Evidence-based psychological treatments are effective in improving numerous mental health conditions. Although many individuals benefit, only approximately half experience a clinically meaningful reduction in symptoms or recovery. A key way to improve outcomes is to increase how well individuals engage with and adhere to treatment. This project will focus on one standard, psychological treatment, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). The primary aim is to improve engagement with a core component of MBSR, practice of mindfulness home, which can predict treatment outcome. This project will test whether performance feedback, in the form of physiological and behavioural information from wearable devices, can support participants’ at-home practice. Wearable devices can also provide objective information about sleep and activity patterns, measures typically assessed in healthcare trials using subjective self-report. Measuring these patterns will provide objective indicators of physical and psychological functioning, and inform our understanding of treatment effects.

Contact:

Assistant Professor Christine Parsons, Department of Clinical Medicine and Interacting Minds Centre