CYBERABILITY: Piloting the Smooth Sailing After Scams adjustment program

The program consists of ten weekly group or individual therapy sessions of approximately 60 minutes. The sessions are delivered by allied health clinicians (i.e., clinical neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, provisional psychologists under supervision, occupational therapists, speech therapists). People with lived experience will co-facilitate up to four sessions where required. Participants have the choice of attending sessions via videoconference or in person. Therapists will follow a structured treatment manual, whilst adopting a person-driven approach. This treatment manual was extensively co-designed with cyberscam survivors with acquired brain injury (ABI), caregivers and clinicians. Fifteen cyberscam survivors with acquired brain injury (ABI), caregivers, clinicians and service provider took part in eight 2.5-hour hybrid focus groups delivered over a period of eight weeks, to co-design the treatment manual. Participants were presented with draft content on recommended intervention approaches and priorities based on our previous scoping research with these stakeholder groups. They were invited to provide feedback and generate ideas throughout each group. Additional meetings were held with the research team to refine and integrate the ideas into a structured intervention manual. Following these meetings, eight more meetings were held with clinician and service provider participants to discuss and gather more feedback on the structured manual. Four steering committee meetings with industry stakeholders from the brain injury and cybersecurity sectors were also held to provide strategic advice on the intervention content, and promotion and sustainability plans. The treatment manual consists of modules, with accompanying handouts. Session 1 is a 1:1 introduction to the program. Sessions 2-3 focus on scams and cybersafety. Sessions 4-5 focus on financial management and strategies. Sessions 6-7 focus on emotions. Sessions 8-9 focus on relationships and lifestyle. Session 10 is a summary of the content and strategies learnt. Sessions will involve provision of brief information through short videos and handouts, semi-structured group discussions among participants, facilitated by the therapist and lived experience facilitator, and exploration of practical strategies to implement between sessions. There will be approximately 2-4 participants in a group, with 1:1 delivery also available. Strategies used to monitor adherence to the intervention include session attendance checklists, audio-visual recording of sessions to allow for analyses of treatment fidelity and regular supervision with therapists by the project lead. For individuals who attend sessions via videoconference, handouts will be delivered via email or hardcopy post depending on the participants preference. Researchers will determine whether participants receive the intervention in a group or individual setting on a case-by-case basis, based on screening with the individual (and a close other or clinician) to determine their cognitive, behavioural and communicative ability, and other accessibility factors (e.g. if home visits are required to provide the intervention). In addition, individuals who would clinically benefit from more immediate support rather than waiting until the next available structured group program, will also be considered for individually delivered intervention.