My MS Toolkit: An Internet-Based Depression Self-Management Program for Adults Living With Multiple Sclerosis

June 2, 2026 updated by: Dawn Ehde, University of Washington
We are conducting this study to test if the new Toolkit depression module is accessible and helpful for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in decreasing depression severity.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

First, we will modify My MS Toolkit to make it more helpful and relevant to adults with MS and depressive symptoms. We plan to add:

  1. a depression-specific step with robust content about depressive symptoms, disorders, and treatments specific to MS
  2. a depression quiz to help participants understand their depression symptoms and what Toolkit skills will be most helpful to them based on the quiz
  3. more resources specific to depression self-management and care, including resources within the MS community
  4. information on how to get mental health treatment if needed.

Second, we will evaluate the ease, convenience, and effectiveness of the improved My MS Toolkit. We will compare how well the Toolkit reduces people's feelings of depression compared to those who don't have access to the Toolkit. We will use website data to assess participant engagement and treatment ease, and explore factors like age, initial feelings of depression, and other symptoms that may impact outcomes. Understanding these factors will help determine who benefits most from My MS Toolkit and who might need different depression treatments.

Participants will either have access or no access to the Toolkit for 4 months and complete 3 online surveys over that time period.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
110

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Washington
      • Seattle, Washington, United States, 98133
        • University of Washington
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Dawn M Ehde, PhD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Self-reported diagnosis of MS (with screening questions such as current disease modifying therapy)
  • At least 18 years of age
  • Can read, write, and speak in English
  • Score of >4 on the Patient Health Questionnaire, indicating at least mild depressive symptoms
  • Have access to an internet-connected device for accessing the intervention

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous diagnosis of bipolar disorder or schizophrenia
  • Started medication for depression or anxiety in the past 2 months
  • Currently undergoing psychotherapy for depression
  • Are of moderate or high risk for suicide on the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
  • Participating in another clinical trial

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: My MS Toolkit
Participants will be given access to the My MS Toolkit and encouraged to start their participation via a "Getting Started" page that provides guidance on how best to use the program's modules. This is accessed online via the Internet.
Device: My MS Toolkit
The My MS Toolkit is an online self-management intervention created for and in partner with people living with multiple sclerosis. With an approach based in cognitive behavioral therapy, this program guides users in building skills to help manage common symptoms of MS, such as fatigue, pain, and depression.
No Intervention: Usual Care
Participants will be notified of their assignment to the waitlist and told that they can continue to receive or seek care as they normally would, including care from their MS health care provider. After completion of the final 4-month assessment, usual care participants will obtain access to My MS Toolkit and will be encouraged to use it.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Depressive Symptom Severity
Time Frame: Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week and 4-month
This will be measured using the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Short Form v1.0 Depression 8a. Change from pre- to post-treatment will be measured and compared between My MS Toolkit and usual care participants. Responses from each item will be summed to form a total raw score ranging from 4-20. Higher scores indicate higher self-reported levels of depressive symptoms.
Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week and 4-month

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Sleep Disturbance
Time Frame: Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Change in sleep quality will be measured with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Sleep Disturbance Short Form 4a, version 1.0. Responses from each item will be summed to form a total raw score ranging from 4-20. Higher scores indicate higher self-reported levels of sleep disturbance.
Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Fatigue Severity
Time Frame: Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Change in fatigue severity will be measured with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Fatigue-MS Short Form 8a, version 1.0. Responses from each item will be summed to form a total raw score ranging from 8-40. Higher scores indicate higher self-reported levels of fatigue.
Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Fatigue Impact
Time Frame: Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Change in fatigue impact will be measured using the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS). In the 21-item MFIS, participants rate their agreement with each statement on a 5-point Likert scale, from 0 = 'Never' to 4 = 'Almost always'.. Responses can add up to a total score (0-84) and subscales for physical (0-36), cognitive (0-40) and psychosocial functioning (0-8). Higher numbers indicate greater impact of fatigue on a person's activities.
Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Pain Intensity
Time Frame: Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Participant-rated pain intensity assessed via the 3-item Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Intensity scale. Raw scores range from 3-15. Higher scores indicate higher self-reported levels of pain intensity.
Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Anxiety
Time Frame: Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Change in symptoms of anxiety will be measured with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anxiety Short Form 7a, version 1.0. Responses from each item will be summed to form a total raw score ranging from 7-35. Higher scores indicate higher self-reported levels of anxiety symptoms.
Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Pain Interference
Time Frame: Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Change in pain interference will be measured with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference Short Form 6a, version 1.1. Responses from each item will be summed to form a total raw score ranging from 6-30. Higher scores indicate higher self-reported levels of pain interference.
Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Social Participation
Time Frame: Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Change in pain interference will be measured with the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference Short Form 6a, version 1.1. Responses from each item will be summed to form a total raw score ranging from 8-40. Higher scores indicate greater self-reported satisfaction and a higher quality of life regarding ability to engage with family, friends, and daily responsibilities.
Baseline (prior to treatment), 12-week, and 4-month
Treatment Engagement
Time Frame: 12-week and 4-month
Treatment engagement will be assessed through examination of website analytic data such as number and duration of page visits.
12-week and 4-month
Treatment Satisfaction
Time Frame: 12-week and 4-month
Global assessment of treatment satisfaction will be measured by participant self-report on a scale of 0 (very dissatisfied) - 4 (very satisfied).
12-week and 4-month
Treatment Recommendation
Time Frame: 12-week and 4-month
Treatment recommendation will be measured using an adapted version of the NET Promoter Score. Participations will be asked how likely they are to recommend the treatment to a friend or colleague with MS and depression on a scale of 0 (Not at all likely) to 10 (Extremely likely).
12-week and 4-month
Perception of Change
Time Frame: 12-week and 4-month
Global impression of change will be measured by participant self-report. Participants will report, since the start of the study, how much they think their overall depression or depressive symptom severity has changed on a scale of 1 (no change) - 7 (A great deal better and a considerable improvement that has made all the difference).
12-week and 4-month
Self-Efficacy
Time Frame: Baseline (prior to treatment),12-week, and 4-month
Self-efficacy will be measured using the University of Washington Self-Efficacy Scale(UW-SES) 6a Short Form v1.0. Raw scores range from 6-30. Higher scores indicate greater belief in ability to manage challenges and achieve desired outcomes.
Baseline (prior to treatment),12-week, and 4-month

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Washington

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Dawn M Ehde, PhD, University of Washington

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
September 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 28, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 2, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 9, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 2, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • STUDY00023270
  • RFA-2411-44095 (Other Grant/Funding Number: National Multiple Sclerosis Society)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Study data may be shared in de-identified form with outside researchers and collaborators as requested and deemed acceptable by study investigators.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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