Open AccessEffectiveness of a Videoconferencing-Delivered Psychological Intervention for Mental Health Problems during COVID-19: A Proof-of-Concept Randomized Clinical Trial
Author(s) -
Richard A. Bryant,
Katie Dawson,
Dharani Keyan,
Suzanna Azevedo,
Srishti Yadav,
Jenny Tran,
Natasha Rawson,
Samuel B Harvey
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
psychotherapy and psychosomatics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.531
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1423-0348
pISSN - 0033-3190
DOI - 10.1159/000520283
Subject(s) - worry , anxiety , anhedonia , randomized controlled trial , mental health , mood , depression (economics) , distress , psychiatry , intervention (counseling) , psychology , medicine , clinical psychology , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , economics , macroeconomics
Anxiety and depression have increased markedly during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a lack of evidence-based strategies to address these mental health needs during the pandemic. Objective: We aim to conduct a proof-of-concept trial of the efficacy of a brief group-based psychological intervention delivered via videoconferencing for adults in Australia distressed by the pandemic. Methods: In this single-blind, parallel, randomised controlled trial, adults who screened positive for COVID-related psychological distress across Australia were randomly allocated to either a 6-session group-based program based on behavioural principles (n = 120) or enhanced usual care (EUC, n = 120). Primary outcome was total score on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS) anxiety and depression subscales assessed at baseline, 1 week posttreatment, 2 months (primary outcome time point), and 6 months after treatment, as well as secondary outcome measures of worry, sleep impairment, anhedonia, mood, and COVID-19-related stress. Results: Between May 20, 2020, and October 20, 2020, 240 patients were enrolled into the trial. Relative to EUC, at 2 months participants receiving intervention showed greater reduction on anxiety (mean difference, 1.4 [95% CI, 0.3 to 2.6], p = 0.01; effect size, 0.4 [95% CI, 0.1 to 0.7]) and depression (mean difference, 1.6 [95% CI, 0.4 to 2.8], p = 0.009; effect size, 0.4 [95% CI, 0.2 to 0.7]) scales. These effects were maintained at 6 months. There were also greater reductions of worry, anhedonia, COVID-19-related fears, and contamination fears. Conclusions: This trial provides initial evidence that brief group-based behavioural intervention delivered via videoconferencing results in moderate reductions in common psychological problems arising during the COVID-19 pandemic. This program may offer a viable and scalable means to mitigate the rising mental health problems during the pandemic.