Bur, Oliver Thomas (2022). Optimizing the Supportive Context of Web-Based Self-Help in Individuals With Mild to Moderate Depressive Symptoms. (Thesis). Universität Bern, Bern
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22bur_o.pdf - Thesis Available under License Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works (CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0). Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Web-based self-help programs have the potential to fill gaps in mental health care. There is now substantial evidence for the efficacy of web-based programs in reducing depressive symptoms. Thereby, programs with therapeutic support seem superior to programs without therapeutic support in terms of the outcome of and adherence to the programs. Although there is no comprehensive theoretical model explaining the treatment outcome, there are theoretical perspectives that explain adherence to web-based programs. One such model is the Supportive Accountability Model (SAM), which focuses on how human support affects participants' feelings of accountability. The central assumption of the model is that participants are more likely to engage with a program when they feel accountable to a person who provides support. The present umbrella paper discusses how well four factors, which potentially improve outcome of and adherence to web-based programs for depressive symptoms, correspond to the SAM conditions. These four factors were investigated in the HERMES study. The umbrella paper also discusses the HERMES study results regarding the SAM assumptions. While the factor guidance was provided according to the SAM, the remaining three factors either did not correspond to the model (i.e., the unguided motivational interviewing module and the automated emails) or only to some degree (i.e., the diagnostic telephone interview). The HERMES study results are in line with what the SAM would suggest. Human support in the form of guidance increases adherence, whereas factors without human support do not. Future studies should include accountability assessments to investigate whether the benefit from human support emerges through accountability. Furthermore, future studies might further investigate the role of adherence regarding the outcome, the possibility of evoking accountability without human support, and the possibility of participants feeling accountable to a study (or, in a broader sense, research).
| Item Type: | Thesis |
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| Dissertation Type: | Cumulative |
| Date of Defense: | 26 October 2022 |
| Subjects: | 100 Philosophy > 150 Psychology 600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health |
| Institute / Center: | 07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology |
| Depositing User: | Hammer Igor |
| Date Deposited: | 09 Jan 2023 15:45 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Oct 2023 22:25 |
| URI: | https://boristheses.unibe.ch/id/eprint/4012 |
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