Return to Research Areas at ORI
More and more Americans are seeking health advice over the Internet. This source of health information has enormous potential for helping millions of people.
The explosive growth of the Internet and its ability to reach millions of people has provided important new opportunities for delivering programs that promote healthy behaviors. ORI researchers have been at the forefront of this field for over a decade and have adapted several proven interventions for use on the Internet. These include programs for tobacco cessation, diabetes management, parent training, and alleviating symptoms of depression. ORI’s researchers continually refine and adapt their programs to keep pace with the rapid technological advances in computers and interactive technology.
Current Grants
Depressed Mothers in Rural Areas: Web-Facilitated Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (Mom-Net RCT)
The proposed Internet-delivered CBT intervention is a means to overcome barriers to service utilization and provide relief to mothers of young children displaying elevated depressive symptoms, a significant and growing public health concern.
Principal Investigator: Lisa Sheeber
Co-Investigators: Betsy Davis, Ed Feil, John Seeley, Pete Lewinsohn
Project Period: 8/15/11 - 4/30/16
National Institute of Mental Health
Web and Phone Intervention to Maintain Postpartum Tobacco Abstinence (StayQuit)
This research study will contribute to our knowledge regarding using the Internet to broadly deliver effective smoking relapse prevention interventions targeted to the large, underserved population of postpartum women.
Principal Investigator: Brian Danaher
Co-Investigators: John Seeley & Ed Lichtenstein
Project Period: 6/9/11 - 5/31/14
National Cancer Institute
Internet-Based Fidelity Enhancement of Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (Super Tech II)
This STTR Phase II project will create and test use of the Internet for use with the Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care program for antisocial youth.
Principal Investigator: Ed Feil
Co-Investigator: Betsy Davis
Project Period: 10/1/10 - 9/30/12
Subcontract with TFC Consultants, Inc., from the National Institute of Mental Health
Web-Based Parenting Intervention for Mothers of Infants At-Risk for Maltreatment (Baby-Net)
Investigators are developing an Internet-based parent education intervention to promote the social-emotional development and communication skills of infants to decrease the chances of child maltreatment for young children from low-income families.
More information can be found on our InfantNet Grants Information page.Principal Investigators: Ed Feil & Kathleen Baggett (University of Kansas)
Co-Investigators: Betsy Davis, Lisa Sheeber, Susan Landry (University of Texas)
Project Period: 9/28/10 - 7/31/14
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Web-Based Professional Development Program for Child Care Providers (CCP Web)
Feil and colleagues are developing an Internet-based professional development program for caregivers of infants. The program will promote positive caregiving skills to improve caregiver interactions with typically developing infants.
More information can be found on our InfantNet Grants Information page.Principal Investigator: Ed Feil
Co-Investigator: Betsy Davis
Project Period: 8/1/10 - 7/31/12
Subcontract with the University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc., from the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
An Internet-Based Evaluation System for Postacute Acquired Brain Injury (MPAI)
Investigators are developing a national database for an assessment and outcome measure for post-acute acquired brain injury.
Principal Investigator: Brian Danaher
Co-Investigator: John Seeley
Project Period: 5/1/10 - 7/31/11
Subcontract with Inventive Software Solutions, Inc. from National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Expanding the Reach of Evidence-Based Interventions for Improving Social-Emotional Outcomes for Infants in Child Care (Infant Teacher Net)
Scientists are adapting an empirically-based program for parents of infants for use with teachers of infants with and at-risk for disabilities. The program will focus on improving responsive teacher interaction with infants to promote social-emotional outcomes for infants with a diverse set of learning needs. The project will compare effectiveness for infants at-risk for/with disabilities to that of typically developing infants.
More information can be found on our InfantNet Grants Information page.Principal Investigator: Ed Feil
Co-Investigators: Betsy Davis & Julie Rusby
Project Period: 3/1/10 - 2/28/13
Subcontract with University of Kansas, Center for Research, Inc. from the U.S. Department of Education
Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Women with Postpartum Depression (Web-PPD)
The investigators are testing the efficacy of a web-based cognitive behavioral post- partum depression treatment in terms of reducing depressive symptoms at a 6 week post-test and a 3 month follow-up.
Principal Investigators: Brian Danaher (ORI); Jeannette Milgrom (University of Melbourne), & Scott Stuart (University of Iowa)
Co-Investigators: John Seeley, Pete Lewinsohn
Project Period: 7/2/09 - 3/31/12
National Institute of Mental Health
Improving Access to Early Parent Education and Support (Parent IVES II)
Metzler and her team are developing and evaluating an interactive video email service for parents of infants and toddlers that integrates automated email, video streaming, and interactive website technologies to deliver frequent, ongoing parent education and support services to parents of young children.
Principal Investigator: Carol Metzler
Co-Investigators: John Seeley & Laura Backen Jones
Project Period: 7/1/09 - 12/31/11
Subcontract with IRIS Media from the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development
Online School Staff Training: Establishing Positive Behavior Support in Elementary School Instructional Settings (Online PBS)
Smolkowski and colleagues are developing and field testing three modules of an online professional development program for elementary school staff on how to apply positive behavior supports (PBS) in order to manage behavior in elementary school instructional settings.
Principal Investigator: Keith Smolkowski
Co-Investigators: Hill Walker & Barbara Gunn
Project Period: 6/1/09 - 5/31/12
Subcontract with IRIS Media from IES/U.S. Department of Education
Preventing Youth Depression: A Multimedia Internet-Based Parent Program (Home Dep)
Scientists are developing and evaluating an interactive multimedia cognitive-behavioral and parent training program for preventing depression in high-risk children.
Principal Investigator: John Seeley
Project Period: 6/1/09 - 11/30/11
Subcontract with Oregon Center for Applied Science from the National Institute of Mental HealthOnline Parent Training for Children with Behavior Disorders (Parenting Wisely)
The Parenting Wisely parenting skills CD ROM will be revised to increase its appeal and effectiveness by increasing the relevance and diversity of parenting examples.
Principal Investigator: Ed Feil
Co-Investigators: Holly Waldron, Laura Backen Jones, John Seeley
Project Period: 4/1/09 - 12/31/10
Subcontract (SBIR) with Family Works from the National Institute on Drug Abuse
A Multimedia Depression Amelioration Program for Family Dementia Caregivers (Caregiver Dep)
Investigators are developing and evaluating an interactive multimedia intervention designed to reduce depressive symtomatology and prevent depressive disorders among at-risk family caregivers of older adults with dementia.
Principal Investigator: John Seeley
Project Period: 8/1/08 - 10/31/10
Subcontract (SBIR) with ORCAS, Inc. from National Institute on Aging
Online Teacher Training: Promoting Student Social Competence to Improve Academic and Behavioral Outcomes in Grades K-3 (Online RTI)
Investigators are developing an interactive, multimedia, state-of-the-art professional development program using the Response to Intervention (RtI) model in the classroom.
Principal Investigator: Keith Smolkowski
Co-Investigators: Hill Walker, Barbara Gunn
Project Period: 7/1/08 - 6/30/11
Subcontract with IRIS Media, Inc. from the U. S. Department of Education
Enhancing Partner Support to Motivate Smokeless Tobacco Users to Quit via the Web (Partner ST)
Investigators are studying ways to enlist and enhance the natural support of a spouse or domestic partnter to increase the engagement and success of smokeless tobacco users in cessation programs, in the context of an effective web-based smokeless tobacco intervention.
Principal Investigator: Judith Gordon
Co-Investigators: Laura Akers, Judy Andrews, Herb Severson, Ed Lichtenstein
Project Period: 6/1/08 - 5/31/11
National Cancer Institute
Effectiveness of a Web-Assisted Quitline for Smokeless Tobacco Users (ChewFree II)
Investigators are testing the effectiveness of combining an interactive web-based smokeless tobacco cessation intervention with the California Tobacco Chewers' Helpline, and will perform an economic analysis to evaluate the relative cost effectiveness of these programs.
Principal Investigator: Herb Severson
Co-Investigators: Brian Danaher, Judy Andrews, Judith Gordon, Ed LichtensteinProject Period: 5/8/08 - 2/29/12
National Cancer Institute
WeBREATHe: Web-Based Respiratory Education about Tobacco and Health (WeBREATHe)
To continue development and testing of an interactive Internet-based program, "Web Respiratory Education About Tobacco and Health (WebREATHe)," to train pediatric nurses and respiratory therapists to provide brief, hospital-based tobacco cessation interventions to patients' families.
Principal Investigator: Judith GordonCo-Investigator: Judy Andrews
Project Period: 4/15/08 - 2/29/11
STTR Subcontract Phase II with Intervision to National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
A Multimedia Program to Improve Antidepressant Adherence and Prevent Relapse (Dep Relapse)
Researchers are examining how to improve antidepressant medication adherence and prevent relapse by combining it with cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Principal Investigator: John Seeley
Project Period: 8/1/07 - 10/31/10
Subcontract with ORCAS, Inc. from National Institute of Mental Health
Interactive Internet Intervention for Depressed Mothers (Dep Net)
Researchers are adapting an empirically supported cognitive behavioral therapy intervention for depression to an Internet/DVD hybrid delivery system, with content particularly relevant to mothers of young children.
Principal Investigator: Lisa Sheeber
Co-Investigators: Betsy Davis, Ed Feil, John Seeley, & Peter Lewinsohn
Project Period: 9/1/06 - 6/30/11
National Institute of Mental Health
QuitSpit: An Internet-Based ST Cessation Program for Teens (QuitSpit)
A randomized controlled trial to develop and evaluate an online smokeless tobacco cessation program targeted to teens and young adults.
Principal Investigators: Herbert H. Severson & Brian G. Danaher
Co-Investigators: Judy A. Andrews, Edward Lichtenstein
Project Period: 8/10/06 - 5/31/11
National Cancer Institute
Intranet-based Tobacco Prevention Program for Children (Intranet/CAPS)
The purpose of this project is to develop and evaluate a multi-media computer-based tobacco prevention program for children and to prevent or delay onset of children’s tobacco use and to modify intentions and willingness to try tobacco in the future. Principal Investigator: Judy Andrews
Co-Investigators: Judith Gordon, Sarah Hampson, Herb Severson, Paul Slovic
Project Period: 3/1/04 - 1/31/12
National Cancer Institute