Improvement and Maintenance of Clinical Outcomes in a Digital Mental Health Platform: Findings From a Longitudinal Observational Real-World Study.

Background: Digital mental health services are increasingly being provided by employers as health benefit programs that can improve access to and remove barriers to mental health care. Stratified care models, in particular, offer personalized care recommendations that can offer clinically effective interventions while conserving resources. Nonetheless, clinical evaluation is needed to understand their benefits for mental health and their use in a real-world setting.

The Impact of Digital Mental Health Services on Loneliness and Mental Health: Results from a Prospective, Observational Study.

Background: Loneliness has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic and negatively impacts mental health. This study examined relationships between loneliness and mental health among adults using a digital mental health platform.

Methods: A purposive sample of 919 participants (97% response rate) who were newly enrolled in the platform completed a survey on loneliness, depression, anxiety, well-being, stress, social support, and comorbidities at baseline and 3 months.

Impact of Online Group Psychoeducation and Support Sessions on Receptivity Towards Digital Mental Health Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Pilot Study.

While social distancing was crucial to slow the COVID-19 virus, it also contributed to social isolation and emotional strain. This pilot study evaluated the impact of stand-alone psychoeducational group sessions designed to build social connectedness and space for people to learn about mental health during the pandemic. The study examined if offering the stand-alone group sessions increased uptake of and receptivity to additional mental health services.

Real world effectiveness of digital mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented need for mental health services that can be remotely delivered. Digital mental health services that offer personalized care recommendations hold promise to efficiently expand service, but evidence of the effectiveness of digitally delivered mental health care in real-world settings remains limited.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of adults (N = 1,852) receiving care through a digital mental health platform with elevated depressive symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic was analyzed to estimate changes in subjective well-being and clinical improvement in depressive symptoms (using the World Health Organization-Five [WHO-5] Well-Being Index), as well as compare the relative effectiveness and cost of different care utilization patterns.

Understanding Components of Therapeutic Alliance and Well-Being from Use of a Global Digital Mental Health Benefit During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Observational Study.

Digital mental health services leverage technology to increase access to care, yet less is known about the quality of therapeutic relationships in a virtual setting. This study examined components of therapeutic alliance (a mechanism underlying successful treatment) and its association with beneficial treatment outcomes in a real-world, virtual setting. The objective is to examine (1) participant ratings of components of therapeutic alliance with providers in a virtual setting, (2) changes in subjective well-being and depressive symptoms among participants who began care with elevated depressive symptoms, and (3) the association between components of alliance and changes in participants' well-being.