Improving patient engagement in digital mental health treatments.

Toward optimizing digital mental health interventions: A clinical trial aimed at understanding what drives patient engagement.

NIH-funded research Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11061535

This study is looking for ways to help people with depression and anxiety stay engaged with online mental health tools by using friendly messages and some light support, so they can get the help they need more easily.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBrigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11061535 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how to enhance patient engagement with digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) for depression and anxiety. It aims to identify effective strategies, such as automated motivational messaging and light-touch human support, to keep patients involved without requiring extensive human resources. The study will involve user-centered design to create tailored messaging and will test these strategies in a clinical trial with primary care patients. By understanding what drives engagement, the research seeks to make these digital treatments more effective and widely used.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are primary care patients experiencing depression and/or anxiety.

Not a fit: Patients who do not have access to digital devices or are not comfortable using technology may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective digital mental health treatments that help patients manage depression and anxiety more easily.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown promise in improving patient engagement with digital health interventions, indicating that this approach could be effective.

Where this research is happening

Boston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
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Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.