Single-Session Mobile-Augmented Intervention in Serious Mental Illness: A Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial

Psychosocial interventions for serious mental illness are resource intensive and poorly accessible. Brief interventions (eg, single session) that are augmented by follow-on automated mobile health intervention may expand treatment access. This was a randomized single blind controlled trial with 255 individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Participants were randomized to one of three conditions: CBT2go, which combined one individual session of cognitive behavioral therapy with automated thought challenging/adaptive behavior delivered through mobile devices; Self Monitoring (SM), which combined single-session illness psychoeducation with self-monitoring of symptoms; and treatment-as-usual (TAU). Participants were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks (midpoint), 12 weeks (posttreatment), and 24 weeks (follow up) with our primary outcome global psychopathology (Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-expanded version (BPRS-24D, and secondary outcomes community functioning (Specific Level of Function; SLOF) and defeatist performance beliefs (DPBs). We also collected data on adverse events. Outcome analyses on the primary outcome, BPRS Total score, indicated a significant time (0-24 wk) by group interaction with significant but modest improvement comparing two active conditions (CBT2go and SM) relative to TAU. Effects of CBT2go were not different from SM. There was a significant time x group interaction with better SLOF scores in CBT2go across 24 weeks, but not in SM. There were no time-by-group effects on DPBs. DPBs decreased in the CBT2go condition but not in SM. These results indicated that single intervention augmented by mobile intervention was feasible and associated with small yet sustained effects on global psychopathology and, when inclusive of CBT, community function compared with usual care.