Montana ranks high among states on mental health disorder prevalence and low on access to mental health care. It has the highest suicide rate in the nation. Of Montana’s 56 counties, 10 are classified as rural and 45 as frontier, accentuating distance and provider availability challenges in accessing care. New treatment delivery modalities are needed to complement, supplement and augment scarce mental health care. With increased Internet accessibility, computer-administered Cognitive Behavior Therapy (cCBT) programs have emerged as viable approaches to effective treatment of depression. Thrive, a sophisticated interactive digital cCBT program using a largely video format platform intended to enhance engagement, has been shown to significantly reduce depressive symptoms among adults with varying severity of depressive symptomatology in uncontrolled trials in urban settings. The goal of this project is to conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of Thrive to determine its effectiveness in reducing depressive symptom severity among Montanans, many of whom have few or no other options for mental health treatment.
This project is led by Dr. Mark Schure, Assistant Professor of Community Health (MSU). Co-investigators include Dr. Sandra Bailey, Professor of Family and Human Development, MSU Extension; Dr. Matt Byerly, Director of MSU’s Center for Mental Health Research and Recovery and Professor, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, MSU; and, Dr. John Greist, Professor of Psychiatry-Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Affiliate Professor, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, MSU.
During the summer of 2017, project team members collaborated with the MSU film department to develop and produce learning videos specific to rural Montanans’ lifestyles and experiences that are now included as part of a new culturally-adapted version of the Thrive program.
This project is led by Dr. Mark Schure, Assistant Professor of Community Health (MSU). Co-investigators include Dr. Sandra Bailey, Professor of Family and Human Development, MSU Extension; Dr. Matt Byerly, Director of MSU’s Center for Mental Health Research and Recovery and Professor, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, MSU; and, Dr. John Greist, Professor of Psychiatry-Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Affiliate Professor, Cell Biology and Neuroscience, MSU.
During the summer of 2017, project team members collaborated with the MSU film department to develop and produce learning videos specific to rural Montanans’ lifestyles and experiences that are now included as part of a new culturally-adapted version of the Thrive program.
Find out more about the study and how to register at this link.
