Exploring the relationship between the acceptability of an Internet-based intervention for depression in primary care and clinical outcomes

DOI: 10.5176/2251-1865_CBP18.20

Authors: Adriana Mira, Carla Soler, Azucena García-Palacios, Rosa María Baños, Javier García-Campayo, Fermín Mayoral

Abstract: Depression is one of the most disabling psychological disorders worldwide. Although psychotherapy for depression has been found to be effective, there are barriers to its implementation in primary care. The use of the Internet has been shown to be a feasible solution. However, the acceptability of Internet-based interventions has not been studied sufficiently. In fact, in Spain no studies are available on the participants’ expectations and satisfaction with this kind of interventions in primary care. The aim of the present work is to assess the acceptability of an Internet-based intervention for depression in primary care, and explore the relationship between expectations and satisfaction, and the improvement in the clinical variables. Data were based on depressive patients who were participants in a multicenter, three-arm, parallel, randomized controlled trial (Montero-Marín et al., 2016). In this study we present the data regarding expectations and satisfaction from all the participants in both Internet intervention groups. All participants fulfilled expectancy, satisfaction and depression measures. The results show high expectations and satisfaction, and a positive relation between these variables and the intervention efficacy. It is worthwhile to develop interventions that include not only effective treatment components, but also aspects aimed to improve patients’ expectations and satisfaction, in order to increase their response to the treatment.