Randomized controlled trial of online interventions for co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol consumption: Primary outcome results

John A. Cunningham; Alexandra Godinho; Christian S. Hendershot; Frances Kay-Lambkin; Clayton Neighbors; Kathleen M. Griffiths; Christina Schell

doi:10.1016/j.invent.2021.100477

Randomized controlled trial of online interventions for co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol consumption: Primary outcome results

John A. Cunningham^*
, Alexandra Godinho
, Christian S. Hendershot
, Frances Kay-Lambkin
, Clayton Neighbors
, Kathleen M. Griffiths
, Christina Schell

^*Corresponding author for this work

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
University Health Network, Toronto
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Newcastle, Australia
University of Houston
Australian National University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

9 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background and aims: The current trial tested the benefits of offering a brief online intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption along with one for depression among people experiencing both conditions. Methods: Online advertisements were used to recruit people with persistent low mood. Those who also had current hazardous alcohol consumption were identified and invited to take part in the trial (those not eligible were offered access to the online depression intervention). Participants were randomized to an established intervention for depression (MoodGYM; M-only) or to receive MoodGYM plus a brief personalized feedback intervention for hazardous drinking (Check Your Drinking; M + CYD). Participants were followed-up at three and six months. Results: While levels of depression symptoms (p < .001) and hazardous alcohol consumption (p < .001) reduced in both the M-only and the M + CYD groups, there was no difference between groups on drinking (p = .374) or depression outcomes (p = .752). Further, participants who were provided both interventions logged into the intervention website less often (M = 4.1, SD = 3.9) compared to participants only offered the depression intervention (M = 4.9, SD = 5.2), t (986) = 2.47, p = .014. However, there was no significant difference (p > .05) in the number of MoodGYM modules completed between the two groups. Discussion and conclusion: The current trial found no benefit to providing a brief online intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption alongside one for depression among people experiencing these co-occurring disorders. Further, the finding that adding an online intervention for drinking to one for depression led to a small reduction in the number of times the interventions were accessed implies the need for caution when deciding how best to provide online help to those with co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol consumption. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03421080.

Original language	English
Article number	100477
Journal	Internet Interventions
Volume	26
Early online date	2 Nov 2021
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2021.100477
Publication status	Published - 2 Nov 2021

Keywords

Brief intervention
Clinical trial
Comorbidity
Depression
Hazardous alcohol use
Internet intervention
Problem drinking
Randomized controlled trial

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10.1016/j.invent.2021.100477Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

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@article{353284e66208425e8f97b0aa59367e7a,

title = "Randomized controlled trial of online interventions for co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol consumption: Primary outcome results",

abstract = "Background and aims: The current trial tested the benefits of offering a brief online intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption along with one for depression among people experiencing both conditions. Methods: Online advertisements were used to recruit people with persistent low mood. Those who also had current hazardous alcohol consumption were identified and invited to take part in the trial (those not eligible were offered access to the online depression intervention). Participants were randomized to an established intervention for depression (MoodGYM; M-only) or to receive MoodGYM plus a brief personalized feedback intervention for hazardous drinking (Check Your Drinking; M + CYD). Participants were followed-up at three and six months. Results: While levels of depression symptoms (p < .001) and hazardous alcohol consumption (p < .001) reduced in both the M-only and the M + CYD groups, there was no difference between groups on drinking (p = .374) or depression outcomes (p = .752). Further, participants who were provided both interventions logged into the intervention website less often (M = 4.1, SD = 3.9) compared to participants only offered the depression intervention (M = 4.9, SD = 5.2), t (986) = 2.47, p = .014. However, there was no significant difference (p > .05) in the number of MoodGYM modules completed between the two groups. Discussion and conclusion: The current trial found no benefit to providing a brief online intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption alongside one for depression among people experiencing these co-occurring disorders. Further, the finding that adding an online intervention for drinking to one for depression led to a small reduction in the number of times the interventions were accessed implies the need for caution when deciding how best to provide online help to those with co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol consumption. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03421080.",

keywords = "Brief intervention, Clinical trial, Comorbidity, Depression, Hazardous alcohol use, Internet intervention, Problem drinking, Randomized controlled trial",

author = "Cunningham, \{John A.\} and Alexandra Godinho and Hendershot, \{Christian S.\} and Frances Kay-Lambkin and Clayton Neighbors and Griffiths, \{Kathleen M.\} and Christina Schell",

note = "Funding Information: This research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant number PJT 153 324 however, the findings and conclusions of this paper are solely of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The funding body had no role or influence on the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript. Funding Information: John Cunningham is currently supported by the Nat \& Loretta Rothschild Chair in Addictions Treatment \& Recovery Studies. This research was undertaken in part thanks to funding from the Canada Research Chairs program for support of Dr. Cunningham, who was the Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Dr. Hendershot, who was the Canada Research Chair in Etiology and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders at the time of the conduct of this study. This research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant number PJT 153 324 however, the findings and conclusions of this paper are solely of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The funding body had no role or influence on the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript. Funding Information: John Cunningham is currently supported by the Nat \& Loretta Rothschild Chair in Addictions Treatment \& Recovery Studies. This research was undertaken in part thanks to funding from the Canada Research Chairs program for support of Dr. Cunningham, who was the Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Dr. Hendershot, who was the Canada Research Chair in Etiology and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders at the time of the conduct of this study. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 The Authors",

year = "2021",

month = nov,

day = "2",

doi = "10.1016/j.invent.2021.100477",

language = "English",

volume = "26",

journal = "Internet Interventions",

issn = "2214-7829",

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T1 - Randomized controlled trial of online interventions for co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol consumption

T2 - Primary outcome results

AU - Cunningham, John A.

AU - Godinho, Alexandra

AU - Hendershot, Christian S.

AU - Kay-Lambkin, Frances

AU - Neighbors, Clayton

AU - Griffiths, Kathleen M.

AU - Schell, Christina

N1 - Funding Information: This research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant number PJT 153 324 however, the findings and conclusions of this paper are solely of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The funding body had no role or influence on the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript. Funding Information: John Cunningham is currently supported by the Nat & Loretta Rothschild Chair in Addictions Treatment & Recovery Studies. This research was undertaken in part thanks to funding from the Canada Research Chairs program for support of Dr. Cunningham, who was the Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Dr. Hendershot, who was the Canada Research Chair in Etiology and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders at the time of the conduct of this study. This research is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research grant number PJT 153 324 however, the findings and conclusions of this paper are solely of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. The funding body had no role or influence on the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript. Funding Information: John Cunningham is currently supported by the Nat & Loretta Rothschild Chair in Addictions Treatment & Recovery Studies. This research was undertaken in part thanks to funding from the Canada Research Chairs program for support of Dr. Cunningham, who was the Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Dr. Hendershot, who was the Canada Research Chair in Etiology and Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorders at the time of the conduct of this study. Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors

PY - 2021/11/2

Y1 - 2021/11/2

N2 - Background and aims: The current trial tested the benefits of offering a brief online intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption along with one for depression among people experiencing both conditions. Methods: Online advertisements were used to recruit people with persistent low mood. Those who also had current hazardous alcohol consumption were identified and invited to take part in the trial (those not eligible were offered access to the online depression intervention). Participants were randomized to an established intervention for depression (MoodGYM; M-only) or to receive MoodGYM plus a brief personalized feedback intervention for hazardous drinking (Check Your Drinking; M + CYD). Participants were followed-up at three and six months. Results: While levels of depression symptoms (p < .001) and hazardous alcohol consumption (p < .001) reduced in both the M-only and the M + CYD groups, there was no difference between groups on drinking (p = .374) or depression outcomes (p = .752). Further, participants who were provided both interventions logged into the intervention website less often (M = 4.1, SD = 3.9) compared to participants only offered the depression intervention (M = 4.9, SD = 5.2), t (986) = 2.47, p = .014. However, there was no significant difference (p > .05) in the number of MoodGYM modules completed between the two groups. Discussion and conclusion: The current trial found no benefit to providing a brief online intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption alongside one for depression among people experiencing these co-occurring disorders. Further, the finding that adding an online intervention for drinking to one for depression led to a small reduction in the number of times the interventions were accessed implies the need for caution when deciding how best to provide online help to those with co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol consumption. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03421080.

AB - Background and aims: The current trial tested the benefits of offering a brief online intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption along with one for depression among people experiencing both conditions. Methods: Online advertisements were used to recruit people with persistent low mood. Those who also had current hazardous alcohol consumption were identified and invited to take part in the trial (those not eligible were offered access to the online depression intervention). Participants were randomized to an established intervention for depression (MoodGYM; M-only) or to receive MoodGYM plus a brief personalized feedback intervention for hazardous drinking (Check Your Drinking; M + CYD). Participants were followed-up at three and six months. Results: While levels of depression symptoms (p < .001) and hazardous alcohol consumption (p < .001) reduced in both the M-only and the M + CYD groups, there was no difference between groups on drinking (p = .374) or depression outcomes (p = .752). Further, participants who were provided both interventions logged into the intervention website less often (M = 4.1, SD = 3.9) compared to participants only offered the depression intervention (M = 4.9, SD = 5.2), t (986) = 2.47, p = .014. However, there was no significant difference (p > .05) in the number of MoodGYM modules completed between the two groups. Discussion and conclusion: The current trial found no benefit to providing a brief online intervention for hazardous alcohol consumption alongside one for depression among people experiencing these co-occurring disorders. Further, the finding that adding an online intervention for drinking to one for depression led to a small reduction in the number of times the interventions were accessed implies the need for caution when deciding how best to provide online help to those with co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol consumption. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03421080.

KW - Brief intervention

KW - Clinical trial

KW - Comorbidity

KW - Depression

KW - Hazardous alcohol use

KW - Internet intervention

KW - Problem drinking

KW - Randomized controlled trial

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DO - 10.1016/j.invent.2021.100477

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85118486630

SN - 2214-7829

VL - 26

JO - Internet Interventions

JF - Internet Interventions

M1 - 100477

ER -

Randomized controlled trial of online interventions for co-occurring depression and hazardous alcohol consumption: Primary outcome results

Abstract

Keywords

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