SynthesisBMC psychiatry2016
Internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy for subthreshold depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC psychiatry, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 46 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
46 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 88 citations in OpenAlex.
- Long-Term Effect of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Managing Subclinical Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Depression and anxiety · 2025Pooled it
- Cognitive-behavioural therapy for a variety of conditions: an overview of systematic reviews and panoramic meta-analysis.Health technology assessment (Winchester, England) · 2021Pooled it
- Internet Interventions for Adults with Anxiety and Mood Disorders: A Narrative Umbrella Review of Recent Meta-Analyses.Canadian journal of psychiatry. Revue canadienne de psychiatrie · 2019Pooled it
- Smartphone CBT engagement and depressive symptoms: secondary analysis of the RESiLIENT trial using a time-varying exposure approach.Psychological medicine · 2026Trial
- Dynamic Changes in ALFF and DC in Subthreshold Depression Before and After ICBT Intervention.Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2025Trial
- Efficacy of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Subthreshold Depression Among Older Adults in Institutional Long-Term Care Settings: Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Trial
- A chatbot to improve adherence to internet-based cognitive-behavioural therapy among workers with subthreshold depression: a randomised controlled trial.BMJ mental health · 2024Trial
- Immediate Effects of Mobile Phone App for Depressed Mood in Young Adults with Subthreshold Depression: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Neuropsychiatric disease and treatment · 2023Trial
- Components of smartphone cognitive-behavioural therapy for subthreshold depression among 1093 university students: a factorial trial.Evidence-based mental health · 2022Trial
- Trial
- Brief Web-Based Intervention for Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial on Behavioral Activation.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Trial
- Complaint-Directed Mini-Interventions for Depressive Complaints: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Unguided Web-Based Self-Help Interventions.Journal of medical Internet research · 2017Trial
- The efficacy of a culturally adapted iCBT program on depression among Chinese emerging adults: A randomized controlled trial.Internet interventions · 2026Article
- Using normalization process theory to evaluate the implementation of a hybrid psychosocial prevention intervention in mental health care - a qualitative interview study.BMC health services research · 2026Article
- Promoting Flexibility in Expectations: A Randomized-Controlled Online-Intervention Study for Mild Psychopathological Symptoms.Clinical psychology in Europe · 2026Article
- Empowering healthier lifestyles: patterns of digital tool use, self-efficacy, and affective balance in IBD-patients and a community sample.Frontiers in digital health · 2026Article
- Pilot study of an app-supported psychosocial prevention intervention: a mixed-methods approach.Pilot and feasibility studies · 2025Article
- The impact of mental health literacy on resource utilization for academic stress in a diverse student cohort.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Short-term alterations of brain network properties in subthreshold depression: the impact of Internet-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
- Effectiveness of an online text-based stress management program for employees who work in micro- and small-sized enterprises: A randomized controlled trial.Internet interventions · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSubthreshold depression has a considerable impact on individuals' subjective well-being and psychosocial functioning and is a predictor of major depressive disorder. Internet-based cognitive behavioural treatments (iCBTs) have been used to reduce the symptoms of subthreshold depression. This meta-analysis aims to systematically review evidence indicating the efficacy of iCBT programs on the improvement of depressive symptoms in this population.
methodsArticles published from January 2005 to July 2016 were searched in the following databases: Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PsycArticles and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Only randomized controlled trials comparing the efficacy of iCBT programs with control groups for participants with subthreshold depression were selected. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted to examine the efficacy of iCBT interventions.
resultsTenarticles from 8 randomized controlled trials were identified in this systematic review. The results suggested that iCBT programs had a superior efficacy compared to results from a non-active control group at the post-intervention stage (SMD = - 0.28, CI [- 0.42, - 0.14]; I
conclusionThere has been substantial evidence that iCBT intervention has a superior short-term efficacy compared to the results of control groups, while its long-term efficacy of iCBT for subthreshold depressive symptoms is inconclusive and must be examined in further research.
trial registrationThe protocol of this review has been registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), Protocol No. CRD42015023390 .
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What OpenQuestion holds
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.