  • Explain research methods used in the study of this specific disorder / syndrome.
  • Integrate reflective thought and scientific reasoning to develop novel and relevant research questions.
  • Predict / hypothesize potential outcomes of research questions on the basis of existing knowledge from the textbook and scientific articles.

Tasks

In this written essay, you will build on the information presented in the two articles to propose a new study of the disorder that will address the limitations of past research and contribute to the scientific knowledge base. You will detail the rationale, goals, design, research questions, hypotheses, variables, and potential implications of their proposed study.

Preparation:

  • Ensure that you have completed all readings and assignments in the PSY 101 course to date / prior to this assignment.
  • Review APA style for reference pages, including how to use capitalization, italics, and indentation in listing each cited article in your essay.
  • Review APA style for parenthetical (in-text) citations so you can effectively cite information you did not generate yourself and avoid plagiarism.

To successfully complete this assignment, you will:

  1. Read the 2 peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles. The first article is about the etiology of the disorder, and the second article is about the treatment of this disorder.
  1. Article 1: Proudman et al., 2021 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8134814/)
  2. Article 2: Karrouri et al., 2021 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8610877/)
  3. Design a proposed study in essay format.

    Proposed Study: Enhancing Depression Treatment Through Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

    Proposed Study: Enhancing Depression Treatment Through Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Please use this chart to help you organize your assignment:

Step with Directions Description and Details
Step 1: Read the 2 peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles. The first article is about the etiology of the disorder, and the second article is about the treatment of this disorder. ·         Article 1: Proudman et al., 2021

·         Article 2: Karrouri et al., 2021 
Step 2: Organize the structure and content of your essay into the following 5 sections.

 

·         It is strongly recommended that you follow this suggested structure to assist with organization and clarity of your essay.

·         Each paragraph / section should start with a strong topic sentence, followed by several sentences containing information to support your claims.

·         Each paragraph/section should include at least one citation in APA format.

 1.      Description of the disorder. This section should discuss the incidence and prevalence of the disorder, its symptoms, and any important sex/gender or age differences in its presentation.

2.      Risk for developing the disorder. This section should identify at least 3 evidence-based risk factors (i.e., factors that have been shown to be related to the development of the disorder in research) and explain why each is relevant in the etiology of the disorder.

3.      Common treatments for the disorder. This section should briefly review and explain at least two existing treatments for the disorder. At least one of the treatments reviewed MUST be psychological (non-pharmacological) in nature.

4.      Identify gaps in our understanding of treatment for this disorder. Identify at least one limitation of existing treatment research for this disorder. Explain why this gap in our understanding is important to address in future research.

5.      Propose a study that would help us better understand and improve treatment for this disorder. This proposed study may directly address the gap in our understanding of the disorder’s treatment (identified in the previous section). You must include:

1.      At least one research question and associated hypothesis. In stating your research question and hypothesis, clearly identify your independent variable(s) and your dependent variable(s).

2.      The sample of people to be studied. In describing your sample of participants, include important demographic characteristics of participants (e.g., age, sex, gender, race/ethnicity, education level, sexual orientation, etc.) and how you would recruit these individuals for participation.

3.      The research methods you would use to measure your variables. In explaining your research methods, include what type of research design (correlational/experimental), timeline (cross-sectional or longitudinal) and measures (surveys, observations, experimental tasks, etc.) you would use.

4.      The importance of this study. Include the potential implications of your study results for extending the scientific literature on treatment of this disorder.
Step 3: Prepare a References page that lists each of your 3 sources in APA style. Note that you will need to list your textbook as one source as well as each of your 2 peer-reviewed journal articles as the other two sources. The References page will be the last page of your research paper. You do not need to have more than 3 references.

Requirements

This essay will be graded according to inclusion of specific content, but also basic use of APA style (e.g., parenthetical citations and reference page) and adequate scientific writing mechanics (e.g., strong topic sentences with accompanying evidence).

Your Proposed Study Essay should be approximately 2 pages double-spaced in length (500 words minimum), using 12-point font and 1-inch margins.

Resources

Make sure to review these helpful resources associated with this assignment:

  • Assignment Rubric: Proposed Study Essay
  • Example Assignment: Proposed Study Essay