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While Internet-based mental health interventions have been shown to be effective, some users of these programs continue to face barriers to care (such as having limited time or fatigue) that make it difficult to complete or fully engage online treatment. The Things You Do Intervention (TYD) was developed as an ultra-brief intervention that can address mental health issues by promoting helpful thoughts and behaviours. The ultra-brief nature of the TYD intervention was designed to reduce barriers to care and provide another online treatment option in routine care.
The TYD intervention is comprised of a single 26-slide lesson that emphasizes the importance of engaging in productive, helpful daily activities in order to enhance wellbeing. Users also received a “Tip of the Day” five days a week, which reinforced the importance of daily actions taught in the lesson and nudged healthy decision-making and behavioural change.
We found that, among the participants who completed the post-treatment questionnaires, users were quite satisfied with the treatment and appreciated the daily reminders and practical techniques. Nevetheless, some found it to be too short or generic. Consistent with hypotheses, participation in the intervention was found to be associated with more adaptive behaviours which was then associated with greater symptom improvement.
The results of this study suggest that the TYD intervention is acceptable and effective for individuals seeking an ultra-brief, accessible intervention for anxiety and depression. Nevertheless, engagement is an important moderating factor for the intervention’s effectiveness. Future research could examine strategies to enhance engagement in the intervention, such as by offering a brief phone call pre-treatment and or tailored recommendations personalized to each participant’s specific needs and concerns.