Self-help Program Research Articles

Intervention targets for people living with HIV and depressive symptoms in Botswana

Background: The prevalence of HIV in Botswana is high. Many people living with HIV (PLWH) suffer from depressive symptoms and have inadequate coping skills. Most PLWH do not receive adequate psychological treatment. Empirically based interventions for PLWH with depressive symptoms in Botswana should be developed, with a focus on improving coping skills. The present study was a first step towards this goal, by trying to identify targets for intervention. The study aimed to provide prevalence rates of depression among PLWH in Botswana, to assess their mental health treatment needs and wishes as expressed by themselves, and to study the relationships between cognitive and behavioural coping strategies and depressive symptoms.Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample consisted of 291 participants (73% female) from 8 HIV treatment centres from Botswana. Participants completed standardized questionnaires on depressive symptoms (CES-D) and coping skills (CERQ, BERQ). They also answered questions regarding their mental health care needs and wishes.Results: In total 43.4% of participants reported clinically significant depressive symptoms. The majority of participants indicated that they needed help with the following topics: feelings of depression, physical tension, finding new goals and coping with HIV. In addition, they indicated preferring a self-help programme in booklet format. Multiple regression analyses showed that the following coping strategies had significant relationships with depressive symptoms: rumination, catastrophising, withdrawal, positive refocusing and refocus on planning (the latter two negatively).Conclusion: Almost half of the PLWH reported depressive symptoms that were clinically significant. The findings suggested that an intervention for PLWH with depressive symptoms in Botswana should preferably be a self-help programme presented in booklet format. With regard to content, the results confirmed that the intervention should focus on specific coping skills. In addition, elements like goal finding and strategies to reduce physical tension should be added.

Non-pharmacological approach for prevention of relapse during recovery in substance abuse: A study done at drug deaddiction center attached to a tertiary hospital

Background: Many studies have been conducted on prevention and treatment of substance abuse but focus on recovery phase is still little. Recovery from addiction is a process of reconnecting and taking oneself back; finding their voice. Spirituality, social support, family support, and hobbies have played major role in self-help recovery programs and the treatment of substance use disorders (addictions) for a long time. The previous studies focused on problems associated to the life of substance abusers raised the question on whether these factors could influence their recovery. Set against this background, this study explains the role of non-pharmacological modalities in the recovery of substance abusers. Aim and Objective: This study aims to study the role of non-pharmacological modalities in recovery of relapse cases of substance abuse. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at drug deaddiction center attached to Government Medical College, Amritsar, between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2015, involving 400 male relapse cases. The subject who visited drug deaddiction center was visited which was included in the study based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The collected data were entered into Microsoft Excel sheets and analyzed in EPI INFO VERSION 7. Prior approval from the Institutional Ethical Committee was obtained. Results: Significant association of hobbies and fitness measures with state of mind and degree of satisfaction with life was seen. Conclusion: The study highlights need of peer recovery support system and family support.

Internet-based self-help using automatic messages and support on demand for generalized anxiety disorder: an open pilot study

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a disabling and often chronic condition. Internet-based treatments for GAD have been shown to be effective, but many studies include weekly contact with a therapist with the aim to increase adherence and clinical outcomes. The current study evaluated a less therapist-intensive alternative: support on demand and automatic messages. Thirty-three participants with GAD went through a self-help program targeting excessive worry. Treatment lasted 9 weeks and consisted of seven modules. Participants received short messages with reminders and encouragement. Therapist support was given when asked for. The intervention led to significant and large within-group effects on the primary outcome, Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ; Cohen’s d = 1.17), as well as on secondary outcomes such as Generalized Anxiety Disorder Questionnaire-IV (GAD-Q-IV; Cohen’s d = 2.71) and Patient Health Questionaire-9 (PHQ-9; Cohen’s d = 1.05). The exception was a small effect on quality of life (d = −0.34). Twenty-four (74.9%) were satisfied with the treatment and one dropped out. Therapist support was used by 65.6%. Limitations include lack of control condition and a small sample. While preliminary, the findings suggest that self-guided internet interventions can work and be acceptable when automated messages and support on demand is provided.

A Study Exploring the SHG-Bank Linkage Programme and Women Empowerment in the Southern Region of India

Microcredit is a great choice for rural women as it provides them the required economic and social skills to face challenging environments. The purpose of the paper was to review the self-help group-bank linkage programme (SBLP) in five southern states of India, namely Andhra Pradesh (undivided), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry for a period of 2012–2017. Commercial banks - public, private, regional rural banks, and cooperative banks - are involved in the linkage programme because of their mandatory disclosure with the SBLP. The self-help groups' (SHGs) loans disbursement in the selected states was found to be high among the cooperative banks. It was observed through the analysis that the cooperative banks played an important role in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The private sector banks also played a significant role in the linkage programme, if the state strongly intervenes. The research study led to the inference that though the number of women SHGs was increasing every year, the SHGs managed to save and repay the loans within the stipulated period. It was observed from the study that the savings - bank linkages varied across the states, and the linkages depended on various parameters.

U.S. Ambassador's Special Self‐Help Program (DOS)

Federal Grants & ContractsVolume 44, Issue 3 p. 3-3 Grant Alerts U.S. Ambassador's Special Self-Help Program (DOS) First published: 31 December 2019 https://doi.org/10.1002/fgc.30830Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume44, Issue32 January 2020Pages 3-3 RelatedInformation

PERANAN BSPS TERHADAP EKONOMI DAN SOSIAL PENERIMA BANTUAN DI KECAMATAN SIMPANG EMPAT

This study aims at finding out the role of self-help housing stimulant programs for economic and social on economic and social assistance receipents in Simpang Empat Disctric. The research respondents were 42 beneficiaries with data collection techniques through questionnaires, observation and documentation. The data analysis techniques used is descriptive analysis, which is the presentation of data in tabulation form which computes the percentage for each answer category and is processed on research need which are then interpreted according to findings in the field. The result of this research of self-help housing stimulant programs are play a role in the economy by providing jobs for builders and the social conditions of beneficiaries play a roel in improving comfort and safety, health and improving housing conditions, while the economy of beneficiaries has not changed. Keywords: Self-help Housing Stimulant Assistance, Low-Income Communities, Community Welfare.

Efficacy of a web-based self-help tool to reduce problem gambling in Switzerland: study protocol of a two-armed randomised controlled trial

IntroductionThe past-year prevalence of problem gambling worldwide averages 2.3%. Switzerland exhibits a slightly lower past-year prevalence rate, of 1.1%, among adults. Only a minority of these adults attend outpatient treatment....

Effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for irritable bowel syndrome non-patients: A pilot randomized waiting list controlled trial

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common functional disorders, and an intervention targeting IBS non-patients (with symptoms and undiagnosed) is needed. This study examined the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in IBS non-patients. A total of 26 non-patients were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (n = 14) or a waiting list group (n = 12). Self-reported IBS symptom severity, quality of life, psychological distress (anxiety and depression), and psychological flexibility were assessed at three time points. The intervention group completed an ACT program consisting of a one-day group session and a two-month self-help program. This program reduced depressive mood but not symptom severity. These results suggest that this ACT program is insufficient for IBS non-patients and the intervention needs further modification.

A Web-Based Self-Help Psychosocial Intervention for Adolescents Distressed by Appearance-Affecting Conditions and Injuries (Young Persons' Face IT): Feasibility Study for a Parallel Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundDisfigurement (visible difference) from wide-ranging congenital or acquired conditions, injuries, or treatments can negatively impact adolescents’ psychological well-being, education and health behaviours. Alongside medical interventions, appearance-specific cognitive behavioural and social skills training to manage stigma and appearance anxiety may improve psychosocial outcomes. YP Face IT (YPF), is a Web-based seven session self-help program plus booster quiz, utilising cognitive behavioural and social skills training for young people (YP) struggling with a visible difference. Co-designed by adolescents and psychologists, it includes interactive multimedia and automated reminders to complete sessions/homework. Adolescents access YPF via a health professional who determines its suitability and remotely monitors clients’ usage.ObjectiveTo establish the feasibility of evaluating YPF for 12-17 year olds self-reporting appearance-related distress and/or bullying associated with a visible difference.MethodsRandomized controlled trial with nested qualitative and economic study evaluating YPF compared with usual care (UC). Feasibility outcomes included: viability of recruiting via general practitioner (GP) practices (face to face and via patient databases) and charity advertisements; intervention acceptability and adherence; feasibility of study and data collection methods; and health professionals’ ability to monitor users’ online data for safeguarding issues. Primary psychosocial self-reported outcomes collected online at baseline, 13, 26, and 52 weeks were as follows: appearance satisfaction (Appearance Subscale from Mendleson et al’s (2001) Body Esteem Scale); social anxiety (La Greca’s (1999) Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents). Secondary outcomes were; self-esteem; romantic concerns; perceived stigmatization; social skills and healthcare usage. Participants were randomised using remote Web-based allocation.ResultsThirteen charities advertised the study yielding 11 recruits, 13 primary care practices sent 687 invitations to patients on their databases with a known visible difference yielding 17 recruits (2.5% response rate), 4 recruits came from GP consultations. Recruitment was challenging, therefore four additional practices mass-mailed 3,306 generic invitations to all 12-17 year old patients yielding a further 15 participants (0.5% response rate). Forty-seven YP with a range of socioeconomic backgrounds and conditions were randomised (26% male, 91% white, mean age 14 years (SD 1.7)); 23 to YPF, 24 to UC). At 52 weeks, 16 (70%) in the intervention and 20 (83%) in UC groups completed assessments. There were no intervention-related adverse events; most found YPF acceptable with three withdrawing because they judged it was for higher-level concerns; 12 (52%) completed seven sessions. The study design was acceptable and feasible, with multiple recruitment strategies. Preliminary findings indicate no changes from baseline in outcome measures among the UC group and positive changes in appearance satisfaction and fear of negative evaluation among the YPF group when factoring in baseline scores and intervention adherence.ConclusionsYPF is novel, safe and potentially helpful. Its full psychosocial benefits should be evaluated in a large-scale RCT, which would be feasible with wide-ranging recruitment strategies.Trial RegistrationISRCTN registry ISRCTN40650639; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN40650639

MOTIVASI DAN SWADAYA MASYARAKAT PENERIMA BANTUAN STIMULAN PERUMAHAN SWADAYA

The recipient of a self-help housing stimulus program (BSPS) must meet the conditions set by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, namely Indonesian citizens who have a family, own or control land, do not have a house or own and occupy the only house with conditions unfit for habitation, have never received stimulant assistance from self-help housing from the central government, earning the most worth the local provincial minimum wage, and most preferably people who want to support themselves until the house is built into a habitable house. The purpose of this service is to find out the motivation and self-reliance of the community in making a decent house in the village of Tirta kencana, Rimbo Bujang Subdistrict, Tebo.The activity is carried out on stairs 17 April to 30 July 2019. Community service methods carried out are counseling, surveying, monitoring and evaluation. The data obtained from this service were analyzed in a description of 2 groups of beneficiaries in the village of Tirta Kencana, consisting of 15 groups of people, so all of them were 30 people. The data used is primary data and secondary data. The results of the study showed that the motivation of the community to take part in the self-help housing (BSPS) stimulant assistance program was that there were many community members so that they could make a decent house with only Rp. 17,500,000, the size of a house that makes up a majority of more than 6X6 M.

Self-reported disability and quality of life in an online Australian community sample with suicidal thoughts

BackgroundLimited research has been conducted to quantify the level of disability and health related quality of life (HRQoL) associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviour. The aims of the current study were to (1) describe levels of disability and HRQoL in an Australian sample of adults with suicidal ideation, (2) examine the effect of zero, one, or more than one previous suicide attempt on disability and HRQoL, and (3) describe the demographic and clinical characteristics associated with disability and HRQoL. MethodData for the current study is drawn from the baseline assessment of the Healthy Thinking trial that evaluated the effectiveness of an online self-help program for suicidal thoughts in an Australian adult community sample (n = 418). Measures of disability, quality of life, clinical symptoms, suicidality and demographic variables were included. ResultsThe mean disability score for the overall sample was 19.2 (SD = =8.9), while the mean perceived physical health score was 40.7 (SD = =6.5) and the mean perceived mental health score was 36.1 (SD = =5.9). Higher levels of disability and lower levels of perceived physical health were associated with multiple suicide attempts compared to one or no history of suicide attempt. LimitationsLimitations included the limited generalisability of results, the use of self-report to assess suicide attempts, and the use of cross-sectional data. ConclusionSuicidal thoughts and behaviours are associated with high levels disability and low levels of perceived physical and mental health. Early intervention programs are needed to reduce the high levels of burden associated with suicidality.

INFLUENCE OF DEPRESSION, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND MEANING IN LIFE ON SUICIDAL IDEATION OF OLD ADULTS HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

Purpose: This study is to identify how depression, social support and meaning in life influence to suicidal ideation of home based Korean old adult renal dialysis patients and the relating factors according to their general characteristics. Methods: This descriptive correlative study was conducted through a organized and structured self-administrated questionnaire and 120 sampled home based old adult renal dialysis patients. Collected data was analyzed by t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis using SPSS/WIN 24.0. Results: Findings revealed that; 1) The degrees of suicidal ideation were significantly different among groups according to the marital status, drinking and smoking history. 2) Pearson’s correlation coefficient revealed a significant association among the suicidal ideation, depression, social support and meaning in life. 3) Multiple regression analysis showed depression, social support and meaning in life were related to factors. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, health professionals should provide home based Korean old adult renal dialysis patients with proper management of suicidal ideation as well as its relating factors, depression, social support and meaning in life. Especially, it needs to implement suicidal ideation management and self-help group program to home based old adult renal dialysis patients.

Lupus education for physicians and patients in a resource-limited setting.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with a wide range of manifestations and potential to affect several organ systems. Complications arise from both disease and medications especially glucocorticoids, significantly contributing to overall morbidity and mortality. SLE predominantly affects patients during their prime productive years resulting in substantial economic burden on the patient, caregivers, and society due to direct, indirect, and intangible costs. This illness burden is compounded in developing countries with limited resources due to various disparities in healthcare delivery. Physician education and practical referral and endorsement guidelines adapted to the local setting reinforce continuity and coordinated care. Likewise, patient education, self-help programs, and shared decision-making are essential best practice in the clinics. Both physician education and patient education improve overall outcomes in chronic diseases like SLE. As a developing country with very few rheumatologists and/or lupus specialists, efficient healthcare delivery for most Filipino lupus patients remains elusive. We describe our experience in confronting these challenges through development of strategies which focus on physician and patient education. KEY POINTS: • Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease with a highly variable course, requiring specialized, individualized, and coordinated care by a healthcare team. • Health disparities and limited resources significantly contribute to illness burden on the patient, family, and society. • Physician education on SLE must commence at undergraduate medical school, be integrated in Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, and reinforced through specialized training in Rheumatology and related specialties. • Patient education and empowerment are integral to improving healthcare outcomes especially in a resource-limited setting.

Interventions to reduce stress, anxiety and depression symptoms in teenagers – a systematic review

Abstract Introduction Stress, anxiety and depression symptoms are frequent in teenagers. Objectives: To identify the interventions effectively able to prevent or reduce anxiety, depression and psychological stress in adolescents; to assess the effectiveness, feasibility and transferability of the interventions. Methods Comprehensive systematic review was performed. Three steps searching strategy using the databases: PsycINFO, PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar identified 679 studies and reviews. Critical appraisal was performed by 2 reviewers, data extraction performed on finally selected 59 reviews, RCT, cohort studies focused on sample size, geographical context, setting, description of intervention, measures of primary and secondary outcomes. Results The considered interventions are: Internet-based multifaceted cognitive bias modification training (CBM), Internet (iCBT) or school-based cognitive behavioral group training (CBT), Social skills training (SST), Metacognitive therapy, Psychosocial Support Intervention, organized sports participation and voluntary outdoor play, school-based resilience-focused intervention, assertiveness group training, short-term psychoanalytic psychotherapy (STPP), brief psychosocial intervention (BPI), Guided Parent-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (GPD-CBT), Internet-based self-support method. Conclusions Interventions for promoting mental health in adolescents have to combine parenting programs with leisure activities and balanced curriculum; various approaches (physical activity, music, sports participation) should be tailored into the national, community and school contexts. Resilience factors (relationship with parents, communications with peers), development of help-seeking behaviours and available self-help programs could support early detection and assistance. Most interventions showed positive effects on short and medium term and potential transferability. Key messages Regular screening for childhood adversities and traumas and screening of symptoms as feeling sad, hopeless, worried should be performed in adolescents as they get older. Besides mental health risk factors, interventions should target developmental risk factors in transitional stages from childhood to adolescence and from adolescence to young adulthood.

PMH47 THE IMPACT OF A DIGITAL SLEEP-IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM ON HEALTH CARE COSTS

Access to non-pharmacological interventions for insomnia is limited, despite evidence for their effectiveness. This is due in part to a shortage of trained providers. Digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (dCBT-I), which requires less input per session, is therefore an attractive complement or substitute to face-to-face cognitive behavioural therapy. Sleepio is a self-help programme for sleep improvement, which has been shown to improve sleep quality. However, there is little evidence available regarding its impact on health care use. In this study, we sought to identify whether providing access to Sleepio results in a change in the trend of patients' primary care costs. The study adopted a before and after quasi-experimental design alongside population-wide rollout of Sleepio in a region of England. A segmented regression analysis of the interrupted time series data was used to estimate the change in trend of the average primary care costs per patient per week. Data were collected from two sources: i) primary care providers, and ii) Sleepio user data collected through the app. Interim results are presented, based on data from 12 months pre-intervention (October 2017) to 6 months post-intervention (May 2019). More than 6,000 individuals used the Sleepio service, with around a third converting to dCBT-I and gaining 30 minutes extra sleep per night, on average. Of dCBT-I users within the clinical range on the Sleep Condition Indicator, 42% moved to a non-clinical range. Preliminary results show that people with a diagnosis of insomnia who were referred to Sleepio had a lower rate of hospital referrals and hypnotics prescriptions. Interim findings show that population rollout of Sleepio may be effective in improving sleep for people with clinically significant sleep problems, and that this is associated with changes in health service use that may be cost-saving.

The psychosocial adaptation of patients with skin disease: a scoping review

BackgroundSkin disease is a global public health problem that often has physiological, psychological and social impacts. However, it is not very clear how to adapt to these impacts, especially psychosocial adaptation of patients with skin disease.MethodsWe searched EMBASE, PubMed, CINAHL and PsycINFO from 2009 to 2018. The following themes were extracted from the included articles: the concepts, related factors, and interventions for psychosocial adaptation of patients with skin disease. Two reviewers independently screened and analyzed.ResultsFrom 2261 initial records, 69 studies were identified and analyzed. The concept of psychosocial adaptation in patients with skin disease was referred to under an assortment of descriptions. The related factors for psychosocial adaptation in patients with skin disease included the following: demographic factors (sex, age, education level, ethnicity, BMI, sleep quality, marital status, exercise amount, family history, the use of topical treatment only, personality and history of smoking); disease-related factors (disease severity, clinical symptoms, localization and duration); psychological factors (anxiety/depression, self-esteem, body image, stigma and suicidal ideation); and social factors (social support, social interaction, sexual life, economic burden and social acceptance). Despite being limited in quantity, several studies have clarified the benefits of adjuvant care in the form of cognitive behavioral training, educational training and self-help programs, all of which have become common methods for dealing with the psychosocial impacts.ConclusionsBased on the previous literatures, we constructed a protocol of care model for psychosocial adaptation in patients with skin disease. It not only provided the direction for developing new instruments that could assess psychosocial adaptation statue, but also a basis for helping patients adjust to changes in skin disease.

An Internet-Based Self-Help Intervention for Skin Picking (SaveMySkin): Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

BackgroundIn spite of the psychosocial burden and medical risks associated with skin picking disorder, the health care system does not provide sufficient treatment for affected individuals to date. Therefore, an internet-based self-help program for skin picking was developed to offer easily accessible support for this population.ObjectiveThis pilot study evaluated the internet-based self-help program SaveMySkin. The 12-week program is based on cognitive-behavioral therapy and contains comprehensive information and exercises, a daily supportive monitoring system, and dermatological and psychological counseling via internet chat. Primary objectives were the investigation of attitudes and expectations toward the program, intervention effects on skin picking severity, user satisfaction, adherence, and willingness to participate. Secondary outcomes included the feasibility of study procedures, adequacy of assessment instruments, effects on skin picking–related impairment, dimensions of skin picking, and general psychological impairment.MethodsA two-arm randomized controlled trial was conducted in a sample of 133 participants (female: 124/133, 93.2%; mean age 26.67 [SD 6.42]) recruited via the internet. Inclusion required a minimum age of 17 years and at least mild skin picking severity. Participants were randomly allocated to the intervention (64/133, 48.1%) or waitlist control group (69/133, 51.9%). All assessments were conducted online and based on self-report.ResultsThe willingness to participate was very high in the study, so the initially planned sample size of 100 was exceeded after only 18 days. Participant expectations indicate that they believed the program to be beneficial for them (131/133, 98.5%) and provide a feeling of support (119/133, 89.5%). Reasons for study participation were insufficient outpatient health care (83/133, 62.4%) and flexibility regarding time (106/133, 79.7%) and location (109/133, 82.0%). The post-assessment was completed by 65.4% (87/133) of the sample. The majority of the intervention group who completed the entire post-assessment were satisfied with SaveMySkin (28/38, 74%) and agreed that the program is an appropriate support service (35/38, 92%). On average, participants viewed 29.31 (SD 42.02) pages in the program, and 47% (30/64) of the intervention group used the monitoring at least once a week. In comparison with the control group, the intervention group displayed substantial improvements in the skin picking severity total score (Cohen d=0.67) and especially on the subscale Symptom Severity (Cohen d=0.79). No effects on secondary outcomes were found.ConclusionsThis study confirms the need for easily accessible interventions for skin picking disorder and the high interest in internet-based self-help within the target population. It provides important insights into the attitudes toward online support and actual user experiences. Participant feedback will be used to further enhance the intervention. Our results point to the preliminary efficacy of SaveMySkin and may lay the foundation for future research into the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the program in a multicenter clinical trial.Trial RegistrationGerman Clinical Trial Register DRKS00015236; https://www.drks.de/drks_web/navigate.do? navigationId=trial.HTML&TRIAL_ID=DRKS00015236International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)RR2-10.1016/j.conctc.2018.100315

Help-seeking attitudes and experiences in individuals affected by skin picking

Skin picking disorder is accompanied by substantial psychosocial impairment and requires adequate treatment. However, literature on help-seeking attitudes and healthcare utilization in affected individuals is scarce. Therefore, the present study sought to investigate help-seeking behavior and experiences, as well as attitudes and expectations towards healthcare utilization in individuals with skin picking.The current sample consisted of 133 affected individuals (mean age: M = 26.67, SD = 6.42; 93.2% female), enrolled in a pilot study examining an Internet-based self-help program for skin picking. Data were assessed via self-report within the online baseline assessment prior to randomization. Most participants reported a positive helpfulness expectancy towards professional support for skin picking, and 42% (N = 56) had sought help in at least one professional contact point. While psychotherapists and psychologists were commonly rated as helpful (76.0%/63.2%), dermatological counseling and treatments were mostly not perceived as helpful (83.9%). Common reasons for not seeking help were a low perceived need for treatment, insecurity about treatment providers and their expertise, as well as shame.The present results suggest that individuals with skin picking rarely receive adequate treatment despite an overall positive attitude towards professional support. Increasing awareness and knowledge in professionals and the general public is required to improve the currently insufficient healthcare situation.

PROTOCOL: The effects of empowerment-based nutrition interventions on the nutritional status of adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries.

PROTOCOL: The effects of empowerment-based nutrition interventions on the nutritional status of adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries.

A booklet self-help intervention to reduce depressive symptoms among people living with HIV in Botswana: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe treatment of mental health issues among people living with HIV (PLH) in Botswana is yet to be addressed. A recent study revealed that depressive symptoms are highly prevalent in a sample of PLH in Botswana. Based on empirical findings of a study that investigated intervention targets for PLH in Botswana, a self-help program with coaching in booklet format in the Setswana and English languages was developed, composed of cognitive behavioral techniques, coping skills interventions, and goal adjustment training. We will investigate the program for effectiveness in the treatment of depressive symptoms among PLH. Additionally, we will investigate treatment moderators and mediators. This paper describes the study protocol.Methods/designA randomized controlled trial will be conducted to compare the booklet self-help program with coaching with an attention-only control condition, by including pre-test, post-test, and follow-up assessments. We aim to enroll 200 participants with mild to moderate depressive symptoms into the study. The self-help program contains the following main components: activation, relaxation, changing maladaptive cognitions, and the attainment of new personal goals. This content is covered over six lessons to be completed in a maximum of 8 weeks. It uses a combination of psycho-education, assignments, and exercises. The participants will work on the program 1–2 h every week for 6 weeks (maximum 8 weeks). Coaches will offer support and motivate the participants. For both groups, depressive symptoms and possible mediators will be measured three times during the intervention, and at pre-test, post-test, and follow-up.DiscussionIf the intervention is found to effectively treat depressive symptoms, it will be implemented and thus help improve the psychological health of PLH in Botswana.Trial registrationNetherlands Trial Register, NTR7428. Registered on 23 August 2018.