Feasibility study of an interactive multimedia electronic problem solving treatment program for depression: a...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Digital Health
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Computer-based interventions for depression often struggle with user engagement due to the lack of live therapist support.
• Problem Solving Treatment (PST) is an effective therapy for depression, but access can be limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the usability, acceptability, credibility, therapeutic alliance, and efficacy of a stand-alone, interactive, computer-based Problem Solving Treatment program (ePST™) for depression.
• To compare ePST™ outcomes with existing research on live PST and other computer-based depression therapies.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-nine participants with moderate-to-severe depression symptoms received a 9-week, 6-session ePST™ program.
• Usability, acceptability, credibility, and therapeutic alliance were assessed mid-treatment and post-treatment.
• Depressive symptoms and functioning were measured at baseline, mid-treatment, and post-treatment.

Main Results:

• Participants reported high program usability, acceptability, and credibility.
• A therapeutic alliance with the ePST™ program comparable to live therapy was reported.
• Significant improvements in depressive symptoms were observed over the 10-week study period.

Conclusions:

• The ePST™ program demonstrates promising usability, acceptability, and credibility for treating depression.
• Preliminary evidence suggests ePST™ may be an effective digital intervention for depression, comparable to live therapy.
• Further large-scale clinical trials with diverse populations are recommended to confirm efficacy.