Can a computer decide the best therapy for you? new study aims to find out
NCT ID NCT05591937
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study enrolls 1,000 community college students aged 18-40 who have depression or anxiety. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two decision-making methods that determine their level of care: self-guided online prevention, coach-guided online therapy, or clinician-delivered care. The goal is to see which method better matches people to the right treatment and improves adherence and symptoms over 40 weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- behavioral interventions (online self-help and coach-guided therapy)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide a practical way to efficiently match people with mental health care based on their needs, improving access and outcomes.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-stage study focused on testing decision-making algorithms, not a treatment itself. Results may not apply to other populations or settings.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 1,000 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Aug 2022
- Expected to finish
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Apr 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 to 40 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Currently enrolled in the East Los Angeles College * Either uninsured or covered by California Medicaid * Own or have private access to internet to complete the assessments and online prevention and therapy programs Exclusion Criteria: * Unable to fully comprehend the consent form, respond adequately to screening questions, or maintain focus or to sit still during assessment * Diagnosed with disorders requiring more specialized care (e.g., psychotic disorder, severe eating disorder, severe substance use disorder, severe neurological disorder), or marked cognitive impairment * Currently treated by psychiatrist or psychologist during timeframe that the treatment is offered through STAND and is unwilling to fully transfer care to STAND
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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East Los Angeles College
RECRUITINGLos Angeles, California, 91754, United States
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