Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42519879›Full record

ReviewClinical psychology & psychotherapy

Psychotherapy Research During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Trends in Treatment Modalities and Digital Therapy Uptake (2019-2023).

Ian Sivel, Winfried Rief, Cornelia Weise

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Clinical psychology & psychotherapy. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
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

3 authors.

Ian SivelDivision of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Winfried RiefDivision of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Department of Psychology, Philipps-University of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7019-2250
Cornelia WeiseDivision of Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Health Technology, Department of Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5216-1031

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid transitions to digital psychotherapy delivery formats, yet systematic quantification of these developments within psychotherapy research remains limited. This study presents an updated trend analysis of psychotherapy randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from 2019 to 2023. Systematic searches in PubMed, Web of Science and PsycINFO identified RCTs across predefined psychotherapeutic intervention categories. Trials were categorized by treatment approach, region and age group. A total of 1223 psychotherapy RCTs were identified. Despite a temporary decline in 2022 (-13%), the overall number of trials increased by 26.3% across the study period. eHealth interventions constituted the largest psychotherapeutic intervention category (43%), surpassing cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT; 37%). Among eHealth trials, 71% evaluated internet-delivered CBT. Only eHealth and telehealth showed statistically significant increases in proportional representation over time. Other therapeutic approaches each represented < 7% of treatment arms and showed no significant proportional change. Trial activity remained concentrated in high-income countries (73.4%) and predominantly targeted adult populations, with children and adolescents comprising 17.3% of trials. The findings illustrate a dynamic field that remained active during the COVID-19 crisis, with eHealth emerging as the most frequently investigated therapeutic approach accompanied by substantial growth in telehealth interventions. Despite the overall growth in trial activity, research efforts remained heavily concentrated around CBT-derived interventions, adult populations and high-income country settings.

Indexed as

COVID-19Mental DisordersPsychotherapyTelemedicineCognitive Behavioral TherapyDigital HealthDigital MediaHumansMental Health TeletherapyPandemicsRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSARS-CoV-2CBTCOVID‐19 pandemiceHealthinternet‐based interventionspsychotherapy researchrandomized controlled trials (RCT)teletherapytrends

Identifiers

PMID42519879
PMCPMC13411721

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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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.