Evaluation of Two Web-Based Interventions (REMOTION and Res-Up!) for Clients From Psychotherapy Waitlists in Routine...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Digital Health
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Internet-based interventions offer potential for improving mental healthcare accessibility and reducing wait times.
• However, their effectiveness for individuals on psychotherapy waiting lists needs further evaluation.
• Integration into routine care remains a challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare two transdiagnostic web-based interventions (REMOTION and Res-Up!) against a control group (CG) for individuals awaiting outpatient psychotherapy.
• To assess the impact on emotion regulation and resilience.
• To evaluate symptom severity and other psychological outcomes.

Main Methods:

• 421 adult participants from waiting lists at 4 German outpatient centers were randomized.
• Intervention groups received either REMOTION or Res-Up!, while the CG received no intervention.
• Assessments included symptom severity, emotion regulation, resilience, depressive symptoms, self-compassion, and self-esteem at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in primary outcome (symptom severity) were found between intervention groups and the CG, though all groups improved over time.
• The REMOTION group showed a significant improvement in acceptance of negative emotions compared to the CG.
• No significant between-group differences were observed for resilience or other secondary outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Transdiagnostic internet-based interventions did not demonstrate superior effectiveness compared to standard waiting list management.
• While some specific benefits for emotion regulation were observed in one intervention, overall outcomes were comparable to the control group.
• Findings highlight challenges in implementing and demonstrating added value of these interventions during psychotherapy wait times.