No abstract

ObjectiveThe increased prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) amid the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in substantial growth in online mental health care delivery. Compared to its in-person counterpart, online cognitive behavioral therapy (e-CBT) is a time-flexible and cost-effective method of improving MDD symptoms. However, how its efficacy compares to in-person CBT is yet to be explored. Therefore, the current study compared the efficacy of a therapist-supported, electronically delivered e-CBT program to in-person therapy in individuals diagnosed with MDD.MethodsParticipants (n = 108) diagnosed with MDD selected either a 12 week in-person CBT or an asynchronous therapist-supported e-CBT program. E-CBT participants (n = 55) completed weekly interactive online modules delivered through a secure cloud-based online platform (Online Psychotherapy Tool; OPTT). These modules were followed by homework in which participants received personalized feedback from a trained therapist. Participants in the in-person CBT group (n = 53) discussed sessions and homework with their therapists during one-hour weekly meetings. Program efficacy was evaluated using clinically validated symptomatology and quality of life questionnaires.ResultsBoth treatments yielded significant improvements in depressive symptoms and quality of life from baseline to post-treatment. Participants who opted for in-person therapy presented significantly higher baseline symptomatology scores than the e-CBT group. However, both treatments demonstrated comparable significant improvements in depressive symptoms and quality of life from baseline to post-treatment. e-CBT seems to afford higher participant compliance as dropouts in the e-CBT group completed more sessions on average than those in the in-person CBT group.ConclusionThe findings support e-CBT with therapist guidance as a suitable option to treat MDD. Future studies should investigate how treatment accessibility is related to program completion rates in the e-CBT vs. in-person group.Clinical Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.Gov Protocol Registration and Results System (NCT04478058); clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04478058.

Background Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and debilitating mental health disorder. Among different therapeutic approaches (eg, medication and psychotherapy), psychotherapy in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is considered the gold standard treatment for MDD. However, although efficacious, CBT is not readily accessible to many patients in need because of hurdles such as stigma, long wait times, high cost, the large time commitment for health care providers, and cultural or geographic barriers. Electronically delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (e-CBT) can effectively address many of these accessibility barriers. Objective This study aims to investigate the efficacy and feasibility of implementing an e-CBT program compared with in-person treatment for MDD. It is hypothesized that the e-CBT program will offer results comparable with those of the in-person treatment program, regarding symptom reduction and quality of life improvement. Methods This nonrandomized controlled trial intervention will provide e-CBT for MDD through the Online Psychotherapy Tool, a secure, cloud-based, digital mental health platform. Participants (aged 18-65 years) will be offered 12 weekly sessions of an e-CBT program tailored to MDD to address their depressive symptoms. Participants (n=55) will complete predesigned modules and homework assignments while receiving personalized feedback and interacting with a therapist through the platform. Using clinically validated symptomology questionnaires, the efficacy of the e-CBT program will be compared with that of a group (n=55) receiving in-person CBT. Questionnaires will be completed at baseline, at week 6 and week 12, and at a 6-month follow-up. Focus groups will be conducted to investigate personal, cultural, and social factors impacting the accessibility and feasibility of implementing a web-based psychotherapy tool from a patient and care provider perspective. Inclusion criteria include diagnosis of MDD, competence to consent to participate, ability to speak and read English, and consistent and reliable access to the internet. Exclusion criteria include active psychosis, acute mania, severe alcohol or substance use disorder, and active suicidal or homicidal ideation. Results Ethics approval was obtained in January 2019, and recruitment of participants began in June 2019. Recruitment has been conducted via social media, web-based communities, and physician referrals. To date, 52 participants have been recruited to the e-CBT group, and 48 patients have been recruited to the in-person CBT group. Data collection is expected to be completed by March 2021, and analyses are expected to be completed by June 2021, as linear regression (for continuous outcomes) and binomial regression analysis (for categorical outcomes) are still being conducted. Conclusions The results of this study can provide valuable information for the development of more accessible and scalable mental health interventions with increased care capacity for MDD, without sacrificing the quality of care. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04478058; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04478058 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/27489

No abstract

No abstract