Grant: Doctoral: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Dr. Corey Mackenzie, University of Manitoba. One-third of adults will meet criteria for a mental disorder at some point in their lives. These disorders are often chronic and disabling, which is why they are the world's leading cause of disability, and will cost the world $8.2 trillion CAD per year by 2031. However, most people with mental disorders do not receive treatment due to barriers such as cost, limited access, and stigma. Online therapeutic programs based on science (e.g., cognitive-behavioural therapy) that are free to access can reduce barriers and reach many more people for a fraction of the cost of traditional mental health services. Our team developed a free online cognitive-behavioural therapy program (called CBTm) that reduces symptoms of mental disorders. Roughly 300 people enroll in CBTm each month. However, CBTm is limited by higher drop out and lower engagement than traditional face-to-face therapy. To address this, I will develop a booster intervention to take place before CBTm to increase engagement, reduce drop out, and improve symptom reduction. I will compare people that receive this booster prior to CBTm to those who do not in a pilot study. This research can reduce the mental health treatment gap by increasing the reach and benefits of our CBTm program. If effective, my new intervention will continue to be offered prior to the CBTm program, and results will be shared widely. This will push the field of psychology forward, as drop out and engagement within these accessible, free, online programs is a known issue. Brief booster interventions also have the potential to reduce the suffering of people with mental disorders and create equitable mental healthcare by reducing barriers to care. Finally, government officials, policy makers, and mental health professionals will find this research important. The mental health treatment gap is a growing problem for Canada and the world, and this research addresses it in a resource efficient manner.