Psychiatric DisorderNCT05560581
Digital Self-efficacy Training to Bridge Waiting Times for Psychotherapy
A study testing Digital self-efficacy training and Ecological Momentary Assessment in people with Psychiatric Disorder and Waiting for Psychotherapy, run by Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich at 2 sites in Switzerland.
Trial summary
The main aim of this project is to improve waiting periods for specialised psychotherapy. We will apply a brief, smartphone-based self-efficacy training to patients with psychiatric disorders waiting for specialised psychotherapy. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Psychiatric Disorder, Waiting for Psychotherapy
- What is being tested?
- Digital self-efficacy training and Ecological Momentary Assessment
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 94 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesSwitzerland
- Study dates
- 7 Nov 2022to Nov 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- psychiatric disorder
- age 18-65
- waiting for psychiatric assessment/treatment (being on waitlist)
- sufficient knowledge of the German language
- smartphone user
- internet access via smartphone
- internet access at home (laptop, tablet, or computer)
Who cannot join
- current intense psychotherapy
- acute suicidality
- acute psychotic symptoms
- substance addiction
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Switzerland2 sites, 2 recruiting
- Recruiting
Integrated Psychiatry Winterthur
Winterthur
Jochen Binder
- Recruiting
Psychiatric University Hospital
Zurich
Judith Rohde
About this study
The main aim of this project is to improve waiting periods for specialised psychotherapy. We will apply a brief, smartphone-based self-efficacy training to patients with psychiatric disorders waiting for specialised psychotherapy. Additionally, we will use Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to assess mood, social contacts, and other parameters daily. We will investigate whether the training can improve self-efficacy and related constructs and if it can help reduce stress and waitlist drop-outs during waiting periods. Additionally, we will investigate if the self-efficacy training has a positive effect on motivation and therapeutical relationship regarding the subsequent therapy.
After a screening for eligibility, participants will be randomly assigned to intervention and control group. At baseline, participants attend a laboratory session where they are assessed for current psychiatric disorders and further relevant psychological variables. They will then either participate in the digital self-efficacy training combined with EMA (intervention group) or in EMA only (control group). Both will be conducted via a smartphone app. Subsequently, participants will be asked to fill in post questionnaires at three different time points: after having finished app usage, one month later, and after the beginning of the subsequent psychotherapy.
- Conditions
- Psychiatric Disorder, Waiting for Psychotherapy
- Being tested
- Digital self-efficacy training, Ecological Momentary Assessment
- Medical subject headings
- Mental Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Digital self-efficacy trainingBehavioural
Prior to the app participation, participants will receive psychoeducation on self-efficacy and will be instructed to define two autobiographical self-efficacy memories (own achievements, e.g., completion of an exam, success in a sporting event). During the week of app participation, they will be prompted three times per day and asked to perform an imagination task. Step by step, they will recall one of their autobiographic self-efficacy memories and focus on their character traits and abilities that were relevant for their achievement.
Ecological Momentary AssessmentBehavioural
Participants will receive questions on mood and social/virtual contacts 3 times per day.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Experimental | Participants will receive an one-week digital self-efficacy training (3x/day) and an one-week Ecological Momentary Assessment (3x/day questions on mood, social and virtual contacts). Receives: Behavioral: Digital self-efficacy training; Behavioral: Ecological Momentary Assessment |
| Control group | Active comparator | Participants will receive an one-week Ecological Momentary Assessment (3x/day questions on mood, social and virtual contacts). Receives: Behavioral: Ecological Momentary Assessment |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in self-efficacy
Validated measures ("General Self-Efficacy Scale" (10 items; higher scores indicate higher self-efficacy -> better outcome), "Coping Self-efficacy scale" (26 items; higher scores indicate higher self-effiacy -> better outcome) and individual questions based on validated measures assessing specific self-efficacy regarding emotion regulation, therapy and waitlist will be used to assess self-efficacy at baseline and 3 different time points after the intervention.
Measured: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Secondary outcomes (7)
Change in hopelessness
Hopelessness will be assessed using the validated measure "Beck Hopelessness Scale" (20 items; higher scores indicate greater hopelessness -> worse outcome).
Measured: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in anxiety
Anxiety will be assessed using the validated measure "State and Trait Anxiety Scale" (40 items; higher scores indicate greater anxiety -> worse outcome).
Measured: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in stress
Stress will be assessed using the validated measure "Perceived Stress Scale" (10 items; higher scores indicate greater stress -> worse outcome).
Measured: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in therapy expectations
Therapy expectations will be assessed using the validated measure "Patient Questionnaire on Therapy Expectation and Evaluation" (11 items; higher score indicates higher satisfaction -> better outcome).
Measured: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in depression
Depression will be assessed using the validated measure "Beck Depression Inventory II" (21 items; higher scores indicate greater depression -> worse outcome).
Measured: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in optimism
Change in life orientation will be assessed using the validated measure "Life Orientation Test Revised" (10 items; higher scores indicate greater optimism -> better outcome)
Measured: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in intolerance of uncertainty
Intolerance of uncertainty will be assessed using the validated measure "Intolerance of uncertainty scale" (18 items; higher scores indicate greater uncertainty -> worse outcome).
Measured: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Sep 2022
- Study start7 Nov 2022
- Primary completionNov 2025 (estimated)
- Study completionNov 2025 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Psychiatric DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 94 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Judith Rohde, MD, Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich
- Investigators
- Judith Rohde, MD, Principal investigator, Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05560581
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SeApp III
- Status last verified
- Nov 2024
- First submitted
- 25 Sep 2022
- Last updated
- 4 Mar 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Mar 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Digital Self-efficacy Training to Bridge Waiting Times for Psychotherapy
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05560581
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SeApp III
- Conditions
- Psychiatric Disorder, Waiting for Psychotherapy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 94 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Psychiatric University Hospital, ZurichUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 7 Nov 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Nov 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Nov 2025 (estimated)
- First posted
- 29 Sep 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The main aim of this project is to improve waiting periods for specialised psychotherapy. We will apply a brief, smartphone-based self-efficacy training to patients with psychiatric disorders waiting for specialised psychotherapy. Additionally, we will use Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) to assess mood, social contacts, and other parameters daily. We will investigate whether the training can improve self-efficacy and related constructs and if it can help reduce stress and waitlist drop-outs during waiting periods. Additionally, we will investigate if the self-efficacy training has a positive effect on motivation and therapeutical relationship regarding the subsequent therapy.
After a screening for eligibility, participants will be randomly assigned to intervention and control group. At baseline, participants attend a laboratory session where they are assessed for current psychiatric disorders and further relevant psychological variables. They will then either participate in the digital self-efficacy training combined with EMA (intervention group) or in EMA only (control group). Both will be conducted via a smartphone app. Subsequently, participants will be asked to fill in post questionnaires at three different time points: after having finished app usage, one month later, and after the beginning of the subsequent psychotherapy.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Quadruple blind (participant, care provider, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention group | Experimental | Behavioral: Digital self-efficacy training, Behavioral: Ecological Momentary AssessmentParticipants will receive an one-week digital self-efficacy training (3x/day) and an one-week Ecological Momentary Assessment (3x/day questions on mood, social and virtual contacts). |
| Control group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Ecological Momentary AssessmentParticipants will receive an one-week Ecological Momentary Assessment (3x/day questions on mood, social and virtual contacts). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- psychiatric disorder
- age 18-65
- waiting for psychiatric assessment/treatment (being on waitlist)
- sufficient knowledge of the German language
- smartphone user
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- current intense psychotherapy
- acute suicidality
- acute psychotic symptoms
- substance addiction
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Digital self-efficacy trainingPrior to the app participation, participants will receive psychoeducation on self-efficacy and will be instructed to define two autobiographical self-efficacy memories (own achievements, e.g., completion of an exam, success in a sporting event). During the week of app participation, they will be prompted three times per day and asked to perform an imagination task. Step by step, they will recall one of their autobiographic self-efficacy memories and focus on their character traits and abilities that were relevant for their achievement. | Behavioural | Intervention group |
| Ecological Momentary AssessmentParticipants will receive questions on mood and social/virtual contacts 3 times per day. | Behavioural | Control group, Intervention group |
Primary outcome
Change in self-efficacy
Time frame: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Validated measures ("General Self-Efficacy Scale" (10 items; higher scores indicate higher self-efficacy -> better outcome), "Coping Self-efficacy scale" (26 items; higher scores indicate higher self-effiacy -> better outcome) and individual questions based on validated measures assessing specific self-efficacy regarding emotion regulation, therapy and waitlist will be used to assess self-efficacy at baseline and 3 different time points after the intervention.
7 secondary outcomes
Change in hopelessness
Time frame: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in anxiety
Time frame: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in stress
Time frame: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in therapy expectations
Time frame: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in depression
Time frame: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in optimism
Time frame: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Change in intolerance of uncertainty
Time frame: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 Mar 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Judith Rohde, MD principal investigator
Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Digital self-efficacy training and Ecological Momentary Assessment in people with Psychiatric Disorder and Waiting for Psychotherapy, run by Psychiatric University Hospital, Zurich at 2 sites in Switzerland.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Switzerland. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Judith Rohde, MD (+41 (0)58 384 65 00, judith.rohde@uzh.ch), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in self-efficacy (time frame: baseline to 1 day after the intervention, 1 month after the intervention, within 1 month after the subsequent therapy began). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 Mar 2025.