Web-based interventions for traumatized people in mainland China

Area of Science:

• Digital mental health
• Psychological interventions
• Trauma recovery

Background:

• The internet is increasingly utilized for delivering psychological interventions.
• Barriers to mental health help-seeking in Chinese society are significant.
• Web-based interventions offer a novel channel for mental health service delivery in China.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first application of a web-based intervention in mainland China.
• To investigate the efficacy of the Chinese My Trauma Recovery (CMTR) website for individuals with trauma.
• To assess the impact of CMTR on posttraumatic stress symptoms in urban and rural Chinese populations.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted.
• 103 urban and 93 rural Chinese individuals with trauma participated.
• The efficacy of the web-based self-help intervention program (CMTR) was evaluated using the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS).

Main Results:

• Significant reductions in posttraumatic stress symptoms were observed in both urban and rural participants after CMTR intervention.
• The positive effects of CMTR on reducing symptoms were sustained at a 3-month follow-up.
• High effect sizes (Cohen's d) indicated a substantial impact of the intervention.

Conclusions:

• The CMTR web-based intervention demonstrates preliminary short-term efficacy for treating posttraumatic stress in Chinese populations.
• Findings support the potential of web-based interventions for PTSD in mainland China.
• Implications for future applications of digital mental health services are discussed.