Depression Internet consultation significantly improves therapy success

Internet counseling for depression useful supplement to the therapy
In the case of depression, the accompanying Internet consultancy can significantly improve the success of the treatment, according to the results of a pilot project of Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) and Freie Universität Berlin. The electronic exchange with the therapists improves the effect of the treatment. Light to moderate depression could be effectively combated with the help of Internet consulting, reports the TK.

In the pilot project of the TK and the Free University of Berlin, it became clear that the treatment of depression can be significantly improved with an internet-based counseling program. Measured against the so-called Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI II), the condition of the participants had developed very positively by the Internet consultation, according to the message of the Techniker Krankenkasse. The online consultation offers a good supplement to classic outpatient behavioral therapy.

Internet counseling can be a good complement to behavioral therapy for depression. (Image: Photographee.eu/fotolia.com

Subjects undergo a six-week treatment program
In total, 1,000 people participated in the pilot project (TK depression coach). They went through "within six weeks, a structured task, did intensive writing tasks and completed multimedia audio and video training," reports the TK. In addition, some of the patients received weekly written feedback from a specially trained therapist, while subjects in the second group completed an automated version of the program without individual written feedback.

Better treatment results with online exchange with therapists
On the basis of the interim results of the evaluation, it became clear that the written feedback of the therapists has a significant influence on the success of the treatment, explains the psychologist and study leader Professor Dr. med. Christine Knaevelsrud in the press release of TK. "The depression has improved in both groups, but the written exchange with the therapists leads to significantly better results than the automated version," emphasizes the professor. In addition, with accompanying Internet consultation 84 percent of the subjects had the program held to the end, while in the automated variant, only 76 percent of the participants completed the full program. Also in the satisfaction (89 percent compared to 79 percent) and in terms of a possible recommendation (81 percent compared to 70 percent), the supervised variant of the depression coach convinced more than the fully automated version.

Optimal supplement to outpatient behavioral therapy
The Beck Depression Depression II survey showed a fall from 21.98 points to 9.98 points in the Internet consultation, which "improves depression on average from a moderately severe condition to a clinically insignificant one," reports the director of the TK Supply management Klaus Rupp. The treatment success is therefore comparable to that of an outpatient treatment with behavioral therapists. The depression coach could be the ideal supplement to classic outpatient behavioral therapy. For just at the beginning of a depression many people would avoid personal contact with a therapist and prefer to use such a low-threshold offer. Also, the depression coach is fast and easily accessible even in regions with a thin range of therapies. In addition, the participants would have to become active themselves and continuously deal with their depression, which in terms of a successful treatment benefits. (Fp)