An Adjunctive Internet-Based Intervention to Enhance Treatment for Depression in Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial

Area of Science:

• Mental Health
• Digital Health Interventions
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Internet-based interventions increase mental healthcare accessibility, particularly in remote areas.
• Effectiveness of internet interventions is established for various mental disorders.
• The utility of these interventions as adjuncts to conventional treatment (blended care) remains less clear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the ASCENSO internet intervention when added to face-to-face treatment as usual (TAU) for depression.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 167 adults with major depressive disorder in Chile.
• Participants received either TAU plus the ASCENSO platform or TAU alone.
• Outcomes measured included depression symptoms and quality of life via self-administered questionnaires.

Main Results:

• The ASCENSO intervention did not significantly improve depression symptom reduction or quality of life compared to TAU alone.
• While both groups showed improvement from baseline to 6 months, no further change was observed at 9 months.
• The intervention group had a higher dropout rate for face-to-face treatment (54% vs. 39%).

Conclusions:

• Adjunctive use of the ASCENSO online platform did not enhance outcomes beyond standard treatment for depression.
• Limited patient utilization of the online platform and the high effectiveness of TAU may have contributed to these findings.
• Further research is needed to optimize blended care models for depression.