Effectiveness of online psychological and psychoeducational interventions to prevent depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Alina Rigabert¹, Emma Motrico², Patricia Moreno-Peral³, Davinia María Resurrección⁴, Sonia Conejo-Cerón³, Pim Cuijpers⁵, Carmen Martín-Gómez⁴, Yolanda López-Del-Hoyo⁶, Juan Ángel Bellón⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain; Fundación Andaluza Beturia para la Investigación en Salud, Huelva, Spain.
² Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain; Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (redIAPP), ISCIII, Spain. Electronic address: emotrico@uloyola.es.
³ Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (redIAPP), ISCIII, Spain; Institute of Biomedical Research in Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain; Research Unit, Primary Care District of Málaga-Guadalhorce, Málaga, Spain.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain.
⁵ Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
⁶ Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (redIAPP), ISCIII, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain.
⁷ Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (redIAPP), ISCIII, Spain; Institute of Biomedical Research in Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain; Research Unit, Primary Care District of Málaga-Guadalhorce, Málaga, Spain; El Palo Health Center, Andalusian Health Service (SAS), Málaga, Spain; Department of Public Health and Psychiatry, University of Málaga (UMA), Spain.

PMID: 33137611
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101931

Free article

Review

Effectiveness of online psychological and psychoeducational interventions to prevent depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Alina Rigabert et al. Clin Psychol Rev. 2020 Dec.

Free article

. 2020 Dec:82:101931.

doi: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101931. Epub 2020 Oct 24.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain; Fundación Andaluza Beturia para la Investigación en Salud, Huelva, Spain.
² Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain; Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (redIAPP), ISCIII, Spain. Electronic address: emotrico@uloyola.es.
³ Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (redIAPP), ISCIII, Spain; Institute of Biomedical Research in Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain; Research Unit, Primary Care District of Málaga-Guadalhorce, Málaga, Spain.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Universidad Loyola Andalucía, Seville, Spain.
⁵ Department of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
⁶ Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (redIAPP), ISCIII, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain.
⁷ Prevention and Health Promotion Research Network (redIAPP), ISCIII, Spain; Institute of Biomedical Research in Málaga (IBIMA), Málaga, Spain; Research Unit, Primary Care District of Málaga-Guadalhorce, Málaga, Spain; El Palo Health Center, Andalusian Health Service (SAS), Málaga, Spain; Department of Public Health and Psychiatry, University of Málaga (UMA), Spain.

PMID: 33137611
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101931

Abstract

Although evidence exists for the efficacy of interventions to prevent depression, little is known about its prevention through online interventions. We aim to assess the effectiveness of online psychological and psychoeducational interventions to prevent depression in heterogeneous populations. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted based on literature searches in eight electronic data bases and other sources from inception to 22 July 2019. Of the 4181 abstracts reviewed, 501 were selected for full-text review, and 21 RCTs met the inclusion criteria, representing 10,134 participants from 11 countries and four continents. The pooled SMD was -0·26 (95%CI: -0·36 to -0·16; p < 0.001) and sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of this result. We did not find publication bias but there was substantial heterogeneity (I² = 72%; 95%CI, 57% to 82%). A meta-regression including three variables explained 81% of the heterogeneity. Indicated prevention and interactive website delivery were statistically associated with higher effectiveness, and no association was observed with risk of bias. Online psychological and psychoeducational interventions have a small effect in reducing depressive symptoms in non-depressed and varied populations, and the quality of evidence is moderate. Given that these types of interventions are very accessible and can be applied on a wide scale, they should be further developed and implemented. Registration details: Registration number (PROSPERO): CRD42014014804.

Keywords: Depression; Meta-analysis; Online interventions; Prevention; Systematic review.

PubMed Disclaimer

Cited by

Outcomes of Best-Practice Guided Digital Mental Health Interventions for Youth and Young Adults with Emerging Symptoms: Part I. A Systematic Review of Socioemotional Outcomes and Recommendations.
Opie JE, Vuong A, Welsh ET, Gray R, Pearce N, Marchionda S, Mutch R, Khalil H. Opie JE, et al. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2024 Jun;27(2):424-475. doi: 10.1007/s10567-024-00469-4. Epub 2024 Mar 15. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2024. PMID: 38489101 Free PMC article.
Effectiveness of a universal personalized intervention for the prevention of anxiety disorders: Protocol of a randomized controlled trial (the prevANS project).
Moreno-Peral P, Rodríguez-Morejón A, Bellón JA, García-Huércano C, Martínez-Vispo C, Campos-Paino H, Galán S, Reyes-Martín S, Sánchez Aguadero N, Rangel-Henriques M, Motrico E, Conejo-Cerón S. Moreno-Peral P, et al. Internet Interv. 2023 Jun 22;34:100640. doi: 10.1016/j.invent.2023.100640. eCollection 2023 Dec. Internet Interv. 2023. PMID: 38023964 Free PMC article.
Updated taxonomy of digital mental health interventions: a conceptual framework.
Pineda BS, Mejia R, Qin Y, Martinez J, Delgadillo LG, Muñoz RF. Pineda BS, et al. Mhealth. 2023 Jun 19;9:28. doi: 10.21037/mhealth-23-6. eCollection 2023. Mhealth. 2023. PMID: 37492117 Free PMC article. Review.
Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Farming Communities: Mixed Methods Feasibility Study of Participant Use and Acceptability.
Bowyer HL, Pegler R, Williams C. Bowyer HL, et al. JMIR Form Res. 2023 Jun 19;7:e42573. doi: 10.2196/42573. JMIR Form Res. 2023. PMID: 37335597 Free PMC article.
A personalized intervention to prevent depression in primary care based on risk predictive algorithms and decision support systems: protocol of the e-predictD study.
Bellón JA, Rodríguez-Morejón A, Conejo-Cerón S, Campos-Paíno H, Rodríguez-Bayón A, Ballesta-Rodríguez MI, Rodríguez-Sánchez E, Mendive JM, López Del Hoyo Y, Luna JD, Tamayo-Morales O, Moreno-Peral P. Bellón JA, et al. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jun 2;14:1163800. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1163800. eCollection 2023. Front Psychiatry. 2023. PMID: 37333911 Free PMC article.

See all "Cited by" articles

Publication types

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
- Andalusian Health Repository
- Elsevier Science
Medical
- Genetic Alliance
- MedlinePlus Health Information
Miscellaneous
- NCI CPTAC Assay Portal

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Effectiveness of online psychological and psychoeducational interventions to prevent depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Affiliations

Effectiveness of online psychological and psychoeducational interventions to prevent depression: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Similar articles

Cited by

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Medical

Miscellaneous