MOST's digital mental health service evolved from a research project that started more than a decade ago.
As MOST has changed and adapted to meet the needs of its users, research has continued to play an important part in its design and development.
To date, MOST has conducted 15 pilot studies, 7 major clinical trials and 4 large trials that were funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Orygen Digital, the creators of MOST constantly analyse research results and use those insights to shape the latest evidence-based mental health support.
Why's this important for MOST?
Clinicians who use MOST to support young people experiencing mental ill-health need to know that the digital therapy service is based on evidence. Just as importantly, young people using MOST also deserve reassurance that the tools they rely on for help are tested, proven, safe and effective.
Some of our research includes:
- The Horyzons Project (2021). This study was the first randomised controlled trial to demonstrate that a digital intervention (MOST) was effective in improving vocational recovery or job prospects and educational attainment – core components of social recovery. The trial also demonstrated that MOST reduced the need for young people to use emergency services in early psychosis.
- In a 2020 study, a pilot evaluation of MOST found it to be a feasible, acceptable and safe online clinical service for young people with mental ill-health. The study identified significant improvements in levels of psychological distress, perceived stress, psychological wellbeing, depression, loneliness, social support and self-competence.
- In 2013, HORYZONS, the first study of an online intervention and its effectiveness in promoting recovery in early psychosis was tested. The one-month pilot study revealed that HORYZONS was engaging and safe and may foster social connectedness and empowerment in first episode psychosis.
Today, Orygen Digital continues to support a robust and rigorous research program and shares the organisation’s research findings nationally and internationally. The goal of the research is simple – to ensure MOST has impact and that young people experiencing mental ill-health receive the right help at the right time.
“Everyone at Orygen Digital has this shared sense of purpose around what we’re doing and around the potential for meaningful change. MOST is an example of an evidence-based product that has crossed the research translation gap and made it out into the real world.”
Dr Simon Baker, Research and Evaluation Manager, Orygen Digital
Our Publications
The following papers and publications have been instrumental in MOST’s development, evaluation and evolution. A full list of publications can be found at the bottom of this page.
“That's how we make progress in science…by incrementally letting the world know our experiences of our trials and the evidence we’ve gathered so everyone can build on it…”
Dr Jen Nicholas, Research Fellow, Orygen Digital