Telephone-based mutual peer support for depression: a pilot study

Objectives: To evaluate the acceptability, feasibility and depression-related outcomes of a telephone-based mutual peer support intervention for individuals with continued depressive symptoms in specialty mental health treatment. Methods: Participants were depressed patients with continued symptoms or functional impairment treated at one of the three outpatient mental health clinics. Participants were partnered with another patient, provided with basic communication skills training, and asked to call their partner at least once a week using a telephone platform that recorded call initiation, frequency and duration. Depression symptoms, quality of life, disability, self-efficacy, overall mental and physical health and qualitative feedback were collected at enrolment, 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Results: Fifty-four participants enroled in the 12-week intervention and 32 participants (59.3%) completed the intervention. Participants completing the study averaged 10.3 calls, with a mean call length of 26.8 min. The mean change in BDI-II score from baseline to study completion was -4.2 (95% CI: -7.6, -0.8; p<0.02). Measures of disability, quality of life and psychological health also improved. Qualitative assessments indicated that participants found meaning and support through interactions with their partners. Discussion: Telephone-based mutual peer support is a feasible and acceptable adjunct to specialty depression care. Larger trials are needed to determine efficacy and effectiveness of this intervention.