Skip to main content

Trinity College Dublin, The University of Dublin

Trinity Menu Trinity Search



Dr. Derek Richards
Visiting Research Fellow, Psychology

Biography

Derek completed his PhD in psychology at Trinity College Dublin under the supervision of Ladislav Timulak. His PhD work built on his pioneering efforts to use technology in mental health and wellbeing that begun in early 2000's where at that time he began developing his ideas about how to usefully engage emerging technologies to support healthcare delivery, but in particular mental health and wellbeing. To begin with, he built the first online mental health community in Ireland for students at TCD. The service was developed and launched and was used widely among students at TCD. The service provided to students access to a wide range of mental health and wellbeing information, a peer support moderated forum to discuss mental health and wellbeing and also online asynchronous counselling. Students could write a submission to the counselling staff, it was reviewed and a personal reply drafted and sent to the individual, the message was stripped of any identifying information and later posted with the reply to the online community; thereby acting as a psychoeducation for the entire registered community.

Post-PHD, Dr Richards spend time as a post-doc at the National University of Mexico (UNAM), working with Professor Geogrina Cardenes-Lopez at the cyberpsychology lab where he was collaborating on a number of projects at the lab, including a rollout of an online intervention for depression in Mexico. After 8 months at UNAM Dr Richards took a faculty position as Assistant Professor of research at the University Narino, Bogota, Colombia (April 2011-September 2012). This was a unique position with a brief of helping to establish a research agenda for the faculty of psychology. At this time Dr Richards engaged in securing funding from the University for research in the epidemiology of depression and plans for researching an online intervention. He also supervised a number of master's theses.

On returning to Ireland in September 2012, Dr Richards began working closely with the SilverCloud team, eventually taking the decision to move fulltime to the commercial outfit in September 2013 as Director of Clinical Research and Innovation and later Chief Science Officer, his current position. He also retained his contact with academia, at first as a Research Fellow and now as a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin where he is a Co-Director of E-Mental Health Research Group. In the intervening years Dr Richards has designed and executed a number of trials of online interventions for mental health and wellbeing

www.ementalhealthgroup.com people.tcd.ie/drichard

Publications and Further Research Outputs

Peer-Reviewed Publications

C. Nadal, C. Earley, A. Enrique, C. Sas, D. Richards and G. Doherty, Patient Acceptance of Self-Monitoring on Smartwatch in a Routine Digital Therapy: a Mixed-Methods Study, ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction, 31, (1), 2024 Journal Article, 2024 DOI

Harty, Siobhán, Enrique, Angel, Akkol-Solakoglu, Selin, Adegoke, Adedeji, Farrell, Hannah, Connon, Graham, Ward, Fiona, Kennedy, Conor, Chambers, Derek, Richards, Derek, Implementing digital mental health interventions at scale: one-year evaluation of a national digital CBT service in Ireland, International Journal of Mental Health Systems, 17, (1), 2023 Journal Article, 2023 DOI TARA - Full Text

Cumpanasoiu, Diana Catalina, Enrique, Angel, Palacios, Jorge E, Duffy, Daniel, McNamara, Scott, Richards, Derek, Trajectories of Symptoms in Digital Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Using Routine Outcome Monitoring Data: Secondary Analysis Study, JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 11, 2023, pe41815 Journal Article, 2023 TARA - Full Text DOI

Duffy, Daniel, Richards, Derek, Earley, Caroline, Timulak, Ladislav, Implementing internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy in healthcare services: a qualitative exploration of stakeholder experience, Frontiers in Digital Health, 5, 2023 Journal Article, 2023 TARA - Full Text DOI

Fox, Celine Ann, Lee, Chi Tak, Hanlon, Anna Kathleen, Seow, Tricia XF, Lynch, Kevin, Harty, Siobhán, Richards, Derek, Palacios, Jorge, O'Keane, Veronica, Stephan, Klaas Enno, Gillan, Claire M, An observational treatment study of metacognition in anxious-depression, eLife, 12, 2023 Journal Article, 2023 TARA - Full Text DOI

Prasad, Niranjani, Chien, Isabel, Regan, Tim, Enrique, Angel, Palacios, Jorge, Keegan, Dessie, Munir, Usman, Tanno, Ryutaro, Richardson, Hannah, Nori, Aditya, Richards, Derek, Doherty, Gavin, Belgrave, Danielle, Thieme, Anja, Deep learning for the prediction of clinical outcomes in internet-delivered CBT for depression and anxiety, PLOS ONE, 18, (11), 2023, pe0272685 Journal Article, 2023 DOI TARA - Full Text

Lee, Chi Tak, Kelley, Sean W., Palacios, Jorge, Richards, Derek, Gillan, Claire M., Estimating the prognostic value of cross-sectional network connectivity for treatment response in depression, Psychological Medicine, 2023, p1-10 Journal Article, 2023 TARA - Full Text DOI

Meurling, J., Rondung, E., Leiler, A., Wasteson, E., Andersson, G., Richards, D., Shahnavaz, S., & Bjärtå, A. , An online tiered screening procedure to identify mental health problems among refugees. , BMC Psychiatry, 23, (1), 2023 Journal Article, 2023 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Lee, Chi Tak, Harty, Siobhan, Adegoke, Adedeji, Palacios, Jorge, Gillan, Claire M., Richards, Derek, The Effectiveness of Low-Intensity Psychological Interventions for Comorbid Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Long-Term Conditions: A Real-World Naturalistic Observational Study in IAPT Integrated Care, International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2023 Journal Article, 2023 DOI TARA - Full Text

Lindegaard, T., Wasteson, E., Demetry, Y., Andersson, G., Richards, D., & Shahnavaz, S., Investigating the potential of a novel Internet-based cognitive behavioural intervention for Dari and Farsi speaking refugee youth: a feasibility study, Internet Interventions, 28, 2022, p100533 Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Palacios, J., Adegoke, A., Wogan, R., Duffy, D., Earley, C., Eilert, N., Enrique, A., Sollesse, S., Chapman, J., & Richards, D., Comparison of outcomes across low-intensity psychological interventions for depression and anxiety within a stepped-care setting: A naturalistic cohort study using propensity score modelling, British Journal of Psychology, 00, 2022, p1-16 Journal Article, 2022 URL DOI TARA - Full Text

Richardson, T., Enrique, A., Earley, C., Adegoke, A., Hiscock, D., Richards, D.,, The Acceptability and Initial Effectiveness of 'Space from Money Worries': An Online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Intervention to Tackle the Link Between Financial Difficulties and Poor Mental Health., Frontiers in Public Health., 2022 Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text URL

Timulak, L., Richards, D., Bhandal, L., Healy, P., Avezedo, J., Connon, G., Martin, E., Kearney, A., O'Kelly, C., Enrique, A., Eilert, N., O'Brien, S., Harty, S., Gonzales-Robles, A., Eustis, E., Barlow, D., Farchione, T., Effectiveness of the internet-based Unified Protocol transdiagnostic intervention for the treatment of depression, anxiety and related disorders in a primary care setting: a randomized controlled trial. , Trials, 23, (721), 2022 Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text URL DOI

Building the Story of Scientific Evidence for Digital Therapeutics: Trials, Meta-Analysis, and Real-World Data in, editor(s)Oleksandr Sverdlov Joris van Dam , Digital Therapeutics: Strategic, Scientific, Developmental, and Regulatory Aspects, London, Chapman & Hall, 2022, [Richards, D., Enrique, A., Palacios, J., Eilert, N.] Book Chapter, 2022 DOI

Franklin, M., Hunter, R.M., Enrique, A., Palacios, J., Richards, D., Estimating cost-effectiveness using alternative preference-based scores and within-trial methods: exploring the dynamics of the QALY using the EQ-5D-5L and ReQoL-UI, 2022 Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text DOI

Lee CT, Palacios J, Richards D, Hanlon AK, Lynch K, Harty S, Claus N, Swords L, O'Keane V, Stephan KE, Gillan CM, The Precision in Psychiatry (PIP) study: an internet-based methodology for accelerating research in treatment prediction and personalisation, BMC Psychaitry, 2022 Journal Article, 2022 DOI

Benjet, C., Kessler, R.C., Kazdin, A.E., Cuijpers, P.A., Albor, Y., Carrasco Tapias, N., Contreras-Ibáñez, C.C., Durán González, M.S., Gildea, S.M., González, N., Guerrero López, J.B., Luedtke, A., Medina-Mora, M.E., Palacios, J., Richards, D., Salamanca-Sanabria, A., Sampson, N.A., Study protocol for pragmatic trials of Internet-delivered guided and unguided cognitive behavior therapy for treating depression and anxiety in university students of two Latin American countries: the Yo Puedo Sentirme Bien study, Trials, 23, (450), 2022 Journal Article, 2022 DOI TARA - Full Text URL

Eilert, N., Wogan, R., Leen, A., Richards, D., Internet-Delivered Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Symptoms in Children and Young People: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis., JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting, 5, (2), 2022 Journal Article, 2022 DOI URL TARA - Full Text

Eilert, N., Wogan, R., Adegoke, A., Duffy, D., Earley, C., Enrique, A., Palacios, J., Timulak, L., Richards, D. , The relationship between post-therapeutic Cognitive Behavior Therapy skills usage and follow-up outcomes of internet-delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Journal of Clinical Psychology, 2022, p1 - 13 Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Bossarte, R. M., Kessler, R. C., Nierenberg, A. A., Chattopadhyay, A., Cuijpers, P., Enrique, A., Foxworth, P. M., Gildea, S. M., Belnap, B. H., Haut, M. W., Law, K. B., Lewis, W. D., Liu, H., Luedtke, A. R., Pigeon, W. R., Rhodes, L. A., Richards, D., Rollman, B. L., Sampson, N. A., Stokes, C. M., Torous, J., Webb, T. D., Zubizarreta, J. R. , The Appalachia Mind Health Initiative (AMHI): A pragmatic randomized clinical trial of adjunctive internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for treating major depressive disorder among primary care patients, Trials, 23, (520), 2022 Journal Article, 2022 DOI URL TARA - Full Text

Palacios, J. E., Enrique, A., Mooney, O., Farrell, S., Earley, C., Duffy, D., Eilert, N., Harty, S., Timulak, L., & Richards, D., Durability of treatment effects following internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for depression and anxiety delivered within a routine care setting., Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 1, (10), 2022, p1 - 10 Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text URL DOI

SilverCloud Health: Online Mental Health and Wellbeing Platform. in, editor(s)Oleksandr Sverdlov, Joris van Dam , Digital Therapeutics: Strategic, Scientific, Developmental, and Regulatory Aspects, London, Chapman & Hall, 2022, [Richards, D., Enrique, A., Palacios, J., Eilert, N. Duffy., D., Doherty, G., Jardine, J., Vigano, N., Tierney, K.] Book Chapter, 2022 DOI

Inkster, B, and the Digital Mental Health Data Insights Group (DMHDIG), Early Warning Signs of a Mental Health Tsunami: A Coordinated Response to Gather Initial Data Insights From Multiple Digital Services Providers, Frontiers in Digital Health, 2, 2021, p64 Journal Article, 2021 DOI TARA - Full Text URL

Akkol-Solakoglu, S., Hevey, D., Richards, D., A randomised controlled trial of an adapted internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) with main carer access for depression and anxiety among breast cancer survivors: study protocol, Internet Interventions, 24, 2021, p100367 Journal Article, 2021 DOI URL TARA - Full Text

Eilert, N., Timulak, L., Duffy, D., Earley, A., Kennedy, P., McCormack, C., Palacios, J., Wogan, R. & Richards, D. (2021). , Following up internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT): A longitudinal qualitative investigation of clients' usage of CBT skills, Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 2021 Journal Article, 2021 TARA - Full Text

Enrique, A., Eilert, N., Wogan, R., Earley, C. Duffy, D., Palacios, J., Timulak, L., Richards, D. , Are changes in beliefs about rumination and in emotion regulation skills mediators of the effects of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy for depression and anxiety? Results from a randomized controlled trial. , Cognitive Therapy and Research, 2021 Journal Article, 2021 URL TARA - Full Text

Furukawa, T.A., Suganuma, A., Ostinelli, E.G., Andersson, G., Beevers, C.G., Shumake, J., Berger, T., Boele, F.W., Buntrock, C., Carlbring, P., Choi, I., Christensen, H., Mackinnon, A., Dahne, J., Huibers, M., Ebert, D.D., Farrer, L., Forand, N.R., Strunk, D.R., Ezawa, I.D., Forsell, E., Kaldo, V., Geraedts, A., Gilbody, S., Littlewood, E., Brabyn, S., Hadjistavropoulos, H.D., Schneider, L.H., Johansson, R., Kenter, R., Kivi, M., Björkelund, C., Kleiboer, A., Riper, H., Klein, J.P., Schröder, J., Meyer, B., Moritz, S., Bücker, L., Lintvedt, O., Johansson, P., Lundgren, J., Milgrom, J., Gemmill, A.W., Mohr, D.C., Montero-Marin, J., Garcia-Campayo, J., Nobis, S., Zarski, A.C., O'Moore, K., Williams, A.D., Newby, J.M., Perini, S., Phillips, R., Schneider, J., Pots, W., Pugh, N.E., Richards, D., Rosso, I.M., Rauch, S.L., Sheeber, L.B., Smith, J., Spek, V., Pop, V.J., Ünlü, B., van Bastelaar, K.M.P., van Luenen, S., Garnefski, N., Kraaij, V., Vernmark, K., Warmerdam, L., van Straten, A., Zagorscak, P., Knaevelsrud, C., Heinrich, M., Miguel, C., Cipriani, A., Efthimiou, O., Karyotaki, E., Cuijpers, P., Dismantling, optimising, and personalising internet cognitive behavioural therapy for depression: a systematic review and component network meta-analysis using individual participant data, The Lancet Psychiatry, 8, (6), 2021, p500 - 511 Journal Article, 2021 DOI TARA - Full Text URL

Nadal, C., Earley, C., Enrique, A, Vigano, N., Sas, C., Richards, D., Doherty, G. , Integration of a smartwatch within an internet-delivered intervention for depression: Protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial on acceptance, Contemporary Clinical Trials, (103), 2021, p106323 Journal Article, 2021 DOI URL TARA - Full Text

Franklin, M., Enrique, A., Palacios, J., Richards, D., Psychometric assessment of EQ-5D-5L and ReQoL measures in patients with anxiety and depression: construct validity and responsiveness, Quality of Life Research, 2021 Journal Article, 2021 URL TARA - Full Text DOI

Eilert, N., Timulak, L., Duffy, D., Earley, C., Enrique, A., Kennedy, P., McCormack, C., Palacios, J., Wogan, R., & Richards, D. , Following up internet‐delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): A Longitudinal Qualitative Investigation of Clients' Usage of CBT Skills, Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 2021, p1 - 22 Journal Article, 2021 URL DOI

Wogan, R., Enrique, A., Adegoke, A., Earley, C., Sollesse, S., Gale, S., Chellingsworth, M., Richards, D. (, Internet-delivered CBT intervention (Space for Sleep) for sleep disorder in a routine care setting: Results from an open pilot study, Internet Interventions, 26, 2021 Journal Article, 2021 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Lawler, K., Earley, C., Timulak, L., Enrique, A., Richards, D., Dropout from an internet-delivered CBT intervention for adults with depression and anxiety: A qualitative study, JMIR Formative Research, 5, (11), 2021, pe26221 Journal Article, 2021 DOI URL Other

Karyotaki, E., Efthimiou, O., Miguel, C., Maas genannt Bermpohl, F., Riper, H., Patel, V., Mira, A., Gemmil, A.W., Yeung, A.S., Lange, A., Williams, A.D., Mackinnon, A., Geraedts, A., van Straten, A., Meyer, B., Björkelund, C., Knaevelsrud, C., Beevers, C.B., Botella, C., Strunk D.R., Mohr, D.C., Ebert, D.D., Kessler, D., Richards, D., Littlewood, E., Forsell, E., Feng, F., Wang, F., Andersson, G., Hadjistavropoulos, H., Christensen, H., Ezawa, I.D., Choi, I., Rosso, I.M., Klein, J.P., Shumake, J., Garcia-Campayo, J., Milgrom, J., Smith, J., Montero-Marin, J., Newby, J.M., Bretón- López, J., Schneider, J., Vernmark, K., Bücker, L., Sheeber, L.B., Warmerdam, L., Farrer, L., Heinrich, M., Huibers, M.J.H., Kivi, M., Kraepelien, M., Forand, N.R., Pugh, N., Lindefors, N., Lintvedt, O., Zagorscak, P., Carlbring, P., Phillips, R., Johansson, R., Kessler, R.C., Brabyn, S., Perini, S., Rauch, S.L., Gilbody, S., Moritz, S., Berger, T., Pop, V., Kaldo, V., Spek, V., Forsell, Y., Furukawa, T., Cuijpers, P., Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: An Individual Patient Data Network Meta-analysis, JAMA Psychiatry., 2021 Journal Article, 2021 URL DOI

Mohr, D.C., Azocar, F., Bertagnolli, A., Choudhury, T., Chrisp, P., Frank, R., Harbin, H., Histon, T., Kaysen, D., Nebeker, C., Richards, D., Schueller, S.M., Titov, N., Torous, J., Areán, P.A.,, Banbury Forum Consensus Statement on the Path Forward for Digital Mental Health Treatment., Psychiatric Services, 2021 Journal Article, 2021 URL DOI TARA - Full Text

D. Duffy, C. Earley, D. Richards, An illustration of the implementation of randomised-control trial procedures in a naturalistic setting using Proctor's Implementation Outcomes and Routine Research Data., European Implementation Event, Rotterdam, 2020 Conference Paper, 2020

J. Jardine, C. Earley, D. Richards, L. Timulak, J.E., Palacios, D., Duffy, K. Tierney, G. Doherty, The experience of guided online therapy: A longitudinal, qualitative analysis of client feedback in a naturalistic RCT, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2020), ACM, 2020 Conference Paper, 2020 TARA - Full Text DOI

Duffy, D., Enrique, A., Connell, S., Connolly, C., & Richards, D. , Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy as a Prequel to Face-To-Face Therapy for Depression and Anxiety: A Naturalistic Observation, Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2020, p1-15 Journal Article, 2020 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Bruce Wampold(ed.), Society for Psychotherapy Research, Following up Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy: A recurrent, cross-sectional mixed methods exploration of the use of CBT skills across multiple follow-up timepoints, Amherst, MA, USA, June 17-20, 2020 Proceedings of a Conference, 2020 URL

Chien, I., Enrique, A., Palacios, J., Regan, T., Keegan, D., Carter, D., Tschiatschek, S., Nori, A., Thieme, A., Richards, D., Doherty, G., Belgrave, D., A machine learning approach to understanding patterns of engagement with internet-delivered mental health interventions, JAMA Network Open, 3, (7), 2020, pe2010791 Journal Article, 2020 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Richards, D., Enrique, A., Eilert, N., Franklin, M., Palacios, J., Duffy, D., Earley, C., Chapman, J., Jell, G., Sollesse, S., Timulak, L., A pragmatic randomized waitlist-controlled effectiveness and cost-effectiveness trial of digital interventions for depression and anxiety., npj Digital Medicine, 2020, p1 - 10 Journal Article, 2020 URL TARA - Full Text DOI

Enrique, A., Mooney, O., Salamanca-Sanabria, A., Lee, C.T., Farrell, S., Richards, D. , Assessing the efficacy and acceptability of a web-based intervention for resilience among college students: Pilot randomised control trial, JMIR Formative Research, 4, (11), 2020 Journal Article, 2020 DOI URL TARA - Full Text

P. Chikersal, D. Belgrave, G. Doherty, A. Enrique, J. E. Palacios, D. Richards and A. Thieme, Understanding Client Support Strategies to Improve Clinical Outcomes in an Online Mental Health Intervention, ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2020), 2020 Conference Paper, 2020 DOI

Salamanca-Sanabria, A., Richards, D., Timulak, L., Connell, S., Mojica-Perilla, M., Parra-Villa, Y.., Castro-Camacho, L., Efficacy of a Culturally Adapted Cognitive Behavioural Internet-delivered Treatment for Depression, JMIR Mental Health, 75, 2020, p1 - 21 Journal Article, 2020 URL TARA - Full Text

Enrique, A., Duffy, D., Lawler, K., Richards, D., Jones, S., An internet-delivered self-management program for Bipolar Disorder in mental health services in Ireland. Results and learnings from a feasibility trial., Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 2020, p1 - 15 Journal Article, 2020 TARA - Full Text DOI

Bruce Wampold(ed.), Society for Psychotherapy Research, Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of internet-delivered interventions for depression and anxiety disorders in a routine clinical setting: A Randomized Control Trial, Amherst, MA, USA, June 17-20, 2020 Proceedings of a Conference, 2020 URL

D. Richards, A. Enrique, M. Franklin, D. Duffy, J. Palacios, C. Earley, L. Timulak, Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of internet-delivered interventions for depression and anxiety disorders in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies: results from a randomised control trial, No Health Without Mental Health - European Clinical Psychology Takes Responsibility, Dresden, Germany, Oct 31-Nov 2, 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Internet-delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in, editor(s)S. Parry , The Handbook of Brief Therapies: A Practical Guide, London, Sage, 2019, pp95-125 , [Richards, D., Enrique, E., & Palacios, J.] Book Chapter, 2019 TARA - Full Text URL

Wright, J. H., Owen, J.J., Richards, D., et al., , Computer-assisted Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. , International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Auckland, New Zealand, 13-15th February , 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Enrique, A., Palacios, J. E., Ryan, H., & Richards, D., Exploring the Relationship Between Usage and Outcomes of an Internet-Based Intervention for Individuals With Depressive Symptoms: Secondary Analysis of Data From a Randomized Controlled Trial, Journal of Medical Internet Research, 21, (8), 2019, pe12775- Journal Article, 2019 DOI TARA - Full Text URL

Salamanca-Sanabria, A., Richards, D., Timulak, L.,, Adapting an Internet-delivered intervention for depression for Colombian college student population: An illustration of an integrative empirical approach., International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Auckland, New Zealand, 13-15th February , 2019 Poster, 2019

Enrique, A., Mooney, O., Salamanca-Sanabria, A., Lee, C.T., Farrell, S., Richards, D., Assessing the efficacy and acceptability of an internet-delivered intervention for resilience among college students: A pilot randomised control trial protocol. , Internet Interventions, 15, 2019, p1 - 7 Journal Article, 2019 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Enrique, A., Richards, D., Duffy, D., Earley, C., Palacios, J., Eilert, N., Timulak, L., What are the mechanisms of change underlying the effects of internet-delivered interventions for depression and anxiety disorders? Results from a randomised control trial, Society for Psychotherapy Research, Krakow, Poland, 19-21st September, 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Enrique, A., Palacios, J.E., Ryan, H., Richards, D. , The association between usage and outcomes of an online intervention for depression: how optimal dosage can help establish adherence, International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Auckland, New Zealand, 13-15th February , 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Richards, D., Franklin, M., Enrique, A., Duffy, D., Earley, C., Palacios, J., Eilert, N., Timulak, L., Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of internet-delivered interventions for depression and anxiety disorders in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies: results from a randomised control trial, Society for Psychotherapy Research, Krakow, Poland, 19-21st September, 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Wright, J. H., Owen, J.J., Richards, D., Ells, T.D., Richardson, T., Brown, G.K., Barrett, M., Rasku, M.A., Polser, G., Thase, M. , Computer-assisted Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis., Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 80, (2), 2019, p1 - 14 Journal Article, 2019 URL

Richards, D., Franklin, M., Enrique, A., Duffy, D., Earley, C., Eilert, N., Palacios, J., Timulak, L., Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of iCBT for depression and anxiety in a routine clinical setting, European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Lee, C.T., Palacios, J., Richards, D., IAPT Integrated Care -iCBT for Comorbid Depression and Anxiety in People with Long-term Conditions, European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Poster, 2019

Palacios, J.E., Connell, S., Enrique, A., Richards, D., Improving Access to psychological Therapies (IAPT) stepped care model: A cross-sectional observational study of outcomes across three low-intensity psychological treatment interventions, International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, auckland, New Zealand, 13-15th February , 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Palacios, J., Enrique, A., Duffy, D., Earley, C., Eilert, N., Timulak, L., Richards, D., Trajectories of depression and anxiety during and after delivery of an online, supported CBT intervention , European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Enrique, A., Mooney, O., Lee, C.T., Farrell, S., Richards, D., An internet-delivered intervention for resilience with college students: Results from a pilot randomised controlled trial., European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Poster, 2019

Enrique, A., Mooney, O., Salamanca-Sanabria, A., Lee, C.T., Farrell, S., Richards, D., An internet-delivered intervention for resilience with college students: Results from a pilot randomised controlled trial., European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Poster, 2019

Duffy, D., Enrique, A., Connell, S., Connolly, C., Richards, D., Leveraging iCBT as a frontline intervention at step 3 of IAPT for individuals with severe symptoms of depression and anxiety, European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Jardine, J., Richards, D., Enrique, A., Duffy, D., Earley, C., Eilert, N., Palacios, J., Timulak, L.,, Therapeutic Experience of iCBT: A qualitative analysis of patient feedback in a large-scale RCT , European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Oral Presentation, 2019

Duffy, D., Earley, C., Richards, D., An illustration of the implementation of randomised control trial procedures in a naturalistic setting., European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Poster, 2019

Enrique, A., Duffy, D., Lawler, K., Richards, D., Jones, S., , An internet-based self-management program for Bipolar Disorder in mental health services in Ireland. Results from a feasibility trial, European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Poster, 2019

Salamanca-Sanabria, A., Richards, D., Timulak, L., Adapting an Internet-delivered intervention for depression for Colombian college student population: An illustration of an integrative empirical approach, Internet Interventions, 15, 2019, p76 - 86 Journal Article, 2019 DOI TARA - Full Text

Enrique, A., Mooney, O., Salamanca-Sanabria, A., Lee, C. T., Farrell, S., & Richards, D. , Assessing the efficacy and acceptability of an internet-delivered intervention for resilience among college students: A pilot randomised control trial protocol, Internet Interventions, 17, 2019, p1 - 7 Journal Article, 2019 DOI TARA - Full Text

D. Richards, A. Enrique, D. Duffy, C. Earley, N. Eilert, J.E. Palacios, M. Franklin, L. Timulak, Effectiveness & cost-effectiveness of iCBT for depression and anxiety in a routine clinical setting. Preliminary results from a Randomised Control Trial., World Congress Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, Berlin, Germany, 18th July, 2019 Conference Paper, 2019

Lawlor, K., Earley, C., Enrique, A., Timulak, L., Richards, D., A qualitative study of dropout from an internet-delivered CBT intervention for adults with symptoms of depression and anxiety, European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Copenhagen, Denmark, 5-6th September, 2019 Poster, 2019

Wells, M. J., Owen, J. J., McCray, L. W., Bishop, L. B., Eells, T. D., Brown, G. K., Richards, D., This, M.E., Wright, J. H., Computer-Assisted Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression in Primary Care, The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders, 20, (2), 2018, p1 - 7 Journal Article, 2018 DOI URL

Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy in, editor(s)Ömer Şenormancı & G. Şenormancı , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Clinical Applications, Netherlands, InTech, 2018, pp223 - 238, [Richards., D., Enrique, A., Palacios, J., & Duffy, D.] Book Chapter, 2018 TARA - Full Text

Enrique, A., Burke, J., Richards, D., Timulak, L., Quality of Life Outcomes in Internet-Delivered (Space from Depression) Treatment for Depression, Applied Research Quality Life, 2018, p1 - 13 Journal Article, 2018 DOI

Salamanca-Sanabria, A., Richards, D., Timulak, L., Castro-Camacho, L., Mojica-Perilla, M., & Parra-Villa, Y., Assessing the efficacy of a culturally adapted cognitive behavioural internet-delivered treatment for depression: protocol for a randomised controlled trial., BMC Psychiatry, 18, (1), 2018, p1 - 11 Journal Article, 2018 TARA - Full Text DOI

Richards, D., Dowling, M., O'Brien, E., Viganò, N., & Timulak, L. , Significant events in an Internet-delivered (Space from Depression) intervention for depression, Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 18, 2018, p35 - 48 Journal Article, 2018 DOI TARA - Full Text

Palacios, J. E., Richards, D., Palmer, R., Coudray, C., Hofmann, S. G., Palmieri, P. A., & Frazier, P., Supported Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Programs for Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in University Students: Open, Non-Randomised Trial of Acceptability, Effectiveness, and Satisfaction. , JMIR Ment Health, 5, (4), 2018 Journal Article, 2018 URL TARA - Full Text DOI

Richards, D., Duffy, D., Blackburn, B., Earley, C., Enrique, A., Palacios, J., Franklin, M., Clarke, G., Sollesse, S., Connell, S., Timulak, L.,, Digital IAPT: the effectiveness & cost-effectiveness of internet-delivered interventions for depression and anxiety disorders in the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme: study protocol for a randomised control trial. , BMC Psychiatry, 18, (1), 2018, p1 - 13 Journal Article, 2018 DOI URL TARA - Full Text

Wells, M. J., Owen, J. J., McCray, L. W., Bishop, L. B., Eells, T. D., Brown, G. K., Richards, D., This, M.E., Wright, J. H., Computer-Assisted Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Depression in Primary Care., The Primary Care Companion For CNS Disorders, 20, (2), 2018, p1 - 7 Journal Article, 2018 DOI

Burke, J., Richards, D., Timulak, L., Helpful and Hindering Events in Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Treatment for Generalized Anxiety, Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 2018, p1 - 14 Journal Article, 2018 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Richards, D., SilverCloud Health: Positive outcomes, Extending reach, Reducing costs., Technology for Wellbeing Conference, Dublin, Ireland, 15th November, 2017 Oral Presentation, 2017

Earley, C., Joyce, C., McElvaney, J., Richards, D., & Timulak, L. , Preventing depression: Qualitatively examining the benefits of depression-focused iCBT for participants who do not meet clinical thresholds, Internet Interventions, 9, 2017, p82 - 87 Journal Article, 2017 TARA - Full Text DOI

Palacios., J., Lee, G.A., Duaso, M., Clifton, A., Norman, I.J., Richards, D., Barley, E.A. , Internet-delivered self-management support for improving coronary heart disease and self-management related outcomes: A systematic review., Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 32, (4), 2017, pe9 - e23 Journal Article, 2017 DOI TARA - Full Text

Richards, D., Vigano, N., O'Callaghan, D., O'Brien, E., Mooney, J., & Bonner, C. , Towards a gold standard for internet-delivered programs in behavioral and mental health., International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, seattle, Washington, 7-9th April, 2016 Poster, 2016

Richards, D., Vigano, N., O’Callaghan, D., O'Brien, E., Mooney, J., & Bonner, C., Towards a gold standard for internet-delivered programs in behavioral and mental health., European Telemedicine Conference, Odense, Denmark, 17-18th September, 2016 Oral Presentation, 2016

Walsh, A., & Richards, D. , Experiences and engagement with the design features and strategies of an internet-delivered treatment programme for generalized anxiety disorder: A service based evaluation. , British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 2016 Journal Article, 2016 DOI

D. Richards, L. Timulak, C. Rashleigh, O. McLoughlin, A. Colla, C. Joyce, G. Doherty, J. Sharry, D. Duffy, M. Anderson-Gibbons, Effectiveness of an internet-delivered intervention for generalized anxiety disorder in routine care: A randomised controlled trial in a student population, Internet Interventions, 6, 2016, p80 - 88 Journal Article, 2016 TARA - Full Text DOI

Frazier, P., Richards, D., Mooney, J., Beidel, D., Hofmann, S., & Palmieri, P. A., Incorporating Online Psychological Interventions Into Student Mental Health Services, Using Technology to Give Mental Health Interventions Away, Minneapolis, MN, 24-26th June, 2016 Oral Presentation, 2016

Richards, D., Timulak, L., Doherty, G., Sharry, J., & Hayes, C. , Internet-delivered treatment, its potential as a low-intensity community intervention for adults with symptoms of depression: Preliminary results., European Congress of Psychiatry, Madrid, Spain, 17-18th September, 2016 Oral Presentation, 2016

Frazier, P., Richards, D., Hofmann, S., Biedel, D., Palmieri, P., Mooney, J., Bonner, C. , Effectiveness and acceptability of Internet-delivered treatment for Depression, Anxiety and Stress in university students: Protocol for an open feasibility trial. , International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Seattle, Washington, 7-9th April, 2016 Poster, 2016

Richards, D., Vigano, N., O'Callaghan, D., O'Brien, E., Mooney, J., & Bonner, C., Towards a gold standard for internet-delivered programs in behavioral and mental health., 24th European Congress of Psychiatry Conference, Madrid, Spain, 17-18th September , 2016 Poster, 2016

Richards, D., Timulak, L., O'Brien, E., Hayes, C., Vigano, N., Sharry, J., & Doherty, G., internet-delivered treatment: Its potential as a low-intensity community intervention for adults with symptoms of depression, International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, seattle, Washington, 7-9th April, 2016 Poster, 2016

Frazier, P., Richards, D., Mooney, J., Hofmann, S. G., Beidel, D., Palmieri, P. A., & Bonner, C. , Acceptability and proof of concept of internet-delivered treatment for depression, anxiety, and stress in university students: protocol for an open feasibility trial, Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 2, (1), 2016, p1 - 9 Journal Article, 2016 DOI

Richards, D., Richardson, T., Timulak, L., Viganò, N., Mooney, J., Doherty, G., Hayes, C., Sharry, J. , Predictors of depression severity in a treatment-seeking sample., International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 16, (3), 2016, p221 - 229 Journal Article, 2016 URL DOI TARA - Full Text

Frazier, P., Richards, D., Mooney, J., Hofmann, S. G., Beidel, D., Palmieri, P, Internet-delivered Treatment for Depression, Anxiety and Stress in University Students: A Preference Trial, iProceedings, Connected Health, Boston, 20th - 21 October 20, edited by G Eysenbach, T Hale , 2016 Published Abstract, 2016 TARA - Full Text

D'Arcy-Bewick, S., Richards, D., Trimble, T. , e Acceptability, Feasibility, and Satisfaction of an Internet-delivered Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder., Student Talks conference, UCD, Dublin, 9th March , 2016 Oral Presentation, 2016

Richards D., Richards D., Murphy T., Viganó N., Timulak L., Doherty G., Sharry J., Sharry J., Hayes C., Acceptability, satisfaction and perceived efficacy of "Space from Depression" an internet-delivered treatment for depression, Internet Interventions, 5, 2016, p12-22 Journal Article, 2016 TARA - Full Text DOI

Earley, C., Richards, D., McElvaney, J., Joyce, C., Timulak, L., Hayes, C.,, Preventing depression: examining the benefits of depression-focused iCBT for participants who do not meet clinical thresholds, 44th Annual Conference BABCP, Belfast, Ireland, 15-17th June, 2016 Oral Presentation, 2016

Richards, D., O'Brien, E., Vigano. N., Mooney, J., Bonner, C., O'Callaghan, D., Sharry, J., Doherty, G. , The new Gold Standard in Online Delivered Behavioral Health Programs, iProceedings, Connected Health, Boston, MA, 20th October 2015, edited by G Eysenbach, T Hale , 1, (1), 2015 Published Abstract, 2015 URL TARA - Full Text DOI

Richards, D., Timulak, L., O'Brien, E., Hayes, C., Vigano, N., Sharry, J., &; Doherty, G., A randomized controlled trial of an internet-delivered treatment: Its potential as a low-intensity community intervention for adults with symptoms of depression, Psychological Society of Ireland, Galway, 12 June, 2015 Oral Presentation, 2015

Richards, D.Murphy, T., Vigano, N., Sharry, J., Timulak, L., &; Doherty, G. , Acceptability, satisfaction and efficacy of an internet-delivered treatment for depression, European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Warsaw, Poland, 17-18th September, 2015 Oral Presentation, 2015

igano, N., O'Brien, E., Murphy, T., Richards, D., A Review of Online Diabetes Interventions. , european Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Warsaw, Poland, 17-18th September, 2015 Oral Presentation, 2015

Richards, D., Dowling, M., O'Brien, E., Vigano, N., Timulak, L., Sharry, J., . . . Hayes, C. , Significant events and their impacts in a supported internet-delivered intervention for depression in the community, European Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Warsaw, Poland, 17-18th September, 2015 Oral Presentation, 2015

Richards, D., Timulak, L., O'Brien, E., Hayes, C., Vigano, N., Sharry, J., & Doherty, G. , A randomized controlled trial of an internet-delivered treatment: Its potential as a low-intensity community intervention for adults with symptoms of depression, Behaviour Research Therapy, 75, 2015, p20 - 30 Journal Article, 2015 URL DOI

Richards, D., Timulak, L., O'Brien, E., Hayes, C., Vigano, N., Sharry, J., Doherty, G., A Randomized Controlled Trial of an internet-delivered treatment: its potential as a low-intensity community intervention for adults with symptoms of depression, Behaviour Research and Therapy, 75, 2015, p20 - 31 Journal Article, 2015 DOI

Richards, D., Richardson, T., Timulak, L., McElvaney, J., The efficacy of internet-delivered treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Internet Interventions, 2, (3), 2015, p272 - 282 Journal Article, 2015 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Richards, D., Timulak, L., O'Brien, E., Hayes, C., Vigano, N., Sharry, J., & Doherty, G. , A randomized controlled trial of an internet-delivered treatment: Its potential as a low-intensity community intervention for adults with symptoms of depression, iProceedings, Connected Health, Boston, MA, 20th October 2015, edited by G Eysenbach, T Hale , 1, (1), 2015 Published Abstract, 2015 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

Walsh, A., Richards, D.,, A Qualitative Study of Users Experience and Engagement with Design Features and Strategies in an Online Treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. , International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, Valencia, Spain, October 2014, 2014 Published Abstract, 2014

Richards, D., & Salamanca, A., Point-prevalence of depression and associated risk factors, The journal of psychology: Interdisciplinary and applied, 148, (3), 2014, p305-326 Journal Article, 2014 URL TARA - Full Text DOI

Richards, D., Timulak, L., Doherty, G., Sharry, J., & Hayes, C. , Internet-delivered treatment, its potential as a low-intensity community intervention for adults with symptoms of depression: Preliminary results., International Society for Research on Internet Interventions., Valencia, Spain, October, 2014, 2014 Published Abstract, 2014

Barley, E., Clifton, A., Enright, A., Lee, G., Norman, I., Richards, D. Sturt, J., Development of an online platform to support self-management of symptoms and promote wellbeing of people with cardiovascular disease (CVD). , International Digital Healthcare Conference., London, 10-12 Sept 2014, 2014 Oral Presentation, 2014

D. Richards, L. Timulak, G. Doherty, J. Sharry, O. McLoughlin, C. Rashleigh, A. Colla and C. Joyce, Low-intensity internet-delivered treatment for generalized anxiety symptoms in routine care: protocol for a randomized controlled trial., Trials, 15, (1), 2014, p145- Journal Article, 2014 DOI TARA - Full Text

Richards, D., Timulak, L., Doherty, G., Sharry, J., Colla, A., Joyce, C., & Hayes, C. , Internet-delivered treatment: its potential as a low-intensity community intervention for adults with symptoms of depression: protocol for a randomized controlled trial. , BMC Psychiatry, 14, (147), 2014, p1-11 Journal Article, 2014 DOI TARA - Full Text

Barley, E. A., Clifton, A., Richards, D., Enright, A., Lee, G., Norman, I., Sturt, J. , Usability and acceptability of an online platform to support the self-management of symptoms and promote the wellbeing of people with cardiovascular disease (CVD). , International Society for Research on Internet Interventions., Valencia, Spain, 23-25 October , 2014 Poster, 2014

Richards, D., Developments in Technology-Delivered Psychological Interventions , Universitas Psychologica , 12 , (2 ), 2013, p571 - 579 Journal Article, 2013 TARA - Full Text

Richards, D., Sharry, J., Doherty, G., McLoughlin, O., A service-based evaluation of a therapist-supported online cognitive behavioural therapy programme for depression., Medicine 2.0, London, England, 23-24 September 2013, 2013 Conference Paper, 2013

Richards, D., & Viganó, N. , Online Counseling: A Narrative and Critical Review of the Literature, Journal of Clinical Psychology, 69, (9), 2013, p994-1011 Journal Article, 2013 TARA - Full Text DOI

Richards, D., Timulak, L., & Hevey, D. , A comparison of two online cognitive-behavioural interventions for symptoms of depression in a student population: the role of therapist responsiveness., Counselling and Psychotherapy Research. , 13, (3), 2013, p184 - 193 Journal Article, 2013 DOI

Richards, D., Richardson, T., , Computer-based psychological treatments for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Clinical Psychology Review, 32, 2012, p329-342 Journal Article, 2012 TARA - Full Text

Richards, D., & Timulak, L., Satisfaction with therapist-delivered vs. self-administered online cognitive-behavioural treatments for depression symptoms in College Students, British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 41, (2), 2012, p193 - 207 Journal Article, 2012 TARA - Full Text DOI

Richardson, T., Richards, D.,, Computer-based Psychological Interventions for Eating Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis , University of Southampton School of Psychology Postgraduate conference, Southampton, June 2012, 2012 Conference Paper, 2012

Richards, D., & Timulak, L. , Client-identified helpful and hindering events in therapist-delivered vs. self-administered online cognitive-behavioural treatments for depression in college students, Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 25, (3), 2012, p251-262 Journal Article, 2012 DOI TARA - Full Text

Online Counseling , Y. Zheng (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Cyber Behavior, 1, New York, IGI Global, 2012, pp699-713 , [Richards, D., & Viganó, N. ] Item in dictionary or encyclopaedia, etc, 2012

Richards, D., Prevalence and clinical course of depression: A review, Clinical Psychology Review, 31, (7), 2011, p1117-1125 Journal Article, 2011 TARA - Full Text

Richards, D., Timulak, L., Tone, Y., Rashleigh, C., Naughton, A., Flynn, D., McLoughlin, O., The Experience of Implementing, Recruiting and Screening for an Online Treatment for Depression in a Naturalistic Setting, Counselling Psychology Review, 24, (2), 2009, p52 - 63 Journal Article, 2009

Richards, D., & Timulak, L., Online Treatments for Depression: A Randomised Controlled Trail on an Adult Student Population - Preliminary findings, 1st International E-mental Health Summit , Amsterdam, Netherlands, 14-16th October, 2009 Conference Paper, 2009

Richards, D., Features and benefits of online counselling: Trinity College online mental health community, British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 37, (3), 2009, p231 - 242 Journal Article, 2009

Richards, D., Timulak, L., Treatment of depression via the internet, When Endings are Beginnings, Joint conference of the divisions of counselling psychology, Dublin , 20-21 June 2008, 2008 Conference Paper, 2008

Students use and perception of online counselling at university in, editor(s)Akis Giovazolias, Evangelos Karademas, & Anastasia Kalantzi-Azizi , Crossing Internal and External Borders: Practices for an effective psychological counselling in the European Higher Education, Athens, Greece, Ellinika Grammata Publishers, 2008, pp260 - 267, [Derek Richards] Book Chapter, 2008

Towards an Informal Online Learning Community for Student Mental Health at University in, editor(s)P. Isaias, M. McPherson, F. Bannister , IADIS International Conference on E-Society, IADIS, 2006, pp197 - 201, [D. Richards and B. Tangney] Book Chapter, 2006

A Multi-dimensional and integrated approach to student retention at Trinity College in, Moore, S., Carr, P., Crehan, J. Crowley, J., Flynn, D., Morgan, P. and Shannon, P. , Keeping Students at University. The retention debate at third-level, Dublin, Intersource Group Publishing, 2006, pp75 - 88, [O'Connor, T., Richards, D. and Lumsden, L.] Book Chapter, 2006

Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications

Richards, D. , Improve Outcomes in Primary Care with Digital Therapeutics for Mental Health, 8th Annual Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care Models Summit, Orlando, Florida, 20-21st May, 2019 Invited Talk, 2019

Richards, D., Developments in e-mental health for students, eMental Health Seminar: Technology and Student Mental Health, Dublin, Ireland, 18th June, 2019 Invited Talk, 2019

Richards, D., Implementing iCBT into routine care: The SilverCloud experience, Bridging the Research-to-Practice Chasm in Digital Mental Health, The Banbury Center, Lloyd Harbor, New York, 6-8th October, 2019, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Corporate Sponsor Program and Microsoft Invited Talk, 2019

Richards, D.,, What is the future for mental health with advances in technology, The Future of Depression & Bipolar Disorder, Dublin, Ireland, 12th October, 2019, Aware Charity Invited Talk, 2019

Richards, D.,, Digital Therapeutics: What's next?, Healthxl Global Gathering Event, Dublin, Ireland, 4th September, 2019, Healthxl Invited Talk, 2019

Richards, D., Shift left: Moore's law for healthcare, Future health Summit, Dublin, Ireland, 28th May, 2018 Invited Talk, 2018

Richards, D., Palacios, J., Barnard, K., Debunking myths regarding online health interventions: How big data drives the conversation, UK Health Show, London, England, 26th September, 2018 Oral Presentation, 2018

Richards, D., The relevance of Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for common mental health issues in people with long-term conditions. , MSD Conference Identifying and Managing Mental Health symptoms in patients with Chronic Disease, Dublin, Ireland, 19th September, 2018 Invited Talk, 2018

Richards, D., Trends and opportunities in digital health, Digital Health WIT Salud, Madrid, Spain, 31st October, 2018 Invited Talk, 2018

Enrique, A., Richards, D.,, Explore the Contribution of Internet-Delivered Interventions for Mental Health, World Congress Behavioural Health, Virginia, Washington, 16th October, 2018 Oral Presentation, 2018

Richards, D., internet-delivered treatment as a community intervention, Maynooth Psychological Society, Maynooth, Ireland, 30th March, 2017 Invited Talk, 2017

Richards, D., SilverCloud Health: Mental Health and Chronic Disease Platform, Health 2.0, Barcelona, Spain, 3rd May, 2017, Health 2.0 Invited Talk, 2017

Richards, D., Can Digital Pathways Change the Game? , Digital IAPT: Disrupting IAPT, London, England, 8th May, 2017 Invited Talk, 2017

Richards, D., Bird, C, Delivering outcomes focused online therapy:Key learnings, Psychological Therapies in the NHS 2015, London, 4th February, 2016 Oral Presentation, 2016

Richards, D., Vigano, N., implementing online mental health solutions into primary care: The IOW case study, Pulse Clinical Seminar, London, 9th June, 2015 Oral Presentation, 2015

Richards, D., One provider, One Solution, All Disorders. , Commissioning live Conference, London, 3-5th March, 2015 Oral Presentation, 2015

Richards, D., One provider, One Solution, All Disorders, The Future of Mental Health, Manchester, 30th April, 2015 Oral Presentation, 2015

Richards, D., Bird, C, IAPT: One provider, one solution, all disorders, Psychological Therapies in the NHS 2015, London, 11-12th February, 2015 Oral Presentation, 2015

Barley, E., Richards, D., Enright, A., Lee, G., Norman, I., Sturt, J., A psychoeducational and therapeutic intervention for the self management and wellbeing of people with CVD., IAPT for longterm conditions, Manchester, 17 September, 2014 Oral Presentation, 2014

Richards, D., What is driving the need for technological innovation in healthcare?, National health Summit 2014, Dublin, Ireland , 18th February, 2014 Oral Presentation, 2014

Richards, D.,, Nuevos tratamientos para la depresión (New treatments for depression)., Franja, Bogota, Colombia, 12th May 2012, 2012 Conference Paper, 2012

Richards, D., Timulak, L.,, Online treatments for depression: A randomised controlled trial on an adult student population., Department of Psychology, Mexico D.F., May 2011, UNAM, 2011 Conference Paper, 2011

Richards, Derek, "The future isn't what it used to be": Technology in Counselling and Psychotherapy, Eisteach, 2008 Journal Article, 2008

Richards, D.,, Changing Suicide in a Youth Society: The Internet as an instrument for good., Youth Suicide in a Changing Society, Ireland, Novermber 2008, edited by The Irish Association of Suicidology , 2008 Published Abstract, 2008

Richards, D., Tangney, B., E-mental Health: Online Mental Health Service Delivery at Third Level, Confederation of Student Services of Ireland, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, 20-22 June 2006, 2006 Conference Paper, 2006

Derek Richards, Towards an informal online learning community for student mental health at University, DUB, 2006 Thesis, 2006

Richards, D., Harnessing Human Reciprocity: Peer Support Programmes at Third Level, Seminario Internacional Complutense: Mentoria Universidad-Empresa, Madrid, Spain, 24-25 November 2005, 2005 Conference Paper, 2005

O' Connor, T., Richards, D., Lumsden, L., A Multi-Level and Integrated Approach To Student Retention At Trinity College Dublin, Understanding the Retention Issue and Enhancing Student Performance in University Settings, Athlone, 21st January, 2004 Conference Paper, 2004

Richards, D. & O'Connor, T. , Using ICT to support academic and social orientation and integration of new students to third level. , CSSI Biannual Conference, Belfast, June 2004, 2004 Conference Paper, 2004

Richards, D., O'Connor, T. & Lumsden, L. , Developments towards cohesive retention policies and practices for student success at Trinity College Dublin. , International Conference on 'Staying power: Supporting student retention and success, University of Teesside, 6-7 July, 2004 Conference Paper, 2004

Lumsden, L. Breathnach, C. and Richards, D., Using UCINET 6 to develop a questionnaire to collect weighted relationship data., Psychological Society of Ireland 34th Annual Conference, Bunratty, Ireland., November, 2003 Conference Paper, 2003

Research Expertise

Description

One in four people will be affected by a mental health condition in any given year.. Increasing global awareness of the prevalence of mental health conditions has made prevention and treatment a public health priority. Yet, current in-person clinical treatments are labor intensive, have limited availability, and often costly, creating long wait times and other barriers for those seeking access to the treatments they need. To meet the growing demand for effective and sustainable mental healthcare services, digitally-delivered psychotherapy interventions offer increased access to evidence-based care. Among these, Internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (iCBT) has emerged as the primary method to provide accessible, scalable, digital behavioral healthcare.  Digital healths contribution to mental and behavioural healthcare has been significant, but we also know that we have most likely only begun to scratch the surface of the potential that current and emerging technologies can offer. It is a fascinating and innovative time for psychological science as it embraces technology to support the dissemination and greater access and reach to evidence-based treatments, preventative programmes and for the first time the potential to globalise these efforts. Breakthrough advances in AI and machine learning technology can be used to further enhance these comprehensive digital services by more effectively personalizing digital interventions. Understanding patient engagement and what components of the CBT-based intervention work for different groups of patients can help personalize the delivery of CBT-based interventions to minimize drop-out and improve patient outcomes, as well as enable healthcare professionals to triage patients at an earlier stage. In addition, the session will detail how a human-centric approach to AI and machine learning can assist in the detection, diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of mental health conditions. I am very interested in the development, implementation and research of technology-delivered interventions for mental health problems. In particular, some of the current areas of interest include: Efficacy and effectiveness of digital health interventions Qualitative psychological experiences of service users and supporters Long-term conditions management Cultural adaptation and personalisation of digital health interventions Implementation science & practice Machine-based learning and AI approaches to digital health Device integration and experimentation

Projects

  • Title
    • Feasibility, Acceptability and Satisfaction with Internet-delivered Treatment for Depression, Anxiety and Stress in Students: An Open Feasibility Trial (Minnesota)
  • Summary
    • Background: In recent years University counseling and health services have reported an exponential increase in yearly visits, as well as an exponential increase in total yearly clients. This trend has been observed at many universities as behavioral and mental health issues pose significant problems for many college students. Aims/objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility, acceptability and satisfaction of internet-delivered treatment for depression, anxiety and stress in university students. Methods/Design: The study is an open feasibility trial of the SilverCloud programs for depression (Space from depression), anxiety (Space from Anxiety), and stress (Space from Stress), each are 8-module internet-delivered CBT (iCBT) intervention programs. Participants are assigned a supporter who will provide weekly post-session feedback on progress and exercises. Participants will complete the PHQ-9, GAD-7 and stress sub-scale of DASS-21 as the primary outcome measures for the respective interventions (depression, anxiety and stress). Secondary outcomes include measures of acceptability and satisfaction of the intervention. Data will be collected at baseline and at posttreatment. Discussion: It is anticipated that the study will inform the researchers and service personnel of the study's efficacy as well as protocols and procedures to be employed in a future trial. In addition, it will provide insight into the students' engagement with the program, their user-experience and their satisfaction with the online delivery format while meeting the needs of services in demand.
  • Funding Agency
    • SilverCloud Health
  • Date From
    • 2015
  • Date To
    • 2016
  • Title
    • Low-intensity internet-delivered treatment for adults with depressive symptoms in Colombia - South America
  • Summary
    • Prevalence rates for depression in Central and South America are not far removed from rates reported in high-income countries. Many barriers to accessing treatments exist, such as the underdevelopment of services, waiting lists, cost of the services, and personal stigma. Internet-delivered treatments for depression have demonstrated their efficacy. It is possible that such Internet-delivered treatments could overcome some of the barriers to accessing treatment in low-income countries countries. Project Team: Alicia Salamanca, Derek Richards, Ladislav Timulak
  • Funding Agency
    • Irish Research Council
  • Date From
    • 2015
  • Date To
    • 2018
  • Title
    • Internet-delivered treatment: Its potential as a low-intensity community intervention for adults with symptoms of depression [with Aware Charity]
  • Summary
    • The study is a randomized controlled trial of an online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) program for the treatment of adults with depressive symptoms compared to a waiting-list control group. The treatment consists of 8 modules of online delivered CBT, over 8 weeks, with supporters providing weekly feedback. The primary outcome is depressive symptoms, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Secondary outcomes included quality of life indicators. Data will be collected at baseline and at post-treatment. Project team: Richards, D., Timulak, L., Doherty, G., Sharry, J., & Hayes, C.
  • Funding Agency
    • SilverCloud Health & Aware Charity
  • Date From
    • 2012
  • Date To
    • 2015
  • Title
    • Development of an online platform to support self-management of symptoms and promote wellbeing of people with coronary heart disease and associated long-term conditions (LTCs) [with Kings College London]
  • Summary
    • CVD is responsible for premature death, impaired quality of life and disproportionate service usage and costs. Psychological distress in CVD is common and associated with poor outcome. Improved management within the community is needed. Current online psychological care packages do not address the CVD symptoms and risk factors that are related to poor outcome. We will develop an online cognitive, psychoeducational and psychotherapeutic CVD-specific package to support self-management and promote wellbeing. This will improve access to holistic care while reducing costs. Project Team: Barley, E., Clifton, A., Enright, A., Lee, G., Norman, I., Richards, D., Sturt, J.
  • Funding Agency
    • Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Health Enterprise East Ltd
  • Date From
    • 2014
  • Date To
    • 2014
  • Title
    • Internet delivered treatment for generalised anxiety in routine care (TCD)
  • Summary
    • Generalized anxiety disorder is typically considered a chronic condition. In Europe the lifetime prevalence of GAD has been estimated at 4.3-5.9%, and a 12-month prevalence of 1.2-1.9%; yet only a very small percentage seek treatment. Several studies have reported elevated levels of anxiety and stress in university students. The current research is a naturalistic effectiveness study utilizing a randomized controlled trial design of a low-intensity internet intervention for the treatment of GAD. Research questions: First, can an online treatment for GAD be effective for an adult student population in a service-based setting? Second, what do participants find helpful and hindering in their online treatment for anxiety? Third, are participants satisfied with accessing and using an online treatment for anxiety? Fourth, what are the reasons for dropout from an online treatment?
  • Funding Agency
    • SilverCloud Health
  • Date From
    • 2013
  • Date To
    • 2015
  • Title
    • Computer-based psychological treatments for depression (2011-2012 Completed)
  • Summary
    • The study was a systematic review & meta-analysis of the literature on computer-based psychological treatments for depression. The review and meta-analysis support the efficacy and effectiveness of computer-based psychological treatments for depression, in diverse settings and with different populations. Further research is needed, in particular to investigate the influence of therapist factors in supported treatments, the reasons for dropout, and the maintenance of gains post-treatment.
  • Date From
    • 2011
  • Date To
    • 2012
  • Title
    • Prevalence of depression & associated risk factors in Colombia (2011-2012)
  • Summary
    • Since September 2011 I have been collaborating with the Faculty of Psychology, Universidad Antonio Nariño on a project involving research into the prevalence of depression in a sample of Colombian students.
  • Funding Agency
    • Universidad Antonio Narino
  • Date From
    • 2011
  • Date To
    • 2012
  • Title
    • Online treatments for depression: A randomised controlled trial on an adult student population
  • Summary
    • The proposed project is a randomised controlled trial investigating the online delivery of psychological interventions for the treatment of depression. The increasing incidence and prevalence of depression in adults, adolescents and children has been established (WHO, 2001; Gotlib, & Hammen, 2002). Depression is among the main reasons for referral to face-to-face and online counselling services (Richards & Tangney, in press). Depression is linked to suicidal ideation and completed suicides (Gotlib, & Hammen, 2002). Yet, despite its prevalence only a small percentage of people access the help they require (Marks et al, 2007). Psychotherapeutic interventions for the treatment of depression are established. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is one of the most established treatments for depression (Nathan & Gorman, 1997). Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a therapeutic treatment that aims to help eliminate negative thoughts that maintain depression (Nathan & Gorman, 2002). However, due to demand, mental health services often have waiting lists and the shortage of therapists adds further complications (Proudfoot et al, 2003). Such a situation runs contrary to the beneficial impact of early intervention (Royal College of psychiatrists, 2003). In an attempt to increase access, reduce the stigma in receiving help and manage resources, significant progress has been made in developing and implementing online delivery of psychological interventions (Marks et al, 2007; Proudfoot et al, 2003). Especially CBT can be easily transferred into online formats. Online therapeutic interventions have the potential to reach an audience that do not ordinarily use traditional services (Richards & Tangney, 2007). They can increase access and expand resource capacity for clinical settings (Marks et al, 2007). However, further research is required to determine the best type of online intervention for a given population and the amount of therapist support required for success (Marks et al, 2007; NICE, 2007). The present study is a randomised controlled trial treating depression via the Internet using two conditions: Condition 1: Online asynchronous counselling following a CBT protocol for the treatment of depression [therapist-led] Condition 2: Self-directed Computerised Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy software for the treatment of depression [client-led] The two conditions include a comprehensive screening and a protocol-driven treatment for depression via the internet. The efficacy of the treatment conditions will be compared. A comparison of the differences among therapist-led and client-led online interventions will be made based on the key variable of the therapeutic relationship (Norcross, 2002). The study will assess the perception of working alliance (Horvath & Greenberg, 1989) within the stated conditions and examine which aspects of the interventions users find most significant (Timulak, 2007). Consideration will also be given to their cost effectiveness, including a comparison with face-to-face delivery.
  • Funding Agency
    • Health Service executive and ESB Electric Aid Grant
  • Date From
    • 2008
  • Date To
    • 2010
  • Title
    • Online mental health community in Ireland (2004-2008 Completed)
  • Summary
    • Using constructivist principles and a model of informal learning a portal called the Trinity Online Mental Health Community was born. It allowed students to access psycho-educational materials, join in discussion with their peers on topics related to mental health and wellbeing, and also users could engage in online asynchronous counselling with a counsellor from the Colleges counselling service.
  • Funding Agency
    • Higher Education Authority
  • Date From
    • 2004
  • Date To
    • 2009
  • Title
    • Prevalence and clinical course of depression
  • Summary
    • The study was a systematic review of the literature of the prevalence and clinical course of depression. The study considered literature from high-income countries. The review considered the literature on Major Depression beginning with a brief historical overview, its classification, and a synthesis of the current knowledge regarding prevalence and course.
  • Date From
    • 2010
  • Date To
    • 2011
  • Title
    • Assessing the efficacy and acceptability of an internet-delivered intervention for resilience among college students
  • Summary
    • Background Exposure to new stressors places college students at increased risk for developing mental health problems. Preventive interventions aimed at enhancing resilience have the potential to improve mental health and well-being in college students and internet-delivery may improve access to these interventions. However, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of online interventions for resilience in college students. The present study seeks to assess the feasibility [initial efficacy and acceptability] of a newly developed internet-delivered intervention for resilience provided with human or automated support, in a sample of college students. Method A pilot randomised controlled trial including three groups: 1) an intervention group with human support; 2) an intervention group with automated support; and 3) a waiting list control group. The intervention, Space for Resilience, is based on positive psychology and consists of seven modules, delivered over a period of eight weeks. Primary outcomes measures will include the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and the Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI). Secondary outcomes measures will include the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), the Patient Health Questionnaire - 4 items (PHQ-4), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Perceived Stress Scale - 4 items (PSS-4). Acceptability will be examined using the Satisfaction with Treatment (SAT) questionnaire. Analysis will be conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. Discussion The study seeks to establish the initial efficacy and acceptability of an internet-delivered intervention for resilience with human support and automated support. Apart from determining the impact of the intervention on acceptability and effectiveness, this study will be a first to explore more clearly the relative benefits of different support modes.
  • Funding Agency
    • SilverCloud Health
  • Date From
    • 2018
  • Date To
    • 2019
  • Title
    • The efficacy of online delivered treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis
  • Summary
    • Generalized AnxietyDisorder(GAD)istypically considereda chronic condition characterizedbyexcessiveworry.Lifetime prevalence is 4.3-5.9%, yet only a small percentage seeks treatment. GAD is treatable and in recent yearsinternet-delivered treatment interventions have shown promise. This paper aims to systematically search for lit-erature on internet-delivered psychological interventions for the treatment of GAD and conduct a meta-analysisto examine their efficacy. The purpose of the paper is to inform the community of researchers, program devel-opers and practitioners in internet delivered interventions of the current state-of-the-art and research gapsthat require attention. A systematic search of the literature was conducted tofind all studies of internet-deliveredtreatments for GAD (N= 20). Using Review Manager 5 all Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs;n= 11) that metour established eligibility criteria were included into a meta-analysis that calculated effect sizes via the standard-ized mean difference. Compared to the waiting-list controls, the results demonstrate positive outcomes for GADsymptoms (d=−0.91) and its central construct of pathological worry (d=−0.74). The meta-analysis supportsthe efficacy of internet-delivered treatments for GAD including the use of disorder-specific(4studies)andtransdiagnostic treatment protocols (7 studies). Caution is advised regarding the results as the data is limitedand highly heterogeneous, but revealing of what future research might be needed
  • Date From
    • 2015
  • Date To
    • 2015
  • Title
    • Internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of depression in axial spondyloarthritis: a pilot study.
  • Summary
    • AxSpA is characterised by inflammatory back pain, stiffness and functional impairment. Unlike other forms of arthritis, symptoms typically begin in early adulthood. Consequently, axSpA significant impacts quality of life and work productivity over the life course, at costs to both the individual and the economy (2). Biologic drugs that target tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFi) have dramatically improved management of these patients. However TNFi are costly and can only be continued with demonstrable response. Depression is common in axSpA patients, with prevalence ranging from 15% to 52%; it is more common in younger patient groups (3). Depression is associated with worse disease and poorer quality of life. There has been very little dedicated research of depression in axSpA, but in rheumatoid arthritis it has been shown to adversely affect response to TNFi. AxSpA patients with depression therefore have worse disease and are likely to have poorer response to treatment. There is a real need for improvement of management of depression. The limitations of pharmacological interventions of depression are well recognised. Access to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), although an effective intervention, is severely limited in the NHS. Internet-delivered CBT (iCBT) has accumulated a growing body of evidence in treating depression and fibromyalgia (4-6). It is available on the NHS (although predominantly in primary care) and bypasses waiting times associated with traditional face-to-face CBT. The main limitation with these interventions is adherence. SilverCloud (SC) is iCBT package which has reported high levels of intervention adherence and clinical outcomes (7). Furthermore, it is has tailored programs for co-morbid depression and anxiety in chronic diseases including chronic pain. We plan to perform a pilot study of the "Space from Depression and Anxiety in Chronic Pain (7)" programme in axSpA patients to: 1) explore the feasibility of recruiting patients to this intervention, 2) test its acceptability and 3) assess whether it changes symptoms of depression, well-being and measures of axSpA disease severity.
  • Funding Agency
    • National Ankylosing Spondylitis Society (NASS)
  • Date From
    • 2017
  • Date To
    • 2020
  • Title
    • The Effectiveness of Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy as a Prequel to High-Intensity Therapy for Depression and Anxiety Disorders in Improving Access to Psychological Therapies. (Sussex)
  • Summary
    • The study followed an uncontrolled feasibility design with a mixed methods evaluation. On the one hand, it aimed at examining quantitatively clinical outcomes on depression and anxiety, functional outcomes in terms of work and social functioning, waiting time reduction and therapeutic alliance between client and clinician in regards to step-3 services. Qualitatively, clinicians' experiences about the acceptability of the online intervention as a prequel to high intensity therapy at step 3 of IAPT were assessed.
  • Funding Agency
    • SilverCloud Health
  • Date From
    • 2013
  • Date To
    • 2018
  • Title
    • An internet-based self-management program for Bipolar Disorder in mental health services in Ireland. Results and learnings from a feasibility trial (HSE)
  • Summary
    • Self-management strategies have been included in clinical guidelines for the treatment of patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD). Preliminary results investigating the effectiveness and feasibility of online-delivered self-management interventions for BD are promising, but studies have yet to be conducted in real-world settings. This trial aimed to examine the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of implementing an online-delivered, clinician supported, self-management intervention for BD as an adjunct to treatment as usual at two mental health services in Ireland. This study used an uncontrolled, pre-post design with embedded mixed-methods evaluation. Fifteen (N=15) patients signed consent and used the programme over a period of 10 weeks. They were supported by clinicians from their care team. Feasibility and acceptability were assessed in terms of recruitment, use of the intervention and satisfaction from both clinicians and patients' perspectives. Measures of personal recovery, quality of life and severity of symptoms were administered at baseline and post-intervention. Recruitment to the intervention was found acceptable and usage of the platform was quite high with high frequency of tool usage. Significant differences in patients' sense of personal recoveryfrom pre- to post-intervention (z=2.38, p=.017) were found. Both, patients and clinicians, found the intervention acceptable, easy-to-use and convenient; however, some notable barriers to implementation of the intervention will need to be overcome for scaling. This is the first study that tests the feasibility of a digital intervention for patients with bipolar disorder in public mental health services in Ireland. More research is needed in order to increase the understanding of how to promote the integration and the uptake of digital interventions for individuals with BD.
  • Funding Agency
    • Health Service Executive
  • Date From
    • 2017
  • Date To
    • 2018
  • Title
    • The effectiveness of internet-delivered interventions for depression and anxiety disorders in Ireland - a pilot service evaluation (Ireland)
  • Summary
    • The current pilot seeks to demonstrate the effectiveness of the SilverCloud suite of internet-delivered interventions addressing depression and anxiety disorders. SilverCloud interventions are used widely in mental health services and demonstrating the effectiveness of the interventions for depression and anxiety will mean that clinicians, patients, service managers, policy-makers and commissioners can act confidently in commissioning a gold standard service for digital service provision. Innovating service delivery with varying patient choice can only help to increase access to evidence-based psychological interventions, reducing the burden on waiting times and list management, and increase throughput. Healthcare is one of the largest spends in Ireland and innovative cost-effective solutions are required. SilverCloud has already demonstrated that it can increase access and maintain quality while also reducing costs. This pilot service evaluation will seek to recruit 200 participants across multiple sites to assess and offer an internet-delivered intervention for depression and anxiety.
  • Funding Agency
    • Health Service Executive
  • Date From
    • June 2019
  • Date To
    • December 2019
  • Title
    • Internet-delivered CBT intervention (Space for Sleep) for sleep disorder: study protocol for a pilot trial (SLEEP-UK-IAPT)
  • Summary
    • Background: The current study seeks to investigate the feasibility of an internet-delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) based intervention for sleep disorder. CBT for Insomnia is evidence- based and recommended as a first line treatment in clinical guidelines outlined by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK for the management of sleep disorder. Method: Eligible patients (n = 35) will be invited to use the supported intervention over an 8-week period. Participants will indicate consent and complete screening measures online before beginning the programme. They will then be referred to a supporter from within Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust. Primary outcome measures will be the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and sleep efficiency (SE) as calculated by the programme's in-built sleep diary. Secondary outcome measures will be the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS) as part of the minimum data set administered routinely by this IAPT site. All measures will be administered at baseline and weekly thereafter. Discussion: The findings will be used to understand the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an internet-delivered intervention for insomnia disorder and to improve the programme in accordance with user needs. The findings will inform the design of a controlled evaluation of the clinical feasibility and effectiveness of Space for Sleep. This research will further contribute to the growing evidence base for web-based interventions designed to help those with sleep difficulties.
  • Funding Agency
    • SilverCloud Health
  • Date From
    • January 2019
  • Date To
    • December 2020
  • Title
    • IAIM Study of online delpression anxiety and eating disorders in Students (USA)
  • Summary
    • SPECIFIC AIMS College mental health services are facing a nearly universal challenge: despite efforts to expand capacity, demand is swelling more rapidly. To date, a mobile mental health platform comprised of a suite of evidence-based, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions has not been tested at large scale. We propose to test the impact of such a platform in a trial across 20 diverse colleges. Students who screen positive or at high-risk for clinical anxiety, depression, or EDs, which account for a substantial proportion of the mental health burden on college campuses and who are not currently engaged in mental health services (N=7,884; of 146,000 initially screened) will be randomly assigned to: 1) intervention via the mobile mental health platform; or 2) referral to usual care (i.e., campus health or counseling center). Consistent with NIMH Strategic Plan20 Objectives 3 (Strive for Prevention and Cures) and 4 (Strengthen Public Health Impact of NIMH Research), our Aims are to: Aim 1 (uptake): Examine uptake (i.e., individuals beginning treatment) of the mobile mental health platform compared to referral to usual care. Hypothesis 1 (H1): The mobile mental health platform will yield substantially higher and earlier uptake of services compared to referral to usual care. Aim 2 (effectiveness): Evaluate the effectiveness of the mobile mental health platform, compared to usual care, in (2a) reducing the number of individuals with mental health disorders (primary outcome); (2b) reducing disorder-specific symptoms (secondary outcome); and (2c) improving quality of life and functioning (secondary outcome). H2: The mobile mental health platform will be superior to usual care in (H2a) reducing clinical cases; (H2b) reducing disorder-specific symptoms; and (H2c) improving quality of life and functioning. Aim 3 (targets, mediators, predictors, and moderators): (3a) Examine if the mobile intervention changes targets previously found to be associated with outcomes, both transdiagnostic (i.e., decreased dysfunctional cognitions, increased use of CBT skills) and disorder-specific (i.e., reduced avoidance for anxiety, increased behavioral activation for depression, reduced dietary restraint and weight/shape concerns for EDs); (3b) determine if changes in targets are associated with clinical benefit; and (3c; exploratory) identify other putative mediators of change (e.g., early engagement in help services, rapid response), (3d; exploratory) within-mobile program predictors of outcome (e.g., sessions completed), and (3e; exploratory) treatment moderators. H3a: The mobile treatment will result in significant change in both transdiagnostic and disorder-specific targets. H3b: Change in targets will be associated with clinical benefit (primary and secondary outcome variables). Other mediator, within-program predictor, and moderator analyses will be exploratory. Aim 4 (stakeholder outcomes, exploratory): Evaluate stakeholder-relevant outcomes: (4a) cost-effectiveness; (4b) students' academic performance; and (4c) attitudes. H4: Relative to usual care, the mobile mental health platform (H4a) will reduce downstream costs and have a higher net-benefit from a payer's perspective and (H4b) be superior in improving academic performance. (H4c) Stakeholder attitudes towards mobile platforms will significantly vary and will correlate with intention to adopt a mobile platform permanently. This population-level approach to service engagement has potential to improve mental health outcomes for millions of college students, which could in turn improve their educational and employment outcomes. The model could also be adapted, such as for employees and secondary school students, increasing reach and impact.
  • Funding Agency
    • National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH-US)
  • Date From
    • 2019
  • Date To
    • 2023
  • Title
    • An internet-based approach to scalable, treatment prediction research in mental health. (Ireland, UK, USA)
  • Summary
    • Concept/Background. We need to develop tools that can improve the precision with which we allocate treatments in psychiatry. Current psychiatric disease classifications (DSM-5, ICD-10) ensure reliable diagnoses across clinicians, but their diagnostic categories do not allow for individual treatment predictions - for example, most patients with major depression do not recover after their first antidepressant treatment. This project aims to remedy this by using machine learning to develop an algorithm that can quantify how likely an individual is to respond to a range of antidepressant medications - we are now extending this protocol to include CBT treatment in collaboration with Silvercloud. Large samples are required to train a robust predictive model. To achieve this, all data collection will be web-based and subjects will be recruited worldwide. Predictors will include cognitive tests, which are linked to specific brain circuits and neurotransmitter systems that relate to psychiatric disease and treatment action, clinical symptoms and treatment variables, and demographics. The long-term goal of this work is to develop a tool that can be used by clinicians to achieve individualised treatment allocation. In the shorter term, we will establish a new methodology for carrying out agile treatment prediction research outside of the typical clinical trial route - which is slow, costly, and typically involves data that is limited in scope and not reflective of the state-of-the-art. It is of immense value to have a positive control treatment group like CBT in our study as this allows us to test if our algorithm is specific to SSRI treatment response, rather than being a generic marker of response to treatment. Adding CBT delivered via Silvercloud as a treatment arm also brings potential that we will be able to generate an algorithm that is specific to predicting CBT, but not antidepressant, response. The goal is to develop new methods that can help people get better, faster.
  • Funding Agency
    • MQ MENTAL HEALTH
  • Date From
    • 2019
  • Date To
    • 2021
  • Title
    • Project Talia - AI for Improved Mental Health
  • Summary
    • One in four of us, at some point in our lives, will be affected by a mental health condition. Good mental health and well-being are fundamental to our general health and quality of life. It enables us to build resilience against everyday stresses, to work productively, to have fulfilling relationships, and to experience life as meaningful. Mental health presents one of the most challenging and under-investigated domains of machine learning research. In Project Talia we are exploring how we can best leverage AI to help improve the effectiveness of important mental health services. More Effective Digital Mental Healthcare with AI For improving mental health through AI, our research focuses on the following strategies: Stratify Understand patient sub-types which respond best to treatment + interventions Personalize Tailor content and delivery to achieve optimal therapy outcomes for individual patients Predict Identify which patients are more likely to drop-out for earlier intervention, or different programs Intervene Intervene timely to ensure earlier intervention and improved outcomes Improve Identify successful patterns in supporter behaviour in relation to patient sub-type to improve therapy effectiveness https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/?post_type=msr-project&p=609993&secret=X9sI1g
  • Funding Agency
    • SilverCloud Health
  • Date From
    • 01/01/2019
  • Date To
    • 30/12/2021

Keywords

ANXIETY; Behavior and Health; Clinical psychology; Culture and health; Depression; Emotional/Mental Health; Emotional/Mental Health--Minorities; Health Care; Health, Clinical and Counselling; Health/Medical Science--Computer Technology; Men's Health; Mental Disorders; Mental Health Services; ONLINE MENTAL HEALTH; ONLINE SYSTEMS; Philosophy of science; Psychiatry; Psychoanalysis; Psychotherapy; TECHNOLOGY AND MENTAL HEALTH; Technology Assessment/Transfer/Outreach (Hlth; Telemedicine; Therapy Evaluation

Recognition

Representations

Associate Editor BMC Psychiatry 2019

Ad hoc peer reviewer for: British Journal of Guidance and Counselling; Cyberpsychology and Behaviour and social Networking Journal; Journal of Affective Disorders; Counselling Psychology Review; Counselling Psychology Quarterly; Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy; Journal of Medical Internet Research; BACP Counselling and Psychotherapy Research Journal (CPR)(Special Edition - Technology in Counselling and Psychotherapy); JMIR Mental Health, among others ad hoc

Chairperson of the Technology for Well-being group 2007

Member of the ESF Pool of Reviewers for the period of 01 May 2009 - 30 April 2010 2009

Evaluator for HORIZON 2020 EU funding PHC-26 ICT & Health 2014

Awards and Honours

SilverCloud Health funded Research Fellowship 2013-2020

Memberships

Member, Technology for Well-being group 2007 – 2010

Member, International Society for Mental Health Online 2005 – 2010

Accredited Member: Irish Association for Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy 2000 – 2010

Associate member: Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy 2003 – 2010

Member, Society for Psychotherapy Research 2004 – present

Member, Digital Therapeutics Alliance 2018 – present