Effects of a virtual voice-based coach delivering problem-solving treatment on emotional distress and brain function: a pilot RCT in depression and anxiety
Abstract Consumer-based voice assistants have the ability to deliver evidence-based treatment, but their therapeutic potential is largely unknown. In a pilot trial of a virtual voice-based coach, Lumen, delivering problem-solving treatment, adults with mild-to-moderate depression and/or anxiety were...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Publishing Group
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Translational Psychiatry |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02462-x |
| _version_ | 1797784454459031552 |
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| author | Thomas Kannampallil Olusola A. Ajilore Nan Lv Joshua M. Smyth Nancy E. Wittels Corina R. Ronneberg Vikas Kumar Lan Xiao Susanth Dosala Amruta Barve Aifeng Zhang Kevin C. Tan Kevin P. Cao Charmi R. Patel Ben S. Gerber Jillian A. Johnson Emily A. Kringle Jun Ma |
| author_facet | Thomas Kannampallil Olusola A. Ajilore Nan Lv Joshua M. Smyth Nancy E. Wittels Corina R. Ronneberg Vikas Kumar Lan Xiao Susanth Dosala Amruta Barve Aifeng Zhang Kevin C. Tan Kevin P. Cao Charmi R. Patel Ben S. Gerber Jillian A. Johnson Emily A. Kringle Jun Ma |
| author_sort | Thomas Kannampallil |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Consumer-based voice assistants have the ability to deliver evidence-based treatment, but their therapeutic potential is largely unknown. In a pilot trial of a virtual voice-based coach, Lumen, delivering problem-solving treatment, adults with mild-to-moderate depression and/or anxiety were randomized to the Lumen intervention (n = 42) or waitlist control (n = 21). The main outcomes included changes in neural measures of emotional reactivity and cognitive control, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] symptom scores over 16 weeks. Participants were 37.8 years (SD = 12.4), 68% women, 25% Black, 24% Latino, and 11% Asian. Activation of the right dlPFC (neural region of interest in cognitive control) decreased in the intervention group but increased in the control group, with an effect size meeting the prespecified threshold for a meaningful effect (Cohen’s d = 0.3). Between-group differences in the change in activation of the left dlPFC and bilateral amygdala were observed, but were of smaller magnitude (d = 0.2). Change in right dlPFC activation was also meaningfully associated (r ≥ 0.4) with changes in self-reported problem-solving ability and avoidance in the intervention. Lumen intervention also led to decreased HADS depression, anxiety, and overall psychological distress scores, with medium effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.49, 0.51, and 0.55, respectively), compared with the waitlist control group. This pilot trial showed promising effects of a novel digital mental health intervention on cognitive control using neuroimaging and depression and anxiety symptoms, providing foundational evidence for a future confirmatory study. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:40:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d8e59a6ff82c4503b4ab3630c523dfd3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2158-3188 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:40:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Translational Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-d8e59a6ff82c4503b4ab3630c523dfd32023-07-09T11:25:51ZengNature Publishing GroupTranslational Psychiatry2158-31882023-05-011311810.1038/s41398-023-02462-xEffects of a virtual voice-based coach delivering problem-solving treatment on emotional distress and brain function: a pilot RCT in depression and anxietyThomas Kannampallil0Olusola A. Ajilore1Nan Lv2Joshua M. Smyth3Nancy E. Wittels4Corina R. Ronneberg5Vikas Kumar6Lan Xiao7Susanth Dosala8Amruta Barve9Aifeng Zhang10Kevin C. Tan11Kevin P. Cao12Charmi R. Patel13Ben S. Gerber14Jillian A. Johnson15Emily A. Kringle16Jun Ma17Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of MedicineDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State UniversityDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford UniversityDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Population & Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical SchoolDepartment of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State UniversityDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoDepartment of Medicine, University of Illinois at ChicagoAbstract Consumer-based voice assistants have the ability to deliver evidence-based treatment, but their therapeutic potential is largely unknown. In a pilot trial of a virtual voice-based coach, Lumen, delivering problem-solving treatment, adults with mild-to-moderate depression and/or anxiety were randomized to the Lumen intervention (n = 42) or waitlist control (n = 21). The main outcomes included changes in neural measures of emotional reactivity and cognitive control, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS] symptom scores over 16 weeks. Participants were 37.8 years (SD = 12.4), 68% women, 25% Black, 24% Latino, and 11% Asian. Activation of the right dlPFC (neural region of interest in cognitive control) decreased in the intervention group but increased in the control group, with an effect size meeting the prespecified threshold for a meaningful effect (Cohen’s d = 0.3). Between-group differences in the change in activation of the left dlPFC and bilateral amygdala were observed, but were of smaller magnitude (d = 0.2). Change in right dlPFC activation was also meaningfully associated (r ≥ 0.4) with changes in self-reported problem-solving ability and avoidance in the intervention. Lumen intervention also led to decreased HADS depression, anxiety, and overall psychological distress scores, with medium effect sizes (Cohen’s d = 0.49, 0.51, and 0.55, respectively), compared with the waitlist control group. This pilot trial showed promising effects of a novel digital mental health intervention on cognitive control using neuroimaging and depression and anxiety symptoms, providing foundational evidence for a future confirmatory study.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02462-x |
| spellingShingle | Thomas Kannampallil Olusola A. Ajilore Nan Lv Joshua M. Smyth Nancy E. Wittels Corina R. Ronneberg Vikas Kumar Lan Xiao Susanth Dosala Amruta Barve Aifeng Zhang Kevin C. Tan Kevin P. Cao Charmi R. Patel Ben S. Gerber Jillian A. Johnson Emily A. Kringle Jun Ma Effects of a virtual voice-based coach delivering problem-solving treatment on emotional distress and brain function: a pilot RCT in depression and anxiety Translational Psychiatry |
| title | Effects of a virtual voice-based coach delivering problem-solving treatment on emotional distress and brain function: a pilot RCT in depression and anxiety |
| title_full | Effects of a virtual voice-based coach delivering problem-solving treatment on emotional distress and brain function: a pilot RCT in depression and anxiety |
| title_fullStr | Effects of a virtual voice-based coach delivering problem-solving treatment on emotional distress and brain function: a pilot RCT in depression and anxiety |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of a virtual voice-based coach delivering problem-solving treatment on emotional distress and brain function: a pilot RCT in depression and anxiety |
| title_short | Effects of a virtual voice-based coach delivering problem-solving treatment on emotional distress and brain function: a pilot RCT in depression and anxiety |
| title_sort | effects of a virtual voice based coach delivering problem solving treatment on emotional distress and brain function a pilot rct in depression and anxiety |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-023-02462-x |
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