Effectiveness of a Web-Based Cognitive Behavioural Intervention for Subthreshold Depression: Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial
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In: Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Vol. 84, No. 6, 14.10.2015, p. 348-358.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Effectiveness of a Web-Based Cognitive Behavioural Intervention for Subthreshold Depression
T2 - Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial
AU - Buntrock, Claudia
AU - Ebert, David Daniel
AU - Lehr, Dirk
AU - Riper, Heleen
AU - Smit, Filip
AU - Cuijpers, Pim
AU - Berking, Matthias
PY - 2015/10/14
Y1 - 2015/10/14
N2 - Background: Research on the effectiveness of treatments for subthreshold depression (sD) is still scarce. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of a web-based guided self-help intervention (GET.ON Mood Enhancer) in the treatment of sD. Methods: Participants with sD (n = 406) recruited from the general population via a large health insurance company were randomly allocated to a web-based cognitive behavioural intervention or to enhanced care-as-usual. The primary outcome was the reduction in depressive symptom severity as measured with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale at post-treatment and at 6-month follow-up. Results: Participants in the intervention group showed a significantly greater pre-post reduction in depressive symptom severity (d = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.86-1.27) compared to the control condition (d = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.10-0.49). The corresponding between-group effect size was d = 0.69 (95% CI: 0.49-0.89). At 6-month follow-up the effect was reduced to d = 0.28 (95% CI: 0.09-0.48) but was still statistically significant (F1, 403 = 9.240, p = 0.003). Conclusions: This study lends support to the idea that problem solving coupled with behavioural activation is an effective treatment for sD. In addition, the delivery of this intervention over the Internet might be a promising strategy for the dissemination of psychological interventions for sD on a large scale.
AB - Background: Research on the effectiveness of treatments for subthreshold depression (sD) is still scarce. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of a web-based guided self-help intervention (GET.ON Mood Enhancer) in the treatment of sD. Methods: Participants with sD (n = 406) recruited from the general population via a large health insurance company were randomly allocated to a web-based cognitive behavioural intervention or to enhanced care-as-usual. The primary outcome was the reduction in depressive symptom severity as measured with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale at post-treatment and at 6-month follow-up. Results: Participants in the intervention group showed a significantly greater pre-post reduction in depressive symptom severity (d = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.86-1.27) compared to the control condition (d = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.10-0.49). The corresponding between-group effect size was d = 0.69 (95% CI: 0.49-0.89). At 6-month follow-up the effect was reduced to d = 0.28 (95% CI: 0.09-0.48) but was still statistically significant (F1, 403 = 9.240, p = 0.003). Conclusions: This study lends support to the idea that problem solving coupled with behavioural activation is an effective treatment for sD. In addition, the delivery of this intervention over the Internet might be a promising strategy for the dissemination of psychological interventions for sD on a large scale.
KW - Psychology
KW - Subthreshold depression
KW - Treatment
KW - Psychological intervention
KW - Cognitive behavioural intervention
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84942279771&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1159/000438673
DO - 10.1159/000438673
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 26398885
VL - 84
SP - 348
EP - 358
JO - Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
JF - Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
SN - 0033-3190
IS - 6
ER -