Surprising Effectiveness Of Digital Counseling

Texts and voice messages are just as beneficial.

A recent study has found that individuals with depression who received therapy through text or voice messages experienced outcomes comparable to those who engaged in weekly video-based therapy sessions. The research suggests that text-based psychotherapy could be a viable alternative to traditional face-to-face or video sessions, potentially offering more immediate and accessible mental health care.

The trial, funded by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health and published on July 19 in Psychiatric Services, was conducted in response to the increased reliance on telemedicine during the pandemic when in-office services were restricted. This study aimed to evaluate whether face-to-face video sessions were the only effective telemedicine option for psychiatric care.

In the study, 215 adults with depression received 12 weeks of care from the digital mental health platform Talkspace (which did not fund the research). Participants were divided into two groups: one received weekly video sessions with a therapist lasting 30 to 45 minutes, while the other group received therapy through voice or text messages, allowing them to interact with their therapist at their convenience.

At the six-week mark, both groups showed significant improvements in symptoms, with 28 patients in the message-based therapy group and 27 in the video session group demonstrating notable declines in depression, defined as at least a 50% reduction in scores on a standard mental health questionnaire. For those not meeting this criterion, the study adjusted their treatment to include a combination of videoconferencing and message-based therapy for the remaining six weeks.

By the end of the 12-week study, there were no substantial differences in overall outcomes between the two groups in terms of anxiety and general functioning. However, participants in the message-based therapy group adhered to the treatment for an average of 7.8 weeks, compared to 4.9 weeks for the videoconferencing group. This highlights the potential benefits of text and voice-based therapy in maintaining patient engagement, particularly in the face of traditional psychotherapy challenges. The findings underscore the importance of flexible therapy options in improving access to mental health care. Patricia Areán, the lead researcher, has since transitioned to directing the National Institute of Mental Health’s Division of Services and Intervention Research.