Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41488791›Full record

ArticleThe Lancet regional health. Europe2026

Efficacy of an online self-help programme with automated or individualised psychological support versus treatment as usual for caregivers of people with depression: a randomised, controlled, open-label, superiority trial.

Elisabeth Schramm, Nadine Zehender, Christoph Breuninger, Ulrich Hegerl, Anne Elsner, Andy Maun, Marina Schmölz, Christiane Roick, Jörg Sahlmann, Marlon Grodd and 3 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in The Lancet regional health. Europe, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Elisabeth SchrammDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Nadine ZehenderDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Christoph BreuningerDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Ulrich HegerlDepartment of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt (Distinguished Professorship funded by Dr. Senckenbergische Stiftung), Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Anne ElsnerGerman Depression Foundation, Leipzig, Germany.
Andy MaunInstitute of General Practice / Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Marina SchmölzInstitute of General Practice / Family Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Christiane RoickAOK Federal Association, Berlin, Germany.
Jörg SahlmannInstitute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Marlon GroddInstitute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Katharina DomschkeDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Moritz ElsaesserDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Erika GrafInstitute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Informal caregivers of depressed individuals often report extensive psychological distress with detrimental consequences for their own health and for the course of the depressed person's disease. An online self-help programme was developed involving focus groups of caregivers, affected individuals and clinical experts. Methods: In this randomised, controlled, open-label superiority trial with three parallel groups (prospective registration: DRKS00025241), stratified randomisation allocated caregivers (≥18 years) of depressed individuals in a 2:2:1 ratio to receiving the programme with either individualised (IND, three weekly e-mails by trained psychologists) or automated (AUT) support messages, or to treatment as usual (TAU; information material, no online programme, no messages). The primary outcome was the change from baseline to four weeks after randomisation in the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10). Findings: The trial was conducted between 01 March 2020 and 29 February 2024. In 1640 (IND: Interpretation: Psychological online support for caregivers of depressed individuals with either individualised or automated messages is effective in decreasing their psychosocial distress and could be offered as part of integrated services. Funding: German Innovation Fund (Federal Joint Committee, 01VSF19054).

Indexed as

Automated supportCaregiversDepressionIndividualised supportOnline self-help programmeRandomised controlled trial

Identifiers

PMID41488791
PMCPMC12757463

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.