Title: From Single-Session Interventions to Scalable Mental Health Support
Abstract: Primary care services are increasingly expected to address a broad range of mental health needs, yet many young adults do not receive timely or accessible support. Closing this gap requires approaches that are not only effective, but also scalable, low-intensity, and deliverable without adding burden to an already stretched workforce.
This talk will present a programme of research focused on the development and evaluation of brief, digital single-session interventions (SSIs) designed to provide immediate, evidence-based psychological support. Drawing on work from the NIHR-funded Bath Mental Health Research Group, I will outline the rationale for SSIs, including the ongoing Action Brings Change (ABC-UK) randomised controlled trial targeting depressive symptoms in young adults using a behavioural activation (BA) approach.
I will then explore emerging, more exploratory avenues that build on this single-session model. This includes extending SSIs to target key, modifiable drivers of mental health difficulties, such as problematic social media use, alongside early co-development work using generative AI to support the delivery of BA. These approaches aim to enhance personalisation while retaining the simplicity and scalability required for real-world delivery.
Bio: Dr Jeff Lambert is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Health Psychology in the Department for Health at the University of Bath. His research focuses on the development and evaluation of digital and behavioural interventions to improve mental health, particularly among young people and those experiencing depressive symptoms. He has a particular interest in scalable, low-intensity approaches, including behavioural activation and single-session interventions.
Jeff is a Work Package Lead and Co-Investigator on the £10.7 million NIHR-funded Bath Mental Health Research Group, where he leads a programme of work developing brief digital interventions for youth mental health. His research spans randomised controlled trials, process evaluations, and co-designed interventions, with a growing focus on the use of AI to support behaviour change and mental health at scale.