Exploring the relationship between the acceptability of an Internet-Based intervention for depression in primary care, sociodemographic variables and clinical outcomes

Abstract

Depression is one of the most disabling and prevalent psychological disorders worldwide. Despite knowing that psychotherapy for depression is effective, there are barriers for its implementation in primary care. The use of the Internet has been demonstrated to be a feasible solution to overcome this problem. However, the acceptability of Internet-based interventions (IBI) has not been studied enough. In fact, in Spain no studies are available on the participants’ expectations and satisfaction regarding this kind of interventions. The aim of the present work is to assess the acceptability and explore its influence on efficacy of IBI for depression (Smiling is Fun) among Spanish patients in primary care. 198 patients with depression were assigned to one of the following conditions: Smiling is Fun with low-intensity therapist guide, Smiling is Fun without therapeutic guide, and the usual treatment offered by the Spanish primary health care system. All participants fulfilled the Expectations and Satisfaction Scale and BDI-II. Results showed that both, expectations and satisfaction of the participants with the program were high. Moreover, a positive correlation between these variables and the intervention efficacy were found. In conclusion, Smiling is Fun was a well-accepted Internet-based treatment for depression in primary care in Spain. In the light of these results it is worthy to take into account the need to develop interventions which include not only effective treatment components, but also aspects aimed to improve the expectations and satisfaction of patients with the intervention, in order to increase their response to the treatment.