Exploring the Incorporation of a Positive Psychology Component in a Cognitive Behavioral Internet-Based Program for Depressive Symptoms. Results Throughout the Intervention Process

Abstract

Traditionally, evidence-based treatments for depression have focused on negative symptoms. Different authors describe the need to include positive affect as a major target of treatment. Positive psychology aims to fill this gap. Reaching everyone in need is also important, and Internet-based interventions can help in this task. The present study is a secondary analysis derived from a randomized controlled trial aimed to test the efficacy of an Internet-based intervention for patients with depressive symptoms. This intervention consisted of an 8-module Internet-based program that combined four modules based on cognitive-behavioral therapy strategies and four modules based on positive psychology strategies. The main goal of this secondary analysis is to report the data collected after each module from the participants who completed the intervention, explore the changes throughout the intervention process, and examine the changes observed in the different variables before versus after the introduction of the positive psychology component. A total of 103 patients completed the intervention. At pre-, post-intervention, and post-module evaluations, they completed positive and negative affect, depression, and anxiety measures. Negative affect and anxiety decreased significantly during the implementation of the cognitive-behavioral therapy and positive psychology modules. However, depression and positive affect improved only after the introduction of the positive psychology modules. This is the first study to explore, throughout the intervention process (module by module), the incorporation of a positive psychology component in an Internet-based program. Results suggest that positive psychology techniques might have an impact on clinical symptomatology, and they emphasize the need to include these techniques to achieve a more profound change in positive functioning measures