Randomized Trial of a Computer-Tailored Intervention for Patients With Depression

Abstract Purpose. Examine the efficacy of a computer-tailored intervention (CTI) based on the transtheoretical model (TTM) for reducing depression, an increasingly important component of health promotion programs. Design. Pretest-posttest randomized trial. Setting. Participants were recruited and treated at home after being identified in two primary care clinics in Eastern Massachusetts and Chicago, Illinois. Subjects. A total of 350 adults experiencing at least mild symptoms of depression but not involved in or planning to seek treatment for depression. Intervention. A print manual and three CTI reports tailored to stage of change for using effective methods to prevent or reduce depression, other TTM variables, level of depression, and behavior. Measures. Pre-post changes and reliable and clinically significant change on the Beck Depression scale II and pre-post changes on the 20-item Medical Outcomes Study Short Form survey–based measure of physical functioning at 9 months' follow-up. Analysis. t-tests ...