Study of a PST-Trained Voice-Enabled Artificial Intelligence Counselor(SPEAC) for Adults With Emotional Distress (Phase 2) — SPEAC  

Depression Clinical Trial

Official title: Study of a PST-Trained Voice-Enabled Artificial Intelligence Counselor(SPEAC) for Adults With Emotional Distress (Phase 2)

Status Recruiting

Clinical Trial Summary

Approximately 200 Participants with mild-to-moderate, untreated depression and/or anxiety will be randomly assigned (by chance, like flipping a coin) to 1 of 3 study groups: Lumen Coached Problem-Solving Treatment (PST) (n=100), Human Coached PST (n=50), and optional (delayed) Lumen Coached PST as waitlist control (n=50) to improve emotional health. All participants will complete assessments at baseline and at 18 weeks post randomization. Depending on the group assignment the PST program will be delivered by Lumen, a virtual voice-based coach on a study iPad, or by a human coach in person for the first session and then via videoconference or phone for the remaining 7 sessions. Participants assigned to the waitlist control group can receive the Lumen coached PST on a study iPad after completing their 18-week follow-up assessment. Participants will receive 8 coaching sessions to learn problem-solving skills and work on unresolved problems in daily living that may be interfering with their emotional well-being and contributing to depression and anxiety symptoms.

Clinical Trial Description

All participants will complete measurements of neural target engagement and treatment outcomes at both baseline (0 week) and 18 weeks. Study Visit 1: This will include (1) Physical measurements such as height, weight, and blood pressure, (2) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan, (3) surveys of intervention-related measures, and (4) surveys of patient-reported outcomes, such as depressive and anxiety symptoms, social functioning, and health-related quality of life. Following the successful completion of Visit 1 and all the surveys, participants will be randomly assigned (by chance, like flipping a coin) to 1 of 3 study groups, as described below. Problem Solving Treatment (PST) Groups Group 1: Lumen Coached Group : Participants assigned to this group will attend an Intervention Orientation session to receive the Coach Lumen tutorial, a study iPad, and a Lumen Intervention Workbook. They will complete 8 PST sessions (4 weekly and then 4 biweekly) with Coach Lumen at home over 12 weeks. Group 2: Human Coached Group Participants assigned to this group will receive a study iPad and Human-Coached Intervention Workbook, and will complete 8 PST sessions (4 weekly and then 4 biweekly) with a trained health coach over 12 weeks. They will complete the first session in person and then the remaining sessions via videoconference or phone. Group 3: Optional (Delayed) Lumen Coached Group Participants assigned to this group may choose to attend a Lumen Orientation session to receive training and a study iPad to complete 8 PST sessions with Coach Lumen after completing their follow-up assessment at 18 weeks. Regardless of the group assignment, participants will complete brief Nightly Mood Check-in surveys about their thoughts, feelings, and experiences over the day, for 7 nights, approximately every other week over 18 weeks (i.e., a total of 58 nights). These check-ins are sent via text message to their mobile phone. Study Visit 2: Regardless of group assignment, participants will be asked to attend a second in-person visit for data collection at 18 weeks. Like Visit 1, Visit 2 will include physical measurements, a brain scan (after a negative pregnancy urine test, if applicable), and online surveys (if not yet completed before the visit), and will last approximately 90 minutes. ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Anxiety
• Depression

• NCT number: NCT05603923
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of Illinois at Chicago
• Contact: Jun Ma, MD, PhD
• Phone: 312-413-9830
• Email: maj2015@uic.edu
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: January 23, 2023
• Completion date: July 2, 2025