Active clinical trials for "Mental Disorders"

This project aims to study health outcomes of individuals with mental illness attending a co-located primary health care center in a mental health center. This study uses mixed methods to collect a range of information about who chooses to use what Wellness Center services and in what combinations, with what short and longer-term effects and with what outcomes. Based on participant interviews, identify barriers to and facilitators of access, service, and improvements in person-centered outcomes and elicit suggestions for enhancing health care outcomes and choice. Collaborate with persons in recovery in using the data collected through Aims 1 and 2 to develop and pilot the effectiveness of a new peer-led community based intervention in enhancing access and choice and improving person-centered health outcomes.

The purpose of this study is to gather information about the steady-state plasma concentrations of aripiprazole, olanzapine, quetiapine and their relevant metabolites, at various dose levels and at different time points after dosing. In addition, comparison of capillary drug concentrations vs. venous drug concentrations will be performed for aripiprazole, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone and their relevant metabolites.

Clinical social workers, doctors, outreach workers, and all other staff providing direct care to vulnerable populations face multiple challenges in obtaining and maintaining training and implementing evidence based practices in diverse community settings. Motivational Interviewing is a well-established evidence based practice that is challenging to implement across programs and agencies because it requires that skills gained from training be reinforced as a service provider employs the practice. This study builds on findings from a Phase I study. With funding from a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research grant from the National Institute of Health, the Center for Social Innovation developed the Motivational Interviewing Simulator: An Experiential Online Training Tool. The interactive, case-based, multiplayer web-based game allows service providers to deepen their skills in Motivational Interviewing (MI), a widely recognized evidence-based practice that supports people to make positive behavior changes related to health, wellness, mental illness, and addiction. The Phase II randomized controlled trial's primary aim is to assess the relative effectiveness of three interventions (MI Training Only; MI Training + eBook; MI Training + SIM) in increasing provider MI knowledge and skill retention over time. During Phase II of this study, we will recruit 180 providers from 18 community agencies serving individuals who live in supportive housing, many of whom have histories of mental illness, addiction, homelessness, and medical problems. After receiving a standardized two-day onsite MI training, participants will be randomized into one of three conditions: 1) MI Training Only; 2) MI Training + eBook (an online comparison with comparable information to the Simulator without the interactive elements); or 3) MI Training + Simulator. The longitudinal, mixed methods study will assess providers' acquisition and retention of MI knowledge and skills through surveys and coding of standardized client interviews; barriers and facilitators of MI implementation via focus groups; organizational-level data via key informant interviews and site visits; and client outcomes for 3,600 clients through surveys, administrative, data and focus groups.

Patient participation (PP) in Hospital is a goal defined by the Norwegian Health Authorities and it is a mandatory activity for District Psychiatric out-patient Centres (DPC) in Norway: patients are entitled to have influence on their treatment and should receive sufficient information directed at empowerment. Nevertheless, studies from Norway have found that patients who seek help are dissatisfied with the information they receive and doubt their possibility for real influence on their treatment. One way to improve individual PP might be to give patients sufficient information and education before they start their treatment in the form of an educational group intervention, an introduction seminar (IS); this group intervention is less time and resource consuming than individual interventions. Aims: The main purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate an IS for patients on a waiting list of DPC. The seminar will educate patients, so they can actively participate in their own treatment and, thereby, choosing treatment, reducing the risk of dropping out of treatment. Another aim is to enable patients to participate in their own treatment, to cope with their problems while they are waiting for treatment by providing them contact with primary health care and user organizations during their waiting time, and to increase adherence. Methods: The project involves three components: an exploratory study of educational content of the seminar; RCT of that 4-hours program (to examine its effect on treatment preferences and choices, activation, satisfaction, mental health and cost-benefit) and then a post-seminar qualitative evaluation, which will be used to create a broad yet deep understanding of the practical side of the participants'experience and the seminar's effect.

Is it feasible to perform a randomized controlled trial to assess whether or not psychological preparation seminars prior to bariatric (weight loss) surgery are beneficial to the investigators patients?

This study involves a controlled trial of an optimized version of a weight management and physical activity psycho-educational intervention (called MOVE!) with 200 obese and overweight veterans with serious mental illness.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and social skills training (SST) are recommended psychological interventions to improve symptomatology and functional recovery in psychosis. In addition, CBT may reduce hyperactivation of the brain structures responsible for the stress response. In patients with early onset psychotic disorder (EOP) there are not any previous controlled study that has analyzed the efficacy of this type of intervention. The aim of this study is to investigate efficacy of CBT + SST in symptomatic and functional improvement after the treatment in patients with EOP. The study will also examine the potential effect of the intervention on neurobiological stress markers.

Adverse childhood experiences in psychotic disorders are associated with increased cognitive deficits, severe psychotic symptoms, and increased comorbidity. The number of different stress experiences also increases the probability of trauma-associated symptoms. Furthermore, neurobiological changes play a key role in the vulnerability of individuals with early traumas for mental and physical illnesses, among others for diseases of the schizophrenic spectrum disorder and the further course of the disease. The current project pursues a detailed recording of the course of symptoms in inpatients with psychosis to link this data with a systematic recording of childhood experiences and traumatic experiences and biological data. On a subsample of inpatients with psychosis and a comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the researchers want to investigate whether symptom traits of existing psychotic disorders, biomolecular parameters and cognitive functions can be influenced by a trauma-specific treatment (NET), that has been proven to be effective in the treatment of PTSD.

This is an outpatient, single center, between-group, double blind, placebo controlled design. Approximately 120 adolescents and adult patients will be randomized to either have their treatment augmented with Cannabidiol Oral Solution (CBD) or with a matching CBD placebo for 8 weeks. The study will examine CBD as an augmentation strategy in early psychosis. It is hypothesized that CBD will improve symptoms, neurocognition, markers of inflammation and eating behaviors. Importantly, moderators and mediators of the CBD effects will be explored.

This research project aims at early detection, early intervention, and recovery of individuals with psychosis and prevention of their family members who are at high risk of having developmental problems and developing psychosis episode in later stages of their life. It consists of two major parts with the following study designs & aims: Part I : Developing a comprehensive and integrative psychosocial and community skills training programme (IPCST) and conducing a pilot randomised controlled trial to compare the study outcomes between the two settings in Hong Kong and Beijing. To develop IPCST as an innovative intervention model targeting individuals with first or recent onset of psychosis to reduce their stay in mental hospital and bridges them to independent living in the community with optimal social and professional support; To evaluate IPCST in terms of the clinical, vocational, and psychosocial outcomes of participants using a randomized controlled trial design and compare these outcomes between Hong Kong and Beijing; To examine the cost-effectiveness of IPCST in the two cities; and To train professionals and research personnel in Hong Kong and mainland for implementation Part II: Exploring the health needs of younger family members of individuals with early psychosis and the strategies in preventing this clinical high risk group from developing psychotic episode and developmental problems in later stages of their lives. To identify the potential developmental problems or sufferings of theses younger family members living with patients with mental illness; To provide baseline assessment of their psychosocial stress, mental health, and quality of life; To identify interventions that may prevent them from developing psychosis and other developmental problems and improve their mental health.