‘Care Co-ordinator In My Pocket’. A Feasibility study of Mobile-Assessment and Therapy for Psychosis (TechCare).

Abstract

Objectives: The research aimed to examine the acceptability and feasibility of a mobile phone Application (App) based intervention ‘TechCare’, for individuals with psychosis in the North West of England. The main objectives were to determine whether appropriate individuals could be identified and recruited to the study and whether the TechCare App would be an acceptable intervention for individuals with psychosis.
Methods: This was a mixed methods feasibility study, consisting of a test-run and feasibility evaluation of the TechCare App intervention.
Setting: Early Intervention Services for psychosis, within an NHS Trusts in the North West of England.
Participants: Sixteen participants (Test-run n=4, feasibility study n=12) aged between 18-65, recruited from the East, Central and North Lancashire Early Intervention Service (EIS).
Intervention: A 6-week intervention, with the TechCare App assessing participants’ symptoms and responses in real-time and providing a personalised guided self-help based psychological intervention based on the principles of CBT.
Results: A total of 83.33% (n=10) of participants completed the 6-week feasibility study, with 70% of completers achieving the set compliance threshold of ≥33% engagement with the TechCare App system. Analysis of the qualitative data suggested that participants held the view that the TechCare was both an acceptable and feasible means of delivering interventions in real-time.
Conclusion: Innovative digital clinical technologies such as the TechCare App may have the potential to increase access to psychological interventions, reduce health inequality, and promote self-management with a real-time intervention, through enabling access to mental health resources in a stigma-free, evidence-based, and time-independent manner.
Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02439619