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.

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 programm

SUBMITTER: Schramm E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12757463 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature