Talkspace Research | Clinical Studies in Behavioral Health

Research with proven outcomes

Talkspace is committed to advancing the research behind delivering the highest quality mental health care. Our scientific findings have been published in numerous journals, and we’re grateful to have received four National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants to further conduct our research.

20+ published studies with proven outcomes
4 NIHgrants awarded
25prestigious research partners

Large scale real-world evidence

Asynchronous “text therapy” highly effective for frontline healthcare workers at onset of COVID-19 pandemic.

Researchers from Talkspace, New York University Grossman School of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, and Cornell University’s Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science found 56% of a sample of front line healthcare workers (N= 1,873) reported clinically significant improvements in their anxiety and depression symptoms after just one month of treatment.

Significant improvement of symptoms

Coming soon

Illustration of a person walking in the rain with an umbrella

Find out what employees are saying about workplace stress

Learn More

More research from Talkspace

Jama network open

Mental Health Counseling from Conversational Content with Transformer-Based Machine Learning

Researchers used machine learning to evaluate 20+ million de-identified messages between therapists and their clients.
Significant correlations were found between therapist interventions and length of treatment, client satisfaction, and symptom improvement that help to better define therapist quality.

Zac E. Imel, PhD; Michael J. Tanana, PhD; Et al.

Mental Health Counseling from Conversational Content with Transformer-Based Machine Learning

Current research

Message-based psychotherapy and digital treatment sequences for depression

Currently conducting the first randomized control trial (RCT) comparing daily messaging to weekly live video sessions (traditional telehealth).
The study aims to establish the efficacy of messaging therapy and to develop methods for stepping care up or down depending on member response.
The pilot study showed significant symptom improvement for depression and anxiety in regard to daily messaging/texting and weekly live video.

Let’s collaborate

We’re devoted to pursuing research on the cutting edge of virtual behavioral healthcare. If you’re a scientist, therapist, or psychiatrist interested in learning more about a research study, please contact us at press@talkspace.com.

“Validating new forms of care is critical for any healthcare organization and we’re grateful to our many research partners over nearly 9 years who’ve helped replicate the finding that choosing messaging therapy does not require a sacrifice in clinical outcome and that digital services are a legitimate form of care.”

Derrick Hull, PhD

Research Director at Talkspace

Have questions? See Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions?
‍See Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions

Why is research important in therapy?

Research is important for establishing the efficacy of a form of treatment, providing scientific evidence that therapy can deliver positive outcomes for people struggling with a variety of issues. This evidence is critical for building trust in treatment and demonstrating its long-term value and viability.
‍

How does Talkspace use their research?

Talkspace uses research to ensure the validity of its therapeutic services and treatment methods. In addition, Talkspace uses research to inform innovative ways to protect client safety, enhance the effectiveness of specific therapies, and understand the mechanisms of change for therapy generally. Talkspace always aims to be at the cutting edge of the latest treatment options, while also ensuring that all offered treatments are as effective as they can be.
‍

Does Talkspace have their own research?

Yes, Talkspace conducts its own research internally, with research partners, and through the support of federal funding agencies like the National Institutes of Health. This research is designed to establish the field of digital mental health and to explore the utility of digital care in three areas: 1) Clinical Effectiveness, 2) Improving Access, and 3) Developing Novel Therapy Tools to Improve Care.
‍

How can I join a Talkspace research study?

You may be offered the opportunity to participate in these studies. If your protected health information will be disclosed as part of these studies, your information will only be included with your written authorization. You will be asked to review and accept terms and enrollment separately from the information included in this Policy. Information from these studies may be published by third parties including through various media platforms/academic journals.
‍

The research behind Talkspace