Trial results for a study investigating message-based and digital treatment sequences for Depression were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-10-30, involving 1184 participants.
Background
Depression is a common and serious mental health condition that can significantly impact a person's daily life and ability to participate in social roles. The landscape of mental health treatment is evolving, with digital interventions like message-based and video-chat psychotherapy offering accessible alternatives to traditional in-person care. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of unlimited text-based psychotherapy compared to once-a-week psychotherapy for depression. It also sought to identify optimal treatment pathways for individuals who may not respond adequately to initial digital interventions, ultimately informing the development of tailored message-based care products.
Trial design
This completed study, designated as Phase NA, enrolled 1184 participants. It investigated conditions including Study Adherence and Depressive Disorder. The trial compared the effectiveness of unlimited text-based psychotherapy (Message-Based Psychotherapy, MBP) with once-a-week video-chat psychotherapy (Video-Chat Psychotherapy, VCP). The study also explored different treatment sequences for non-responders, including transitions to premium plans (MBP with monthly VCP) and ultimate plans (MBP with weekly VCP).
Key results
The trial reported several key measurements related to changes in social functioning and depressive symptoms:
- Change in Neuro-QOL - Ability to Participate in Social Roles and Activities (T-score):
- For Phase 2: Message-Based Psychotherapy (MBP; Level 1), mean scores were 39.55 (Standard Deviation 3.93), 41.65 (Standard Deviation 4.95), and 43.39 (Standard Deviation 6.50).
- For Phase 2: Video-Chat Psychotherapy (VCP; Level 1), mean scores were 39.57 (Standard Deviation 4.55), 42.07 (Standard Deviation 5.47), and 43.11 (Standard Deviation 6.68).
- Change in Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) (units on a scale):
- For Phase 2: Message-Based Psychotherapy (MBP; Level 1 and Level 2), the mean score was 15.06 (Standard Deviation 4.67).
- For Phase 2: Video-Chat Psychotherapy (VCP; Level 1 and Level 2), the mean score was 15.30 (Standard Deviation 4.91).
- For Phase 2: MBP (Level 1) to Premium Plan (MBP with monthly VCP; Level 2), the mean score was 14.48 (Standard Deviation 5.33).
- For Phase 2: MBP (Level 1) to Ultimate Plan (MBP with weekly VCP; Level 2), the mean score was 15.14 (Standard Deviation 4.72).
- For Phase 2: VCP (Level 1) to Premium Plan (MBP with monthly VCP; Level 2), the mean score was 14.85 (Standard Deviation 4.79).
- For Phase 2: VCP (Level 1) to Ultimate Plan (MBP with weekly VCP; Level 2), the mean score was 15.09 (Standard Deviation 4.32).
Key analyses reported mean differences (Final Values) comparing average scores:
- For comparisons of average scores from baseline to week 6, mean differences were 0.4, 0.53, and 0.44.
- For comparisons of average scores from week 6 to week 12, mean differences were 0.7, 0.08, and 0.31.
What this means
The posted trial results provide detailed measurements on the effectiveness of message-based and video-chat psychotherapy for depression, as well as outcomes from different stepped-care approaches. The reported mean scores for Neuro-QOL and PHQ-9, alongside the mean differences over various time points, offer insights into how these digital interventions impact depressive symptoms and social functioning. These data contribute to understanding the comparative efficacy of different digital psychotherapy modalities and could inform the development of more personalized and adaptive treatment strategies for individuals with depression.
Source
The information for these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT04513080, titled "Message-Based Psychotherapy and Digital Treatment Sequences for Depression", were posted on 2025-10-30 on clinicaltrials.gov.