Trial reportJournal of medical Internet research2026
Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Fathers With Postnatal Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial of DadBooster.
Trial report in Journal of medical Internet research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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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.
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: Up to 1 in 10 fathers experience postnatal depression. Fathers are less likely to seek help and receive adequate treatment than depressed mothers. Digital treatments hold significant potential for engaging and supporting fathers, but no effective program exists. Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of an online cognitive behavioral therapy program, DadBooster, for treating postnatal depression in fathers. Methods: A parallel, 2-group randomized controlled trial (N=50) was conducted to test the superiority of DadBooster over waitlist control who received routine care. Randomization was computer-generated, with allocation concealment maintained through central, computer-automated administration. Participating fathers were aged 18 years or older, had a baby younger than 12 months, had a depression diagnosis using the Quick Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (QuickSCID-5), were not receiving depression treatment, and did not meet criteria for other mental health disorders. They were recruited Australia-wide and completed questionnaires online and assessments by telephone. Primary outcomes were depression symptom severity (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 [DASS-21]) and depressive episode remission (QuickSCID-5) 12 weeks after enrollment. Participants were not blinded. Assessments (QuickSCID-5) and data analysis were conducted blind to allocation. Results: Participants (N=50) were randomized (DadBooster: n=25; waitlist control: n=25) and analyzed as assigned; the trial is complete. Mean depression symptoms (DASS-21) at 12 weeks were significantly lower for DadBooster than waitlist control (adjusted mean difference -7.26, 95% CI -11.34 to -3.18; Conclusions: This randomized controlled trial demonstrates the efficacy of DadBooster, the first online treatment targeting clinically diagnosed postnatal depression in fathers, addressing a critical gap in the treatment of postnatal depression, an area that has until recently been primarily focused on mothers. By providing evidence for an intervention specifically designed for fathers with potential for broader scalability, this study advances the limited literature on treatment approaches for postnatal depression in fathers. Given its accessibility, privacy, and convenience, DadBooster is a promising and potentially impactful intervention for supporting fathers.
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