Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Postsecondary Students: Randomized Factorial Trial for Examining Motivational Interviewing and Booster Lessons

Author:

Peynenburg VanessaORCID,Hadjistavropoulos HeatherORCID,Thiessen DavidORCID,Titov NickolaiORCID,Dear BlakeORCID

Abstract

Background Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) can improve access to mental health care for students, although high attrition rates are concerning and little is known about long-term outcomes. Motivational interviewing (MI) exercises and booster lessons can improve engagement and outcomes in face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy. Objective This study aimed to examine the use of pretreatment MI exercises and booster lessons in ICBT for postsecondary students. Methods In this factorial trial (factor 1: web-based MI before treatment; factor 2: self-guided booster lesson 1 month after treatment), 308 clients were randomized to 1 of 4 treatment conditions, with 277 (89.9%) clients starting treatment. All clients received a 5-week transdiagnostic ICBT course (the UniWellbeing course). Primary outcomes included changes in depression, anxiety, and perceived academic functioning from before treatment to after treatment and at the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. Results Overall, 54% (150/277) of students completed treatment and reported large improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety and small improvements in academic functioning after treatment, which were maintained at the 1-month and 3-month follow-ups. Pretreatment MI did not contribute to better treatment completion or engagement, although small between-group effects favored MI for reductions in depression (Cohen d=0.23) and anxiety (Cohen d=0.25) after treatment. Only 30.9% (43/139) of students randomized to one of the booster conditions accessed the booster. Overall, no main effects were found for the booster. Subanalyses revealed that clients who accessed the booster had larger decreases in depressive symptoms (Cohen d=0.31) at the 3-month follow-up. No interactions were found between MI and the booster. Conclusions Rather than offering MI before treatment, clients may experience more benefits from MI exercises later in ICBT when motivation wanes. The low uptake of the self-guided booster limited our conclusions regarding its effectiveness. Future research should examine offering a booster for a longer duration after treatment, with therapist support and a longer follow-up period. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04264585; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04264585

Publisher

JMIR Publications Inc.

Subject

Health Informatics

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