Digital Mental Health Interventions for Alleviating Depression and Anxiety During Psychotherapy Waiting Lists: Systematic Review

Summary & key facts

This review looked at whether online mental health programs help people waiting to start face-to-face therapy for depression or anxiety. The researchers checked about 9,300 records and found 8 studies. The best studies showed that digital programs lowered symptoms but usually did not work better than simply waiting or reading a self-help book. People said the programs felt believable and useful, but many stopped using them early. The authors say we need larger, better trials and ways to make these programs more personal so people keep using them.

Key facts:

• The review searched four major databases and screened about 9,300 records, and 8 studies met the criteria for inclusion.
• Five of the included studies randomly assigned people to different groups; three studies did not use that kind of controlled design.
• In the randomized studies, digital programs did reduce depression and anxiety symptoms, but most were not more effective than control conditions where people simply waited or used a self-help book.
• The three non-randomized studies also reported symptom reductions, but those results are hard to interpret because there were no comparison groups.
• People who tried the digital programs generally rated them as credible and helpful, but many participants dropped out early, which raises concerns about whether people stick with these tools long enough for them to help.
• The authors conclude that current evidence does not clearly show that digital interventions on waiting lists add benefit over waiting or self-help, and they call for more large, high-quality trials and better, more personal designs to improve engagement.

Abstract

Due to the lack of effective interventions among the reviewed studies, especially among the RCTs, our results suggest that waiting list DMHIs are not more effective compared to simply waiting or using a self-help book. However, more high-quality RCTs with larger sample sizes are warranted in order to draw a more robust conclusion. Additionally, as this review revealed concerns regarding the high dropout rate in digital interventions, future studies could perhaps adopt more personalized and human-centered functions in interventions to increase user engagement, with the potential to increase treatment adherence and effectiveness.

Topics

COVID-19 and Mental Health Digital Mental Health Interventions Mental Health Research Topics

Categories

Applied Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Anxiety Clinical psychology Depression (economics) Economics Macroeconomics Medicine Mental health Psychiatry Psychological intervention Psychology Psychotherapist

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Depression Anxiety or worry Sadness or low mood