Efficacy of an Internet-based self-help intervention with human guidance or automated messages to alleviate loneliness: a three-armed randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT: Loneliness is a prevalent and stigmatized phenomenon associated with adverse (mental) health outcomes. However, evidence-based interventions to alleviate loneliness are scarce. This randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov-ID: NCT04655196) evaluated the efficacy of an internet-based cognitive behavioral self-help intervention (ICBT) to reduce loneliness by comparing two intervention groups with guidance or automated messages against a waitlist control group. Adults (N = 243) suffering from loneliness were recruited from the general public and then randomly assigned (2:2:1) to a 10-week ICBT with human guidance (GU) or automated messages (AM) or to a waitlist control group (WL). Loneliness, assessed with the UCLA-9, was the primary outcome. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and 10 w

SUBMITTER: Seewer N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10951227 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature