Participation

Participating in the Amethyst trial involves four online assessments with a research assistant and seven online therapy sessions with a psychologist via Zoom.

Participant Timeline - Graphic v2_edited

In this video, Emily, one of the AMETHYST clinical research interviewers, walks you through each step of the participation process.

My name is Emily, and I'm one of the clinical research interviewers on the AMETHYST trial. In this video, I'm going to walk you through what participation looks like for those who choose to take part. If you're interested in hearing more about AMETHYST, you can start by filling out an online form, and a member of the team will be in touch to check if the study is the right fit for you. Next, we'll meet with you online to discuss the study in more detail, and it really is an opportunity for you to ask any questions so you have all the information you need before deciding whether or not to take part. If you do choose to take part, you'll complete an online initial assessment, which is an opportunity for us to discuss and understand your experiences with your voices, as well as your mental health more broadly. You'll also complete a set of questionnaires, which will give us a more in-depth understanding of your experiences. After the initial assessment, you'll be randomly allocated to receive either cognitive behavioural therapy or avatar therapy across seven 50-minute sessions. These sessions will be free and delivered via telehealth by an experienced therapist, meaning that you can access therapy from your own home or a local service. After therapy, we'll check in with you again in a follow-up assessment, and then twice after that, with three months in between each assessment. The follow-up assessment will follow a similar structure to your initial assessment and are a way of capturing how the therapies we are trialling work over time. To learn more or register interest, visit voicestherapy.com.

What does it involve?

You will be participating in a type of research called a randomised controlled trial. This is used when we do not yet know which treatment is best.

Half the people taking part will receive avatar therapy, and half will receive standard therapy. The type of therapy each person receives will be determined by chance (random).

The therapy you receive will be with an experienced psychologist. You will receive seven 50-minute therapy sessions.

Everyone will complete assessments before and after therapy. These will be done with a researcher who does not know which therapy you have received. Then we will compare the results. This research design helps researchers interpret results fairly. It prevents them from jumping to conclusions.

Does it cost anything to participate?

It is free to participate in the trial. Therapy sessions are provided at no cost. You will be reimbursed $50 for each research assessment as a thank you for your time and contribution to the research.

Where is the trial recruiting?

The trial is recruiting across Australia and New Zealand. All the research assessments and the therapy sessions will be conducted online via videoconferencing (Zoom).

Participation

Participating in the Amethyst trial involves four online assessments with a research assistant and seven online therapy sessions with a psychologist via Zoom.

Questions?