A systematic review and meta-analysis of Internet-based self-help interventions for mental health among adolescents and college students

作者：Wang Qing, Weixin Zhang, Senbo An · 发表于：Internet Interventions · 年份：2023 · DOI：10.1016/j.invent.2023.100690 · 被引用次数：58 · 研究领域：Digital Mental Health Interventions、Impact of Technology on Adolescents、Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Purpose: This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the impact of Internet-based self-help interventions on the mental health of adolescents and college students. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated Internet-based self-help interventions aiming to mitigate mental health symptoms such as anxiety and depression, as well as managing high levels of stress, among adolescents and college students. Our search spanned databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase, up until November 1st, 2022. It is essential to emphasize that our focus was the evaluation of symptoms (continuous outcomes), rather than the diagnosis of specific mental disorders. The meta-analysis was performed using the R version 4.3.1. The effect size measure was the standardized mean difference (SMD), and random-effects models were used to pool data from eligible RCTs. Subgroup analyses were carried out to examine variations in intervention effects based on factors such as sample type, intervention modality, guidance type, and intervention duration. Results: = 2355) reported significant reductions in symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress, along with a significant improvement in quality of life. Specifically, for depression, we observed moderate intervention effects (SMD = -0.42, 95 % CI: -0.56, -0.27), and a similar pattern was seen for quality of life (SMD = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.22, 0.49). Small intervention effects were found for anx...