The Acceptability of an Online Intervention Using Positive Psychology for Depression: A Qualitative Study

Overview

Journal Internet Interv

Date 2018 Sep 13

PMID 30206520

Citations 5

Authors

Sophie Walsh

Paulina Szymczynska

Stephanie J C Taylor

Stefan Priebe

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Positive psychology interventions may usefully treat depression and can be delivered online to reduce the treatment gap. However, little is known about how acceptable patients find this approach. To address this, the present study interviewed recent users of a positive psychology self-help website.

Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews explored the experiences of twenty-three participants from a larger feasibility study. A stratified purposive sampling strategy selected participants with varying intervention experience according to their intervention logins, as well as varying age, gender and depressive symptoms. Framework analysis was used to explore patterns and linkages within and between participants' accounts.

Results: Acceptability varied between participants. Those who found it more acceptable felt it was relevant to their depression and reported feeling empowered by a self-help approach. Conversely, participants for whom it was less acceptable perceived the positive focus irrelevant to their depression and found the emphasis on self-action unsupportive.

Conclusions: The acceptability of an online positive psychology intervention may be facilitated by a patients' preference for a psychological focus on the positive. However, patients may also have distinct preferences for online self-help. Future research should investigate the importance of the therapeutic orientation of online self-help interventions and whether patients' preferences for these can be reliably identified. This could help to target online self-help in clinical practice.

Citing Articles

A blended group intervention to promote social connectedness and wellbeing among international university students: an exploratory study.

Cipolletta S, Tedoldi I, Tomaino S Front Psychol. 2024; 15:1497544.

PMID: 39664633 PMC: 11632463. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1497544.

Digital Psychotherapies for Adults Experiencing Depressive Symptoms: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Omylinska-Thurston J, Aithal S, Liverpool S, Clark R, Moula Z, Wood J JMIR Ment Health. 2024; 11:e55500.

PMID: 39348177 PMC: 11474132. DOI: 10.2196/55500.

Exploring the feasibility of using evidence-based feeding practices to promote children's healthy eating in holiday clubs.

Bayes N, Mason C, Haycraft E, Holley C Public Health Nutr. 2023; 26(12):2868-2881.

PMID: 37886798 PMC: 10755445. DOI: 10.1017/S1368980023002276.

A Web-Based Positive Psychology App for Patients With Bipolar Disorder: Development Study.

Geerling B, Kelders S, Stevens A, Kupka R, Bohlmeijer E JMIR Form Res. 2022; 6(9):e39476.

PMID: 35946327 PMC: 9531003. DOI: 10.2196/39476.

An Empirical Study of a Pedagogical Agent as an Adjunct to an eHealth Self-Management Intervention: What Modalities Does It Need to Successfully Support and Motivate Users?.

Scholten M, Kelders S, van Gemert-Pijnen J Front Psychol. 2019; 10:1063.

PMID: 31143152 PMC: 6520839. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01063.

References

Carlbring P, Maurin L, Torngren C, Linna E, Eriksson T, Sparthan E . Individually-tailored, Internet-based treatment for anxiety disorders: A randomized controlled trial. Behav Res Ther. 2010; 49(1):18-24. DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2010.10.002. View

Schueller S, Parks A . Disseminating self-help: positive psychology exercises in an online trial. J Med Internet Res. 2012; 14(3):e63. PMC: 3414858. DOI: 10.2196/jmir.1850. View

Layous K, Chancellor J, Lyubomirsky S, Wang L, Doraiswamy P . Delivering happiness: translating positive psychology intervention research for treating major and minor depressive disorders. J Altern Complement Med. 2011; 17(8):675-83. DOI: 10.1089/acm.2011.0139. View

Richards D, Richardson T . Computer-based psychological treatments for depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev. 2012; 32(4):329-42. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2012.02.004. View

Knowles S, Toms G, Sanders C, Bee P, Lovell K, Rennick-Egglestone S . Qualitative meta-synthesis of user experience of computerised therapy for depression and anxiety. PLoS One. 2014; 9(1):e84323. PMC: 3894944. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084323. View

La Torre M . Integrative perspectives. Positive psychology: is there too much of a push?. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2007; 43(3):151-3. DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-6163.2007.00126.x. View

Seligman M, Rashid T, Parks A . Positive psychotherapy. Am Psychol. 2006; 61(8):774-788. DOI: 10.1037/0003-066X.61.8.774. View

Tong A, Sainsbury P, Craig J . Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): a 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. Int J Qual Health Care. 2007; 19(6):349-57. DOI: 10.1093/intqhc/mzm042. View

Constantino M, Ametrano R, Greenberg R . Clinician interventions and participant characteristics that foster adaptive patient expectations for psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic change. Psychotherapy (Chic). 2012; 49(4):557-69. DOI: 10.1037/a0029440. View

10.

Roepke A, Jaffee S, Riffle O, McGonigal J, Broome R, Maxwell B . Randomized Controlled Trial of SuperBetter, a Smartphone-Based/Internet-Based Self-Help Tool to Reduce Depressive Symptoms. Games Health J. 2015; 4(3):235-46. DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2014.0046. View

11.

Whooley M, Avins A, Miranda J, Browner W . Case-finding instruments for depression. Two questions are as good as many. J Gen Intern Med. 1997; 12(7):439-45. PMC: 1497134. DOI: 10.1046/j.1525-1497.1997.00076.x. View

12.

Bolier L, Haverman M, Kramer J, Westerhof G, Riper H, Walburg J . An Internet-based intervention to promote mental fitness for mildly depressed adults: randomized controlled trial. J Med Internet Res. 2013; 15(9):e200. PMC: 3929047. DOI: 10.2196/jmir.2603. View

13.

Bylsma L, Morris B, Rottenberg J . A meta-analysis of emotional reactivity in major depressive disorder. Clin Psychol Rev. 2007; 28(4):676-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2007.10.001. View

14.

Hill C, Martin J, Thomson S, Scott-Ram N, Penfold H, Creswell C . Navigating the challenges of digital health innovation: considerations and solutions in developing online and smartphone-application-based interventions for mental health disorders. Br J Psychiatry. 2017; 211(2):65-69. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.115.180372. View

15.

Gale N, Heath G, Cameron E, Rashid S, Redwood S . Using the framework method for the analysis of qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health research. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2013; 13:117. PMC: 3848812. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2288-13-117. View

16.

Moskowitz J, Hult J, Duncan L, Cohn M, Maurer S, Bussolari C . A positive affect intervention for people experiencing health-related stress: development and non-randomized pilot test. J Health Psychol. 2011; 17(5):676-92. PMC: 3498769. DOI: 10.1177/1359105311425275. View

17.

Bolier L, Haverman M, Westerhof G, Riper H, Smit F, Bohlmeijer E . Positive psychology interventions: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies. BMC Public Health. 2013; 13:119. PMC: 3599475. DOI: 10.1186/1471-2458-13-119. View

18.

McEvoy P, Richards D . Critical realism: a way forward for evaluation research in nursing?. J Adv Nurs. 2003; 43(4):411-20. DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.2003.02730.x. View

19.

Yardley L, Morrison L, Bradbury K, Muller I . The person-based approach to intervention development: application to digital health-related behavior change interventions. J Med Internet Res. 2015; 17(1):e30. PMC: 4327440. DOI: 10.2196/jmir.4055. View

20.

Hollis C, Morriss R, Martin J, Amani S, Cotton R, Denis M . Technological innovations in mental healthcare: harnessing the digital revolution. Br J Psychiatry. 2015; 206(4):263-5. DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.142612. View