Dr Imo Bell

A Virtual Reality–Based Cognitive Defusion Application for Youth Depression and Anxiety: Mixed Methods Experimental Study Background: Third-wave psychological treatments such as acceptance and commitment therapy can be effective for improving depression and anxiety in youth. However, third-wave therapeutic techniques suc...

Check out our mixed methods experimental study examining a novel third wave virtual reality treatment for youth depression & anxiety. Lots of exciting developments for this therapy recently including a refined application & a hybrid trial in services. Watch this space. mental.jmir.org/2025/1/e70160

Our latest publication exploring the value of virtual worlds for supporting youth mental health care. These digital platforms have unique affordances that could boost access, quality and effectiveness for youth people, though caveats remain. www.mdpi.com/2813-2084/4/...

It is live!! the CREW website including information on Cognitive Remediation best practice from programmes around the world is now available online www.cognitiveremediation.info well done to all involved #cognitiveremediation

Any Australian researchers know when ANZCRT trial registry will be back up and running? We have a trial needing to start ASAP and the website being down is preventing me from addressing final minor queries.

School phone policies and their association with mental wellbeing, phone use, and social media use (SMART Schools): a cross-sectional observational study There is no evidence that restrictive school policies are associated with overall phone and social media use or better mental wellbeing in adolescents. The findings do not provide evidence to support ...

“There is no evidence that restrictive school policies are associated with overall phone and social media use or better mental wellbeing in adolescents.” - new Lancet paper finds www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

Yes according to the transdiagnostic theory depression and anxiety may have different profiles of symptoms but they tend to co-occur so likely have common underlying drivers, repetitive negative thinking being a major ones. This makes it an important treatment target to improve both conditions.

If you DM me I can send you the PDF 😊

Repetitive negative thinking as a transdiagnostic cognitive process - Nature Reviews Psychology Transdiagnostic approaches to psychopathology are expected to overcome the assessment and treatment limitations of categorical diagnoses. In this Review, Moulds and McEvoy conceptualize repetitive neg...

Repetitive negative thinking as a transdiagnostic cognitive process

www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Though it does appear on the basis of these findings that some components might be more effective than others, at least in the short term. Which bits work best for whom is my next question.

Interesting study exploring active ingredients of #iCBT w factorial design - exposure and psychoed more effective than cog restructuring and attention training (at post but not FU). karger.com/pps/article-...

I feel very strongly we need a high level, regulation focused solution to funding open access publishing. A system in desperate need of disruption.

Does Therapy Really Work? Let’s Unpack That. (Published 2023) Research shows that counseling delivers great benefits to many people. But it’s hard to say exactly what that means for you.

Great critical analysis of the state of psychotherapy research by @nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2023/05/16/m...

Methodological Challenges in Randomized Controlled Trials of mHealth Interventions: Cross-Sectional Survey Study and Consensus-Based Recommendations Background: Mobile health (mHealth) refers to using mobile communication devices such as smartphones to support health, health care, and public health. mHealth interventions have their own nature and ...

Some good reading for the new year! www.jmir.org/2024/1/e53187

The DID-guide: A guide to developing digital mental health interventions The opportunities technology offers for improving mental health have led to a surge in digital interventions. A pivotal step in the development of suc…

Really liking the simplicity of this guide for developing digital interventions - Digital Intervention Development Guide (DID-guide) - by Mertens & Van Gelder.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

“Doing therapy your own way” - some great insights …

A Personalized, Transdiagnostic Smartphone App (Mello) Targeting Repetitive Negative Thinking for Depression and Anxiety: Qualitative Analysis of Young People’s Experience Background: The increasing rates of mental health challenges among young people highlight an urgent need for accessible and effective treatment. However, current mental health systems face unprecedent...

I’m pleased to share this qualitative study of young people’s experience of Mello, an app for repetitive negative thinking. Fascinating insight into how difficult it is to overcome this thinking process as it’s happening, and the importance of accessible supports. www.jmir.org/2024/1/e63732/

I’m hopeful it takes off! Apparently averaging something like a million new users a day so seems people are making the switch en masse.

Does anyone know if Altmetric captures @bsky.app yet?

Would love to be added please! Thanks so much

Poster annoucing call for abstracts for ISRII

Digital Health people: International Society for Research on Internet Interventions (ISRII) 2025 conference astracts now open!
Join us in sunny San Diego for all things #digitaheatlh #digitaltheraputics #mHealth #CCBT #HCI #behavioralheatlh
isrii.org/isrii-13th-s...

Why Kennedy Sees an ‘Epidemic’ of Chronic Disease Among Children Trends in child health are in fact worrisome, and scientists welcome a renewed focus on foods and environmental toxins. But vaccines and fluoride are not the cause.

Yes, there is a child health crisis in America. #medsky

It is not caused by vaccines or fluoride.

It *is* caused by:

- Poverty
- Inequity
- Lack of insurance
- Poor access
- Food insecurity
- Underfunded public health
- Insufficient mental health care
- Etc. etc.

www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/h...

Download our database of 313 different postdoctoral fellowships.

For each entry, we provide link to funder, description, amount, deadline, and eligibility criteria (e.g. citizenship).

Download our database here: research.jhu.edu/rdt/funding-...

JAMA is an international peer-reviewed general medical journal now on BlueSky

Welcome to BlueSky @jamacurrent.bsky.social !!

Looking forward to seeing old friends & new at #AHA24 #CardioSky #MedSky

Use of AI in Mental Health Care: Community and Mental Health Professionals Survey Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) has been increasingly recognised as a potential solution to address mental health service challenges by automating tasks and providing new forms of support. Ob...

Our recently published national survey of public #AI use for #MentalHealth in Australia:

⭐️ 1/3 of public used AI for MH support
⭐️ 40% of clinicians used AI in practice
⭐️ 77% of public and 92% found it beneficial
⭐️ half had experienced risks or harms

Read here - mental.jmir.org/2024/1/e60589

My work focuses on using innovative tech like AI, apps & VR to help young ppl w mental illhealth. I spoke w Prof Kim Bullock at Stanford for her Psychiatry XR podcast to discuss the #VR and #YouthMentalHealth field, & my research career path to Orygen Digital www.psychiatryxr.com/imogenb

S4E7 | Breaking the cycle of stuck thinking with Mello | eMHprac | E-Mental Health in Practice “Clinicians out there are in need of tools they can use like this to really bridge that gap between what they talk about with young people in sessions and what they would like them to do in everyday l...

A big part of my work is on an app called Mello which I designed, developed and evaluated for young people struggling with worry/rumination. It’s free to download in Australia, evidence based, & built w youth. Check out this post cast I did w eMHprac to learn more! www.emhprac.org.au/resource/s4e7/

I’ll be chatting to Damian Moratti from Liminal VR on all things #VR and #MentalHealth for this Linkdin event on Friday 22 Nov 3pm AEST. Check it out to hear how I’ve approached VR intervention design and development in close collaboration with young people. www.linkedin.com/video/event/...

Let’s hope this place will be better for humanity 🙏

Our chair @aldersonday.bsky.social was quoted in this Guardian Long Read on AVATAR old and new.

Congratulations to #ICHR members Tom Craig, Tom Ward, Amy Hardy & @mruscalafell.bsky.social! Amazing work