Development, acceptability, and feasibility of a digital module for coping with COVID-19 distress: Pragmatic retrospective study

Background

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the measures to help contain it have taken a significant toll on mental health. Blended care psychotherapy combining provider-led care with digital tools can help alleviate this toll. This study describes the development of digital activities designed to teach cognitive-behavioral skills for coping with COVID-19 distress, and evaluates initial acceptability and feasibility data.

Methods

Using a pragmatic retrospective cohort design, data from 664 U.S.-based individuals enrolled in blended care psychotherapy were analyzed. Descriptive analyses summarized acceptability for the digital activities. Ordinal logistic regression analyses were conducted on a subsample (n = 162) to explore the association between clients' attitudes toward the digital lesson and reported practice of skills in the exercise.

Results

The majority of clients completed the assigned digital lesson and exercise. Clients reported finding the lesson valuable and relevant for coping with COVID-19 distress, and they intended to apply the skills to their lives. Higher agreement with these attitude questions was associated with a significantly greater number of skills practiced on the digital exercise.

Discussion

Clients who were assigned a cognitive-behaviorally oriented digital lesson and/or exercise within a blended care model largely engaged with the materials and found them valuable. Clients with more positive attitudes about the digital lesson reported using more coping skills.

Conclusions

Digital modules that teach specific skills for coping with COVID-19 can be integrated into treatment and minimize provider burden. Future study should investigate the clinical impact of these digital activities on psychiatric symptoms and personalizing the content.