Longer Single-Session Interventions May Not Be Better: Evidence From Two Randomized Controlled Trials With Online
Benjamin Kaveladze1,2, Arka Ghosh2, Carter J Funkhouser3
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.
Summary
Shorter digital mental health interventions (single-session interventions or SSIs) may be as effective as longer ones. Research indicates that reducing the length of SSIs does not necessarily compromise their efficacy in improving mental well-being.
Area of Science:
- Digital mental health
- Psychological interventions
- Online health
Background:
- Online self-guided single-session interventions (SSIs) offer scalable mental health support.
- Shortening SSIs could increase accessibility but may impact effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if shortening evidence-based SSIs affects their efficacy.
- To compare the effectiveness of different lengths of digital mental health interventions.
Main Methods:
- Two randomized trials were conducted with adult online workers.
- Study 1 compared an 8-minute vs. 23-minute "Overcoming Loneliness" SSI.
- Study 2 compared 15, 9, 5, and 3-minute "Action Brings Change" SSIs.
Main Results:
- The 8-minute "Overcoming Loneliness" SSI was more effective than the 23-minute version in reducing loneliness.
- No significant differences in depression reduction were found between the various lengths of the "Action Brings Change" SSI.
Conclusions:
- Digital SSIs do not necessarily need to be longer to be effective.
- Shorter SSIs can be a viable option for delivering evidence-based mental health support online.
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