Mindfulness Virtual Community
Team
Canada: Christo El Morr (NPI), Farah Ahmed (PI), Paul Ritvo (PI)
MVC Team (alphabetically):Sahir Abbas, BSc; Iqra Ashfaq, MSc; Yvonne Bohr, PhD; Manuela Ferrari, PhD; Wai Lun Alan Fung MD, ScD, FRCPC; Louise Hartley, PhD; Catherine Maule, MSc; Amin Mawani, PhD; Kwame McKenzie, MD, FRCPC; and Jan E. Odai, BA.
Innovation IT Partner: Courtney Cole (ForAHealthyMe.com)
MVC Team (alphabetically):Sahir Abbas, BSc; Iqra Ashfaq, MSc; Yvonne Bohr, PhD; Manuela Ferrari, PhD; Wai Lun Alan Fung MD, ScD, FRCPC; Louise Hartley, PhD; Catherine Maule, MSc; Amin Mawani, PhD; Kwame McKenzie, MD, FRCPC; and Jan E. Odai, BA.
Innovation IT Partner: Courtney Cole (ForAHealthyMe.com)
Project
Project Description
The Mindfulness Virtual Community (MVC) project explores the integration of mindfulness practices with web-based technologies to improve mental health and quality of life. Through innovative interventions, the project focuses on reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, particularly among university students. Utilizing a web-based platform, MVC provides an inclusive and accessible space for individuals to engage in mindfulness practices and connect with peers in a supportive community.
Objectives
The Mindfulness Virtual Community (MVC) project explores the integration of mindfulness practices with web-based technologies to improve mental health and quality of life. Through innovative interventions, the project focuses on reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, particularly among university students. Utilizing a web-based platform, MVC provides an inclusive and accessible space for individuals to engage in mindfulness practices and connect with peers in a supportive community.
Objectives
- Evaluate Mental Health Outcomes: Assess the impact of an eight-week web-based mindfulness intervention on stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms.
- Enhance Quality of Life: Improve overall well-being and mental health among undergraduate students.
- Leverage Technology: Use web-based platforms to deliver mindfulness interventions effectively and inclusively.
- Advance Predictive Analytics: Utilize machine learning models to predict intervention effectiveness and tailor mindfulness practices to individual needs.
- Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs): Conduct trials to evaluate the effectiveness of web-based mindfulness interventions on mental health.
- Focus Group Studies: Analyze user needs and features to design a student-centered virtual community.
- Machine Learning: Develop models to predict the impact of mindfulness interventions based on user characteristics.
- Digital Platform Development: Create an interactive and user-friendly platform for mindfulness practice and peer support.
Publications
Articles
El Morr, C., Maule, C., Ashfaq, I., Ritvo, P., & Ahmad, F. (2017). A Student-Centered Mental Health Virtual Community Needs and Features: A Focus Group Study. Stud Health Technol Inform, 234, 104-108. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28186024
- El Morr, C., Tavangar, F., Ahmad, F., Ritvo, P., & MVC Team. (2024). Predicting the Effectiveness of a Mindfulness Virtual Community Intervention for University Students: Machine Learning Model. Interact J Med Res, 13, e50982. https://doi.org/10.2196/50982
- Ahmad, F., El Morr, C., Ritvo, P., & MVC Team. (2023). Examining the impact of web-based mindfulness on undergraduate student’s quality of life: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Digital Health, 1(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1186/s44247-023-00023-2
- Ritvo, P., Ahmad, F., El Morr, C., Pirbaglou, M., Moineddin, R., & MVC Team. (2021). A Mindfulness-Based Intervention for Student Depression, Anxiety, and Stress: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Ment Health, 8(1), e23491. https://doi.org/10.2196/23491
- Ahmad, F., El Morr, C., Ritvo, P., Othman, N., Moineddin, R., & MVC Team. (2020). An Eight-Week, Web-Based Mindfulness Virtual Community Intervention for Students' Mental Health: Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Ment Health, 7(2), e15520. https://doi.org/10.2196/15520
- El Morr, C., Maule, C., Ashfaq, I., Ritvo, P., & Ahmad, F. (2020). Design of a Mindfulness Virtual Community: A focus-group analysis. Health Informatics J, 26(3), 1560-1576. https://doi.org/10.1177/1460458219884840
- El Morr, C., Ritvo, P., Ahmad, F., Moineddin, R., & MVC Team. (2020). Effectiveness of an 8-Week Web-Based Mindfulness Virtual Community Intervention for University Students on Symptoms of Stress, Anxiety, and Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial [Original Paper]. JMIR Ment Health, 7(7), e18595. https://doi.org/10.2196/18595
- Othman, N., Ahmad, F., El Morr, C., & Ritvo, P. (2019). Perceived impact of contextual determinants on depression, anxiety and stress: a survey with university students. Int J Ment Health Syst, 13(1), 17. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-019-0275-x
El Morr, C., Maule, C., Ashfaq, I., Ritvo, P., & Ahmad, F. (2017). A Student-Centered Mental Health Virtual Community Needs and Features: A Focus Group Study. Stud Health Technol Inform, 234, 104-108. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28186024