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. 2024 May 7:15:1279847.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1279847. eCollection 2024.

Internet-based self-administered intervention to reduce anxiety and depression symptomatology and improve well-being in 7 countries: protocol of a randomized control trial

Alejandro Dominguez-Rodriguez  1 , Paulina Erika Herdoiza-Arroyo  2 , Leivy Patricia González-Ramírez  3 , Reyna Jazmín Martínez-Arriaga  4 , David Villarreal-Zegarra  5   6 , Antonio Carlos Santos da Silva  7 , Joel Omar González-Cantero  8 , Viviana Sylvia Vargas Salinas  9 , Marinna S Mensorio  10 , Adrián Antonio Cisneros Hernández  4 , Rogéria Lourenço Dos Santos  10 , Emilia Gabriela Nieto Ramos  2 , Margarita Gabriela Albán-Terán  2 , Joaquín Mateu-Mollá  11 , Flor Rocío Ramírez-Martínez  12 , Ana Marisa Colmenero Guadián  13 , David Martínez-Rubio  14   15 , Álvaro I Langer  16   17 , Claudio Araya  18 , Rosa Olimpia Castellanos-Vargas  19
Affiliations

Internet-based self-administered intervention to reduce anxiety and depression symptomatology and improve well-being in 7 countries: protocol of a randomized control trial

Alejandro Dominguez-Rodriguez et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Background: Online psychological interventions have emerged as a treatment alternative because they are accessible, flexible, personalized, and available to large populations. The number of Internet interventions in Latin America is limited, as are Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) of their effectiveness and a few studies comparing their effectiveness in multiple countries at the same time. We have developed an online intervention, Well-being Online, which will be available to the public free of charge in 7 countries: Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Brazil, Spain, and the Netherlands. We expect a reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms and an increase in well-being of the participants.

Methods: A multi-country, randomized controlled trial will be conducted. The intervention is multicomponent (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Behavioral Activation Therapy, Mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Positive Psychology), with 10 sessions. In each country, eligible participants will be randomized to one of three groups: Enriched Intervention (interactive web design with videos, infographics, text, audio, and forum), Text Intervention (text on the website), and Wait List (control group). Repeated measures will be obtained at 5-time points. Our primary outcomes will be anxiety symptomatology, depressive symptomatology, and mental well-being. MANOVA analysis will be used for our main analysis.

Discussion: This protocol describes the design of a randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy of a web-based intervention to reduce anxiety and depression symptomatology and increase subjective well-being. The intervention will be made available in four languages (Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, and English). Its results will contribute to the evidence of effectiveness in terms of randomized trials and Internet interventions, mainly in Latin America and Europe.

Keywords: anxiety; depression; internet-based intervention; randomized controlled trial; self-guided; well-being.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Explanatory diagram of the study of the Well-being Online Platform.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Intervention modules.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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