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PreprintCited by 28Digital Mental Health InterventionsCOVID-19 and Mental HealthAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 1 of the 1 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Efficacy of an Electronic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program Delivered via the Online Psychotherapy Tool for Depression and Anxiety Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Pre-Post Pilot Study (Preprint)

Open access
Moghimi, Elnaz, Stephenson, Callum, Agarwal, Anika, Nikjoo, Niloofar, Malakouti, Niloufar, Layzell, Gina, O'Riordan, Anne, Jagayat, Jasleen, Shirazi, Amirhossein, Gutierrez, Gilmar, Khan, Ferwa, Patel, Charmy, Yang, Megan, Omrani, Mohsen, Alavi, Nazanin·2023·JMIR Mental Health
DOI 10.2196/preprints.51102PMC PMC10760511

Preprint — published as 10.2196/51102 · Paper page

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Lockdowns and social distancing resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened the population’s mental health and made it more difficult for individuals to receive care. Electronic cognitive behavioral therapy (e-CBT) is a cost-effective and evidence-based treatment for anxiety and depression and can be accessed remotely. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to investigate the efficacy of online psychotherapy tailored to depression and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic. METHODS: The pilot study used a pre-post design to evaluate the efficacy of a 9-week e-CBT program designed for individuals with depression and anxiety affected by the pandemic. Participants were adults (N=59) diagnosed with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, whose mental health symptoms initiated or worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online psychotherapy program focused on teaching coping, mindfulness, and problem-solving skills. Symptoms of anxiety and depression, resilience, and quality of life were assessed. RESULTS: Participants demonstrated significant improvements in symptoms of anxiety (P=.02) and depression (P=.03) after the intervention. Similar trends were observed in the intention-to-treat analysis. No significant differences were observed in resilience and quality-of-life measures. The sample comprised mostly females, making it challenging to discern the benefits of the intervention in males. Although a pre-post design is less rigorous than a controlled trial, this design was selected to observe changes in scores during a critical period. CONCLUSIONS: e-CBT for COVID-19 is an effective and accessible treatment option. Improvements in clinical symptoms of anxiety and depression can be observed in individuals whose mental health is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. CLINICALTRIAL: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04476667; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04476667 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT: RR2-10.2196/24913

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Metadata

Authors
Moghimi, E., Stephenson, C., Agarwal, A., Nikjoo, N., Malakouti, N., Layzell, G., O'Riordan, A., Jagayat, J., Shirazi, A., Gutierrez, G., Khan, F., Patel, C., Yang, M., Omrani, M., & Alavi, N.
Affiliations
Queen's University (CA)
Corresponding author
Alavi, Nazanin
ORCID
Venue
JMIR Mental Health
Publisher
JMIR Publications Inc.
Published
2023-07-20
Volume
10
Pages
e51102-e51102
ISSN
2368-7959 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.2196/preprints.51102
PMC
PMC10760511
OpenAlex
W4388863837
Cited by
28
References
1
Citations by year
2025: 7 · 2024: 21
FWCI
7.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • JMIR Mental Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
online therapy, COVID-19 pandemic, depression, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, resilience, quality of life, coping strategies, mindfulness, problem-solving skills, remote mental health care
MeSH terms
COVID-19, Adult, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Communicable Disease Control, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Major, Major Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Pilot Projects, Quality of Life, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Pandemics, Mindfulness

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