Adaptation of an Evidence-Based Online Depression Prevention Intervention for College Students: Intervention Development and Pilot Study Results

Abstract

College and university students across the United States are experiencing increases in depressive symptoms and risk for clinical depression. As college counseling centers strive to address the problem through wellness outreach and psychoeducation, limited resources make it difficult to reach students who would most benefit. Technology-based prevention programs have the potential to increase reach and address barriers to access encountered by students in need of mental health support. Part 1 of this manuscript describes the development of the Willow intervention, an adaptation of the technology-based CATCH-IT depression prevention intervention using a community participatory approach, for use by students at a women’s liberal arts college. Part 2 presents data from a pilot study of Willow with N = 34 (mean age = 19.82, SD = 1.19) students. Twenty-nine participants (85%) logged onto Willow at least once, and eight (24%) completed the full intervention. Participants positively rated the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of Willow. After eight weeks of use, results suggested decreases in depressive symptoms (95% CI (0.46–3.59)), anxiety symptoms (95% CI (0.41–3.04)), and rumination (95% CI (0.45–8.18)). This internet-based prevention intervention was found to be acceptable, feasible to implement, and may be associated with decreased internalizing symptoms.

Influencing Factors of International Students’ Anxiety Under Online Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of 1,090 Chinese International Students

“…These related factors were also the core of this study, which can provide part of the basis for colleges and universities to quickly screen international students with a high risk of anxiety. Colleges and universities can carry out early intervention for students with risk through health promotion and psychological education so that the limited psychological consultation resources can reach the students who are most likely to benefit and then reduce the occurrence of anxiety among international students ( Gladstone et al, 2021 ).…”

Guidance counselors on COVID-19 experiences: Distance education successes and challenges

“…Van Straten et al (2008), Eisenberg et al (2011), andFarrer et al (2013) investigated technology-based mental health aids used by students, who interacted via email with a therapist/counsellor (Farrer et al, 2013). Technology-enabled interventions have shown promise for treating depression (Gladstone et al, 2021), anxiety (Farrer et al, 2013), and reducing barriers associated with in-person counselling (Naidoo & Cartwright, 2022).…”

Adapted and novel interventions are more effective than adopted interventions: a meta-analytic replication of controlled social intervention research across prevention level and setting

“…Of the 6 predictors, 3 were signi cant: a higher effect size was present with fewer subjects, a passive control condition, and in studies reporting on an e cacy trial. (52)(53)(54)(55)(56)(57)(58). These ndings were stable when we controlled for study design and sample size.…”