What you need to know:
– Wysa, a leading digital mental health platform provider, has been selected as a subrecipient of a $3.4 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
– This four-year project, led by Washington University in St. Louis and Duke University as another co-awardee, will develop personalized pathways for individuals managing mental health conditions along with chronic pain. The purpose is that.
Just-in-time adaptive intervention (JITAI): customized support when you need it most
This project focuses on creating “Just-in-Time Adaptive Interventions” (JITAI). These interventions use technology to provide mental health support such as:
- Even more effective: Tailor support to the individual’s specific needs and current emotional state.
- Timely: Providing interventions at precise moments has the best chance of being beneficial.
In the context of Wysa’s platform, JITAI translates into personalized support for chronic pain management that takes into account each user’s unique situation and mental health concerns.
Build, test, and measure success
The NIH grant will fund the development and testing of JITAI within the Wysa platform, led by researchers at the University of Washington. The project includes several important stages.
- User research and design: Interviews and tests help develop effective JITAI.
- Prototype development and testing: Researchers prototype and test JITAI within Wysa.
- Product deployment and public availability: Eventually, the refined JITAI will be integrated into Wysa and made available to the public.
- Measurement of effectiveness: Researchers plan to evaluate the impact of JITAI on treatment outcomes for chronic pain, depression, and anxiety.
Build on existing successes
This project leverages previous research conducted by the University of Washington and published in JMIR. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of her Wysa in supporting individuals with chronic pain. This new grant represents continued efforts to close the gap in behavioral health support for chronic pain patients and further personalize the digital mental health experience.
“By implementing JITAI, we believe we can help Washington University, and ultimately other healthcare providers, go one step further in personalizing care to address the specific needs of individuals,” said Chaitali Sinha, senior vice president of healthcare and clinical development at Wysa. “Whether it’s using the right tool at the right time or simply offering encouragement in a seemingly vulnerable moment, these interventions have the potential to modernize the digital mental health experience and improve patient outcomes.”
