Evaluate the Usefulness of Mental Health e-Learning

Randomized Trial to Evaluate the Usefulness of Mental Health e-Learning

In this proposal, the investigators plan to study the impact of In this proposal, we plan to study the impact of e-learning on mental health literacy and stigma related to anxiety and depression. Participants will be randomized to one of four groups - Depression e-Learning A, Depression e-Learning B, Anxiety e-Learning A, and Anxiety e-Learning B. All participants will be given access to all e-learning at the conclusion of the study.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Depression; Anxiety
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Depression e-Learning A; Other: Anxiety e-Learning A; Other: Depression e-Learning B; Other: Anxiety e-Learning B

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 125
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Canada
  • Ontario
    • Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8S4L8
      • McMaster University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Live in Canada
• 45 years of age and over
• Good command of the English language
• Access to email and high speed internet
• Comfortable using email and internet

Exclusion Criteria:

• Lives outside of Canada
• Not 45 years of age or over
• Does not speak English,
• Does not have access to email or high speed internet
• Is not comfortable using email of internet

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Depression e-Learning A	Other: Depression e-Learning A; Participants in Depression e-Learning A will be provided e-learning about depression, consisting of following components: One multimedia e-learning lesson on depression;; A series of 4 'micro-learning' emails (2 emails/week) with small segments of content to reinforce the material from the lesson. 1. One multimedia e-learning lesson on depression; 2. A series of 4 'micro-learning' emails (2 emails/week) with small segments of content to reinforce the material from the lesson.
Experimental: Anxiety e-Learning A	Other: Anxiety e-Learning A; Participants in Anxiety e-Learning A will be provided e-learning about anxiety, consisting of following components: One multimedia e-learning lesson on anxiety;; A series of 4 'micro-learning' emails (2 emails/week) with small segments of content to reinforce the material from the lesson.
Experimental: Depression e-Learning B	Other: Depression e-Learning B; Participants in Depression e-Learning B will be provided e-learning about depression, consisting of following components: One multimedia e-learning lesson on depression;; A series of 4 'micro-learning' emails (2 emails/week) with small segments of content to reinforce the material from the lesson. 1. One multimedia e-learning lesson on depression; 2. A series of 4 'micro-learning' emails (2 emails/week) with small segments of content to reinforce the material from the lesson.
Experimental: Anxiety e-Learning B	Other: Anxiety e-Learning B; Participants in Anxiety e-Learning B will be provided e-learning about anxiety, consisting of following components: One multimedia e-learning lesson on anxiety;; A series of 4 'micro-learning' emails (2 emails/week) with small segments of content to reinforce the material from the lesson.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in the Depression Literacy Questionnaire	The Depression Literacy Questionnaire assesses mental health literacy specific to depression. The questionnaire consists of 22 items which are true or false. Respondents can answer each item with one of three options - true, false, or I don't know. Each correct response receives one point. Higher scores indicate higher depression literacy.	0, 2, 4 weeks
Change from baseline in the Anxiety Literacy Questionnaire	The Anxiety Literacy Questionnaire assesses mental health literacy specific to anxiety. The questionnaire consists of 22 items which are true or false. Respondents can answer each item with one of three options - true, false, or I don't know. Each correct response receives one point. Higher scores indicate higher depression literacy.	0, 2, 4 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change from baseline in the Depression Stigma Scale	The Depression Stigma Scale is a 9-item assessment designed to measure stigma associated with depression with two subscales: personal and perceived. The Personal Stigma Subscale measures stigma in the respondents' own attitudes towards depression by asking them to indicate how strongly they personally agree with nine statements about depression. The Perceived Stigma Subscale measures the respondent's perception about the attitudes of others towards depression by asking them to indicate what they think most other people believe about the same nine statements. Responses to each item are measured on a five-point scale (ranging from zero 'strongly disagree' to four 'strongly agree'). Higher scores indicate higher levels of depression stigma.	0, 2, 4 weeks
Change from baseline in the Generalized Anxiety Stigma Scale	The Generalised Anxiety Stigma Scale is analogous, but designed to measure stigma associated with anxiety disorders. It has two subscales: personal and perceived. The Personal Stigma Subscale measures stigma in the respondents' own attitudes towards anxiety disorders by asking them to indicate how strongly they personally agree with 10 statements about anxiety disorders. The Perceived Stigma Subscale measures the respondent's perception about the attitudes of others towards anxiety disorders by asking them to indicate what they think most other people believe about the same 10 statements. Responses to each item are measured on a five-point scale (ranging from zero 'strongly disagree' to four 'strongly agree'). Higher scores indicate higher levels of anxiety stigma.	0, 2, 4 weeks
Participant satisfaction	A custom satisfaction questionnaire data adapted from the Information Assessment Method For All (IAM4all) will be collected and saved to assess satisfaction with the intervention.	2 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: McMaster University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 6, 2024
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 12, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): June 30, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: April 26, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 26, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): May 1, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 30, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 29, 2025
• Last Verified: July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Depression; Mental Health; Randomized Controlled Trial; Stigma; Mental Health Literacy; Knowledge; e-Learning
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavioral Symptoms; Depression
• Other Study ID Numbers: Levinson_AFP

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No