DEVELOPMENT OF A VIDEO TO TEACH THE LIFESKILLS WORKSHOP

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This revised Phase II SBIR application proposes research and development related to NIMH research topic #l22B - "Development of effective videotape services aimed at mental disorder prevention and mental health promotion." The long term objective of this research is to develop a videotape - the "Williams LifeSkills Video" - that will enable both patients and wellness seekers to reduce psychosocial risk factors (depression, anxiety, hostility, and social isolation) that prior research has shown to be not only distressing in themselves but also to hasten the onset and worsen the prognosis of life-threatening medical illnesses. In our Phase I research, we developed and demonstrated feasibility of a prototype module of this video that presents the basics of one of the eight LifeSkills, Assertion. In this application for a Phase II award, we propose to develop and produce the complete 11-module Williams LifeSkills video and evaluate its effectiveness in reducing psychosocial risk factors and improving the ability to cope with real life stress as indexed by the biomarkers salivary cortisol and resting blood pressure and heart rate. Toward this end, we will conduct a randomized trial in which community volunteers with an elevation of at least one psychosocial risk factor are randomized to one of four groups: l) Wait List control (N=50); 2) Video Only (N=50); 3) LifeSkills Workshop Only (N=7l); or 4) LifeSkills Workshop plus Video (N=71). Psychosocial risk factors and biomarkers will be assessed prior to 3-week intervention or wait list periods, immediately afterwards, and at two and six month follow-up. We predict the Video alone and both Workshop conditions will be superior to Wait List in reducing psychosocial risk factors acutely and during the follow-up period, and that the Workshop plus Video will be superior to Workshop Only in maintenance of benefits at six-month follow-up. Successful completion of this research program will result in technological innovation that enables health care providers and prevention programs to deliver - in standardized, reproducible and cost-effective manner - manualized training that reduces psychosocial risk factors and improves mental health and ability to cope with stress. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: 1. Demand management for high utilizers of medical care in HMOs, estimated at 5 million patients with potential annual savings of $5 billion. 2. Corporate wellness/prevention programs with potential market composed of hundreds of corporations in the U.S. and worldwide and government agencies (where we already have two contracts).