BACKGROUND
Behavioral activation (BA) is recognized as an evidence-based therapy for depression and other mental health conditions. Using meta-analysis and systematic literature review for analyzing BA research trends is helpful, but it has limitations in understanding the flow and development of BA research.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to analyze the research trends related to Behavioral activation (BA) using keyword network analysis (KNA).
METHODS
This study conducted KNA on a total of 117 research related to BA. Through KNA, the network characteristics and centrality, and cohesive structures of the network were analyzed. The study spanned from 2003 to 2023, divided into two 10-year periods: the first period from 2003 to 2012, and second period from 2013 to 2023.
RESULTS
As a result of network characteristics, the number of keywords increased from 26 (1st period) to 151 (2nd period), and the average degree and the number of links of keywords increased. The research for cancer increased in 2nd period rapidly. As a result of network centrality, the maximum value increased in the 2nd period, increasing the level of network centrality, and the ‘Depression’ keyword was the highest in both the 1st and 2nd periods. In the eigenvector centrality, “Older adult” in the 1st period and “Psycho-oncology” in the 2nd period showed the highest level. Regarding network cohesion analysis, in the 1st period, the “Depression” keyword was primarily associated with inpatient care for older adults dealing with “Complicated bereavement”, “Posttraumatic stress disorder”, and “Cancer”. And it was applied as an intermediary for depression and smoking cessation. In contrast, in the 2nd period, the scope of the “depression'' keyword expanded to encompass older adults, university students, and children. Emotional variables were collectively analyzed, and approaches such as social support and non-face-to-face interventions were employed.
CONCLUSIONS
This study sheds light on the evolving landscape of research on BA therapy, highlighting its continuous expansion in addressing depression across diverse populations and setting. Our study is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of BA research keywords over the past two decades, offering a knowledge map and flow. This contributes to facilitating practical application in clinical setting and understanding research trends related to BA therapy.
