Participants were recruited using a worldwide Google AdWords campaign. This report focuses on the first year of recruitment (12/09/2009 to 12/08/2010). Searching for keyword terms such as “depression symptoms”, “sad mood”, or “am I depressed” triggered one of several ads for a “Free Online Depression Screener.” Those clicking on the ad were taken to the landing page of the research website (https://ihrc.ucsf.edu/Collector/Survey.ashx?Name=Mood_Screener_Survey_1 ). The landing page informed them that the screener is part of a research study, and provided information about the limits to their confidentiality. Participants then provided their age to determine eligibility, as well as race and gender. Beginning in mid-April 2010, eligible participants were presented an “honesty question” in addition to the existing MDE screener, to explore if the high rates of depression and suicide attempts in our sample were due to participants’ spurious responses. The question asked whether the participants’ responses are “accurate”, or whether they are simply “testing the site.” Upon completing the “Current” MDE Screener, participants were offered personalized feedback on the results. The feedback contained a brief explanation of the individuals’ symptom level. Participants indicating a high symptom level (5+ symptoms) or meeting Criterion C were prompted to consult with a mental health professional, if one is available. Participants who were suicidal (wanting to die, thinking about death, or making a suicide attempt) were offered additional feedback expressing concern, and urging them to immediately seek help by consulting with their provider or going to a hospital. Additionally, all pages contained a link to befrienders.org, an international and multilingual online database of suicide hotlines.
Participants were then offered the opportunity to participate in a monthly rescreening study. Interested participants provided their email address (to enable future contact and to prevent multiple participation) and signed consent. Consenting participants provided additional demographic information as described above, completed the “Lifetime” portion of the MDE screener, and were, once again, presented individualized feedback based on their responses to the screener. These participants were emailed monthly invitations to re-screen their mood. The data presented herein is limited to the initial screening and excludes the monthly follow-ups, as they are not yet available for this sample.
Participants were then offered the opportunity to participate in a monthly rescreening study. Interested participants provided their email address (to enable future contact and to prevent multiple participation) and signed consent. Consenting participants provided additional demographic information as described above, completed the “Lifetime” portion of the MDE screener, and were, once again, presented individualized feedback based on their responses to the screener. These participants were emailed monthly invitations to re-screen their mood. The data presented herein is limited to the initial screening and excludes the monthly follow-ups, as they are not yet available for this sample.
