Aim 1: Assess clinicians' receptiveness and potential use of Anise's online platform digital tools for managing sociocultural stressors and revise the tools for implementation. We will recruit 8 new clinicians (intervention group) who will receive training and provide feedback on the digital tools. Aim 2: Evaluate the initial efficacy of the online platform digital tools for managing the impact of sociocultural stressors with 64 Asian American clients. The intervention group clinicians (receiving training and using the digital tools) and newly recruited 8 clinicians (not receiving training and not using the digital tools) for the control group will work with 4 clients each. The clinical outcome data of the clients will be analyzed to examine differences in the client prognosis between the control and intervention group. A successful outcome of this project will be digital materials that effectively address the impact of sociocultural stressors for Asian Americans on Anise Health's digital health platform.
Unique sociocultural factors significantly impact the lived experiences and mental health of Asian Americans. Yet, these factors are often not considered or are overlooked in conventional evidence-based practices for psychotherapy. Ample research has found that these culture-specific stressors can give rise to psychopathology (e.g., depression, anxiety, trauma, problematic substance use) among Asian Americans. The current diagnosis-driven, Eurocentric models of psychotherapy often do not account for these sociocultural determinants of mental well-being and can lack cultural sensitivity, leading to unsuccessful psychotherapy outcomes and a high burden from persistent mental health issues among this population. To address this gap, Anise Health (Anise) has been pioneering the technology-enabled delivery of mental health care for Asian Americans. Anise develops clinical protocols that incorporate culture and intersectionality into evidence-based practices and technologies that enable the delivery of personalized treatments. Anise's online platform also includes tailored digital tools for clients and clinicians to leverage in treatment. To improve access to high-quality mental health care services for Asian Americans, we will leverage our expertise and preliminary data to expand our online digital library of materials and tools. Specifically, the overall objective of this proposal is to develop and refine Anise Health's digital tools and accompanying clinician training programs for addressing key sociocultural factors in mental health treatments and to determine the feasibility and acceptability of these online platform tools. Our preliminary data elucidated common themes related to the negative impact of sociocultural stressors on clients' mental health outcomes, and the need for clinicians to address these issues in culturally-informed ways. Digital mental health clinical tools have been found to support treatment and homework adherence as they are easily accessible for clients and are easier for therapists to integrate into their treatment plans. However, existing digital mental health clinical tools were not developed for, nor tested with, the Asian American community and do not integrate their specific historical and sociocultural experiences. This project is a foundational step toward our long-term goal of demonstrating that Anise's online platform is effective in addressing unique sociocultural factors for Asian Americans.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
80
The intervention includes clinicians receiving training to provide culturally-attuned mental health services to their clients through the use of digital tools. The digital tools include (a) digital worksheets designed to guide clients to explore and address sociocultural stressors, and (b) podcasts that help inform empirical knowledge on these issues. Clinicians are provided training how how they can effectively employ these digital tools with their clients to enhance their work, particularly regarding presenting concerns related to sociocultural stressors.
Anise Health (http://www.anisehealth.co)
Brooklyn, New York, United States
RECRUITINGFrost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale - Brief
Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale - Brief (FMPS-Brief), an 8-item self-report measure assessing perfectionism across two subscales (evaluative concerns and striving). Total scores range from 8 (minimum) to 40 (maximum), with higher scores indicating greater perfectionism (worse outcome).
Time frame: change from baseline (assessed at baseline and at the end of 12-week period)
The System Usability Scale
System Usability Scale (SUS), a 10-item self-report measure assessing clinicians' perceived usability and acceptability of the digital tools. Total scores range from 0 (minimum) to 100 (maximum), with higher scores indicating better usability (better outcome).
Time frame: At the end of 12-week study period
Acculturative Stress Scale
Acculturative Stress Scale is a self-report measure that assesses stress experienced by immigrants and minorities due to cultural, social, and environmental adjustments. It is a 10-item self-report measure with total scores ranging from 10 (minimum) to 50 (maximum), with higher scores indicating greater acculturative stress (worse outcome).
Time frame: change from baseline (assessed at baseline and at the end of 12-week period)
The Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure - Revised
Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure - Revised (MEIM-R), a 6-item self-report measure assessing exploration of and commitment to one's ethnic identity. Scores are the mean of all items and range from 1 (minimum) to 5 (maximum), with higher scores indicating stronger ethnic identity.
Time frame: Change from baseline (assessed at baseline and at the end of the 12 week period)
Patient Health Questionnaire-9
Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a 9-item self-report measure assessing depressive symptom severity over the past two weeks. Total scores range from 0 (minimum) to 27 (maximum), with higher scores indicating greater depression severity (worse outcome).
Time frame: Change from baseline (assessed at baseline, mid point, and the end of the 12 week period)
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7
Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), a 7-item self-report measure assessing anxiety symptom severity over the past two weeks. Total scores range from 0 (minimum) to 21 (maximum), with higher scores indicating greater anxiety severity (worse outcome).
Time frame: Change from baseline (assessed at baseline, mid point, and the end of the 12 week period)
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