Using person-specific networks in psychotherapy:challenges, limitations, and how we could use them anyway

Background The complexity of psychopathology is evident from its multifactorial etiology and diversity of symptom profiles and hampers effective treatment. In psychotherapy, therapists approach this complexity by using case conceptualization. During this process, patients and therapists closely collaborate on a personalized working theory of the patient’s psychopathology. This is a challenging process and shows low reliability between therapists. With the experience sampling method (ESM), time-series data—valuable for case conceptualization—can be systematically gathered in a patient’s normal daily life. These data can be analyzed and visualized in person-specific networks (PSNs). PSNs may support case conceptualization by providing a schematic representation of association patterns between affective, cognitive, behavioral, and context variables. Main text We adopt a clinical perspective in considering how PSNs might be implemented to serve case conceptualization and what their role could be in psychotherapy. We suggest PSNs to be based on personalized ESM assessment to capture the unique constellation of variables in each patient. We reflect on the lack of a gold standard for creating PSNs, which may result in substantially different PSNs and thereby disparate information for case conceptualization. Moreover, even if PSNs are created in a consistent manner, results remain ambiguous as they are subject to multiple interpretations. Therefore, associations in PSNs do not allow for firm conclusions about a patient’s psychopathology, but they may nevertheless be valuable in the process of case conceptualization. PSNs are based on systematically gathered, ecologically valid ESM data and provide a unique personalized perspective. When used responsibly, PSNs may be able to support case conceptualization by generating questions that serve as a starting point for a dialog between therapists and patients. Well-targeted questions are an essential tool for therapists to gain insight into the patients’ psychopathology patterns and improve the quality of case conceptualization. Conclusions PSNs have limitations in terms of the reliability of the insights they provide directly. However, taking these challenges into account, we believe they have potential as a tool to help therapists and patients in their collaborative exploration of a patient’s psychopathology. Clearly, this would need to be validated in future clinical research

High body mass index is not associated with atopy in schoolchildren living in rural and urban areas of Ghana

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Factors which determine the development of atopy and the observed rural-urban gradient in its prevalence are not fully understood. High body mass index (BMI) has been associated with asthma and potentially atopy in industrialized countries. In developing countries, the transition from rural to urban areas has been associated with lifestyle changes and an increased prevalence of high BMI; however, the effect of high BMI on atopy remains unknown in this population. We therefore investigated the association between high BMI and atopy among schoolchildren living in rural and urban areas of Ghana.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data on skin prick testing, anthropometric, parasitological, demographic and lifestyle information for 1,482 schoolchildren aged 6-15 years was collected. Atopy was defined as sensitization to at least one tested allergen whilst the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, Atlanta) growth reference charts were used in defining high BMI as BMI ≥ the 85^thpercentile. Logistic regression was performed to investigate the association between high BMI and atopy whilst adjusting for potential confounding factors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The following prevalences were observed for high BMI [Rural: 16%, Urban: 10.8%, p < 0.001] and atopy [Rural: 25.1%, Urban: 17.8%, p < 0.001]. High BMI was not associated with atopy; but an inverse association was observed between underweight and atopy [OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.33-0.99]. Significant associations were also observed with male sex [Rural: OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.06-2.08; Urban: OR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.30-2.79], and in the urban site with older age [OR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.00-3.07], family history of asthma [OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.01-2.47] and occupational status of parent [OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.12-0.93]; whilst co-infection with intestinal parasites [OR: 2.47, 95% CI: 1.01-6.04] was associated with atopy in the rural site. After multivariate adjustment, male sex, older age and family history of asthma remained significant.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In Ghanaian schoolchildren, high BMI was not associated with atopy. Further studies are warranted to clarify the relationship between body weight and atopy in children subjected to rapid life-style changes associated with urbanization of their environments.</p

External validation of prognostic models predicting pre-eclampsia : individual participant data meta-analysis

Abstract Background Pre-eclampsia is a leading cause of maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity. Early identification of women at risk during pregnancy is required to plan management. Although there are many published prediction models for pre-eclampsia, few have been validated in external data. Our objective was to externally validate published prediction models for pre-eclampsia using individual participant data (IPD) from UK studies, to evaluate whether any of the models can accurately predict the condition when used within the UK healthcare setting. Methods IPD from 11 UK cohort studies (217,415 pregnant women) within the International Prediction of Pregnancy Complications (IPPIC) pre-eclampsia network contributed to external validation of published prediction models, identified by systematic review. Cohorts that measured all predictor variables in at least one of the identified models and reported pre-eclampsia as an outcome were included for validation. We reported the model predictive performance as discrimination (C-statistic), calibration (calibration plots, calibration slope, calibration-in-the-large), and net benefit. Performance measures were estimated separately in each available study and then, where possible, combined across studies in a random-effects meta-analysis. Results Of 131 published models, 67 provided the full model equation and 24 could be validated in 11 UK cohorts. Most of the models showed modest discrimination with summary C-statistics between 0.6 and 0.7. The calibration of the predicted compared to observed risk was generally poor for most models with observed calibration slopes less than 1, indicating that predictions were generally too extreme, although confidence intervals were wide. There was large between-study heterogeneity in each model’s calibration-in-the-large, suggesting poor calibration of the predicted overall risk across populations. In a subset of models, the net benefit of using the models to inform clinical decisions appeared small and limited to probability thresholds between 5 and 7%. Conclusions The evaluated models had modest predictive performance, with key limitations such as poor calibration (likely due to overfitting in the original development datasets), substantial heterogeneity, and small net benefit across settings. The evidence to support the use of these prediction models for pre-eclampsia in clinical decision-making is limited. Any models that we could not validate should be examined in terms of their predictive performance, net benefit, and heterogeneity across multiple UK settings before consideration for use in practice. Trial registration PROSPERO ID: CRD42015029349

Personalized ESM monitoring and feedback to support psychological treatment for depression: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial (Therap-i)

BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a highly prevalent mental disorder with large disease burden, high levels of relapse or persistence, and overall suboptimal outcomes of protocolized pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments. There is an urgent need to improve treatment effectiveness, possibly through systematic treatment personalization. In psychotherapeutic treatments this can be achieved by case conceptualization. To support this process, we developed the Therap-i module, which consists of personalized Experienced Sampling Methodology (ESM) and feedback. The Therap-i module is integrated into outpatient psychotherapeutic treatment as usual (TAU) for depression. The study aim is to investigate the efficacy of the Therap-i module in decreasing symptomatology in unresponsive or relapsing patients diagnosed with MDD. We hypothesize that the Therap-i module will contribute to TAU by i) decreasing depressive symptoms, and ii) improving general functioning, therapeutic working alliance, and illness perception. This paper provides details of the study rationale, aims, procedures, and a discussion on potential pitfalls and promises of the module. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with MDD (n = 100) will enrol in a pragmatic two-armed randomized controlled trial. Randomization is stratified according to the patient's treatment resistance level assessed with the Dutch Method for quantification of Treatment Resistance in Depression (DM-TRD). All fill-out the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self Report (IDS-SR), Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45), Illness Perception Questionnaire Mental Health (IPQ-MH), and Work Alliance Inventory Self Report (WAI-SR). In the intervention arm, through close collaboration between patient, clinician, and researcher, a personalized ESM diary is developed based on the patient's case conceptualization. During the ESM monitoring period (8 weeks, 5 assessments/day), patients receive feedback three times, which is discussed among the abovementioned three parties. Both patients and clinicians will evaluate the Therap-i module. RESULTS: Data collection is ongoing. DISCUSSION: This is the first study in which personalized ESM and feedback is integrated in outpatient psychotherapeutic TAU for depression. The labour intensive procedure and methodological pitfalls are anticipated challenges and were taken into account when designing the study. When hypotheses are confirmed, the Therap-i module may advance treatment for depression by providing insights into personalized patterns driving or perpetuating depressive complaints. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial NL7190 (NTR7381) , registered prospectively 03-08-2018

Integrating personalized experience sampling in psychotherapy: A case illustration of the Therap-i module

Background: The experience sampling methodology (ESM) is increasingly being suggested as a clinical tool in mental health care, as it offers ecologically valid, microlevel information on psychopathological processes. Patients and clinicians have recommended that applications of ESM should be personalized and integrated into the existing clinical process, but there is still much uncertainty about how implementation may look like. Objective: To provide an example of personalized ESM assessment and feedback being integrated into psychotherapy for depression, specifically looking at the collaborative use of ESM in case conceptualization. Methods: George, a 27-year-old man diagnosed with depression, and his therapist participated in the Therap-i randomized controlled trial, which investigates the efficacy of a personalized ESM module added to psychotherapy. Together, they created a personalized ESM questionnaire, aiming to capture their hypotheses and questions regarding George’s case conceptualization. George then filled out his ESM questionnaire five times per day, for 8 weeks. During this period, ESM data were discussed and interpreted by George, his therapist, and a researcher, in three feedback sessions. In these sessions, data were visualized in a flexible feedback interface that allowed for collaborative exploration of George’s data. Both patient and therapist evaluated the module through questionnaires and George also participated in a semi-structured evaluation interview. Results: George’s ESM questionnaire included personalized items on the topics of self-esteem and open versus withdrawn behavior. He completed 241 (89.3%) assessments. Discussions during the feedback sessions focused on two core themes: First, George’s low energy level, which was further explored with regard to his sleep, medication, and activity patterns. Second, his low sense of self-esteem, which led to an in-depth exploration of his thinking patterns and social interactions. The ESM module was seen as useful and insightful by both George and therapist. Conclusions: This case shows how ESM and ESM-based feedback can stimulate the collaborative exploration of the patient’s complaints, and how it can provide useful insights for treatment. We discuss how our personalized ESM module relates to current clinical principles and practices, and make suggestions for further implementation

Integrating personalized experience sampling in psychotherapy: A case illustration of the Therap-i module

BACKGROUND: The experience sampling methodology (ESM) is increasingly being suggested as a clinical tool in mental health care, as it offers ecologically valid, microlevel information on psychopathological processes. Patients and clinicians have recommended that applications of ESM should be personalized and integrated into the existing clinical process, but there is still much uncertainty about how implementation may look like. OBJECTIVE: To provide an example of personalized ESM assessment and feedback being integrated into psychotherapy for depression, specifically looking at the collaborative use of ESM in case conceptualization. METHODS: George, a 27-year-old man diagnosed with depression, and his therapist participated in the Therap-i randomized controlled trial, which investigates the efficacy of a personalized ESM module added to psychotherapy. Together, they created a personalized ESM questionnaire, aiming to capture their hypotheses and questions regarding George's case conceptualization. George then filled out his ESM questionnaire five times per day, for 8 weeks. During this period, ESM data were discussed and interpreted by George, his therapist, and a researcher, in three feedback sessions. In these sessions, data were visualized in a flexible feedback interface that allowed for collaborative exploration of George's data. Both patient and therapist evaluated the module through questionnaires and George also participated in a semi-structured evaluation interview. RESULTS: George's ESM questionnaire included personalized items on the topics of self-esteem and open versus withdrawn behavior. He completed 241 (89.3%) assessments. Discussions during the feedback sessions focused on two core themes: First, George's low energy level, which was further explored with regard to his sleep, medication, and activity patterns. Second, his low sense of self-esteem, which led to an in-depth exploration of his thinking patterns and social interactions. The ESM module was seen as useful and insightful by both George and therapist. CONCLUSIONS: This case shows how ESM and ESM-based feedback can stimulate the collaborative exploration of the patient's complaints, and how it can provide useful insights for treatment. We discuss how our personalized ESM module relates to current clinical principles and practices, and make suggestions for further implementation

Increased affective reactivity among depressed individuals can be explained by floor effects: An experience sampling study

Experience sampling studies into daily-life affective reactivity indicate that depressed individuals react more strongly to both positive and negative stimuli than non-depressed individuals, particularly on negative affect (NA). Given the different mean levels of both positive affect (PA) and NA between patients and controls, such findings may be influenced by floor/ceiling effects, leading to violations of the normality and homoscedasticity assumptions underlying the used statistical models. Affect distributions in prior studies suggest that this may have particularly influenced NA-reactivity findings. Here, we investigated the influence of floor/ceiling effects on the observed PA- and NA-reactivity to both positive and negative events. Data came from 346 depressed, non-depressed, and remitted participants from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety (NESDA). In PA-reactivity analyses, no floor/ceiling effects and assumption violations were observed, and PA-reactivity to positive events, but not negative events, was significantly increased in the depressed and remitted groups versus the non-depressed group. However, NA-scores exhibited a floor effect in the non-depressed group and naively estimated models violated model assumptions. When these violations were accounted for in subsequent analyses, group differences in NA-reactivity that had been present in the naive models were no longer observed. In conclusion, we found increased PA-reactivity to positive events but no evidence of increased NA-reactivity in depressed individuals when accounting for violations of assumptions. The results indicate that affective-reactivity results are very sensitive to modeling choices and that previously observed increased NA-reactivity in depressed individuals may (partially) reflect unaddressed assumption violations resulting from floor effects in NA