ArticleJMIR mental health2016
Direction to an Internet Support Group Compared With Online Expressive Writing for People With Depression And Anxiety: A Randomized Trial.
Article in JMIR mental health, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT01149265 (Randomised Controlled Trial of an Existing Online Support Group for Depression and Anxiety), which is not on this map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Randomised Controlled Trial of an Existing Online Support Group for Depression and Anxiety
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Unraveling Online Mental Health Through the Lens of Early Maladaptive Schemas: AI-Enabled Content Analysis of Online Mental Health Communities.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Meeting Young Adults' Social Support Needs across the Health Behavior Change Journey: Implications for Digital Mental Health Tools.Proceedings of the ACM on human-computer interaction · 2022Article
- A Newly Developed Online Peer Support Community for Depression (Depression Connect): Qualitative Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Article
- Lumbar Spine Fusion Patients' Use of an Internet Support Group: Mixed Methods Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2019Article
- Web-Based Decision Aid to Assist Help-Seeking Choices for Young People Who Self-Harm: Outcomes From a Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial.JMIR mental health · 2018Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDepression and anxiety are common, often comorbid, conditions, and Internet support groups for them are well used. However, little rigorous research has been conducted on the outcome of these groups.
objectiveThis study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an Internet support group in reducing depression and anxiety, and increasing social support and life satisfaction.
methodsA randomized trial compared direction to an existing Internet support group for depression and anxiety with an online expressive writing condition. A total of 863 (628 female) United Kingdom, United States, and Canadian volunteers were recruited via the Internet. Online, self-report measures of depression, anxiety, social support, and satisfaction with life were administered at baseline, 3, and 6 months.
resultsAll four outcomes - depression, anxiety, social support, and satisfaction with life - improved over the 6 months of the study (all P <.001). There was no difference in outcome between the two conditions: participants responded similarly to the expressive writing and the Internet support group. Engagement with the Internet support group was low, it had high 6-month attrition (692/795, 87%) and low adherence, and it received mixed and often negative feedback. The main problems reported were a lack of comfort and connection with others, negative social comparisons, and the potential for receiving bad advice. Expressive writing had lower attrition (194/295, 65%) and participants reported that it was more acceptable.
conclusionsUntil further evidence accumulates, directing people with depression and anxiety to Internet support groups cannot be recommended. On the other hand, online expressive writing seems to have potential, and its use for people with depression and anxiety warrants further investigation.
trial registration
trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov NCT01149265; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01149265 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6hYISlNFT).
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.