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Cited by 105Digital Mental Health InterventionsSubstance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

An Online Intervention for Co-Occurring Depression and Problematic Alcohol Use in Young People: Primary Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Trial

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Deady, Mark, Mills, Katherine L, Teesson, Maree, Kay-Lambkin, Frances·2016·Journal of Medical Internet Research
DOI 10.2196/jmir.5178PMC PMC4823588
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Depression and problematic alcohol use represent two of the major causes of disease burden in young adults. These conditions frequently co-occur and this is associated with increased harm and poorer outcomes than either disorder in isolation. Integrated treatments have been shown to be effective; however, there remains a significant gap between those in need of treatment and those receiving it. The increased availability of eHealth programs presents a unique opportunity to treat these conditions. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of an automated Web-based self-help intervention (DEAL Project) in treating co-occurring depressive symptoms and problematic alcohol use in young people. METHODS: Young people (aged 18 to 25 years) with moderate depression symptoms and drinking at hazardous levels (recruited largely via social media) were randomly allocated to the DEAL Project (n=60) or a Web-based attention-control condition (HealthWatch; n=44). The trial consisted of a 4-week intervention phase with follow-up assessment at posttreatment and at 3 and 6 months postbaseline. The primary outcomes were change in depression severity according to the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 as well as quantity and frequency of alcohol use (TOT-AL). RESULTS: The DEAL Project was associated with statistically significant improvement in depression symptom severity (d=0.71) and reductions in alcohol use quantity (d=0.99) and frequency (d=0.76) in the short term compared to the control group. At 6-month follow-up, the improvements in the intervention group were maintained; however, the differences between the intervention and control groups were no longer statistically significant, such that between-group effects were in the small to moderate range at 6 months (depression symptoms: d=0.39; alcohol quantity: d=-0.09; alcohol frequency: d=0.24). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the DEAL Project was associated with more rapid improvement in both depression symptoms and alcohol use outcomes in young people with these co-occurring conditions relative to an attention-control condition. However, long-term outcomes are less clear. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12613000033741; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=363461 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6fpsLEGOy).

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  • Therapeutic platforms can be used to reduce the risk of suicide and self-harm, depression, and alcohol misuse.

    “These platforms can also be used to reduce the risk of suicide and self-harm, 354,355 depression, and alcohol misuse.”

    From The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [356]

    The Results > Treatment Outcomes section (page unavailable) reports short-term reductions in depression symptoms and alcohol use with the online intervention compared with control. The Methods > Recruitment section (page unavailable) says people at serious risk of suicide were excluded; the paper does not establish a reduction in suicide or self-harm risk. Its depression and alcohol findings concern young people with both conditions, and the between-group differences were no longer statistically significant at six months. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Deady, M., Mills, K. L., Teesson, M., & Kay-Lambkin, F.
Affiliations
National Health and Medical Research Council (AU)
Corresponding author
Deady, Mark
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Medical Internet Research
Publisher
JMIR Publications Inc.
Published
2016-03-23
Volume
18
Issue
3
Pages
e71
ISSN
1438-8871 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2196/jmir.5178
PMC
PMC4823588
OpenAlex
W2303973565
Cited by
105
References
29
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 1
FWCI
17.46
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Journal of Medical Internet Research (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • NOVA (University of Newcastle Australia) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
depression, alcohol abuse, co-occurring mental disorders, young adults, e-health, online intervention, alcohol consumption reduction, depression severity, treatment feasibility
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Alcoholism, Australia, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Feasibility Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Severity of Illness Index, Therapy, Computer-Assisted, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Telemedicine, Diagnosis, Dual (Psychiatry), Internet, Young Adult

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