Behavioural Activation-Based Treatment Administered Through Smartphone

Behavioural Activation-Based Guided Self-Help Treatment Administered Through a Smartphone Application

The objective is to test the effects of a smartphone-delivered behavioural activation treatment. Also, a moderator analysis of low and high severity of depressive symptoms will be made. We expect the behavioural activation intervention to be superior to the mindfulness intervention for the participants suffering from high severity of depressive symptoms - and the mindfulness intervention to be better or at least as good as the behavioural activation intervention for the participants suffering from low severity of depressive symptoms.

Major depression is expected to be the disorder with the highest disease burden in high-income countries by the year 2030. The efficacy of behavioural activation in the treatment of major depressive disorders has been established in a number of studies over the last four decades. Furthermore, behavioural activation is an intervention that can largely benefit from the use of new mobile technologies (e.g. smartphones). One important feature of mobile technology is the possibility for the therapist to reach the patient between sessions and thus create direct incentives for behavioural activation in everyday life. Therefore, developing smartphone-based behavioural activation interventions might be a way to develop a cost-effective treatment for people suffering from major depressive disorders.

Inclusion Criteria:

• depressive symptoms according to DSM-IV
• have access to the Internet and a smartphone
• have good knowledge of the Swedish language

Exclusion Criteria:

• recent (during last 6 weeks) change in psychiatric medication
• presently in any other psychological treatment
• severe depression
• suicidal ideation