A Meta-analysis of the Effectiveness of Behavioral Intervention Technologies and Face-to-Face Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Youth with Depression

This study explored the effectiveness of behavioral intervention technologies (BITs) and face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy (F2FCBT). Systematic review methods and meta-analysis techniques were used to analyze nineteen randomized controlled trials comparing face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy (F2FCBT), or BITS, vs. a wait list control or a non-evidence-based control. A random-effects model was used, and effect sizes were calculated using Hedges’ g to determine the effectiveness of treatment from pre- to post-test and pre to follow-up. Subgroup comparisons were run for age and type of control group. Results of the analysis show that both interventions were effective for reducing childhood depression from pre-test to post-test, (F2FCBT g = − 0.36 and BITs g = − 0.34) and were not significantly different from one another (p =.90). At a 6-month follow-up, F2FCBT interventions were not significantly better than controls, and BITs were shown to be significantly better than controls. F2FCBT and BITs did not differ significantly from one another (p = 0.92). A subgroup analysis revealed that interventions targeted at adolescents were more effective (g = −0.51) than interventions targeting mixed ages. It was found that BITs were effective as a treatment of child and adolescent depression and were as effective in treating depression as F2FCBT, the gold standard treatment. Current evidence provides promising results that support the utilization of BITs as a treatment for depression in children and adolescents. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.