Mood management effects of brief unsupported internet interventions

ABSTRACTBackgroundMost users of unsupported Internet interventions visit that site only once, therefore there is a need to create interventions that can be offered as a single brief interaction with the user.ObjectiveThe main goal of this study was to compare the effect of a one-session unsupported Internet intervention on participants' clinical symptoms (depressive and anxiety symptoms) and related variables (mood, confidence and motivation).MethodA total of 765 adults residing in the United States took part in a randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to one of five brief plain text interventions lasting 5–10min. The interventions designed to address depressive symptoms were: thoughts (increasing helpful thoughts), activities (increasing activity level), sleep hygiene, assertiveness (increasing assertiveness awareness), Own Methods (utilizing methods that were previously successful). They were followed-up one week after consenting.ResultsA main effect of time was observed for both depression (F(1, 563)=234.70, p<0.001) and anxiety (F(1, 551)=170.27, p