The Impact of a Behavioral Activation Online Micro Intervention on Mood and Activity Level

Abstract

Previous studies on Behavioral Activation (BA) Online Micro Interventions (OMIs) reported immediate mood benefits but no lasting effects, while the mechanisms by which these interventions improve mood are unknown. This study aimed to analyze the OMI’s impact on self-reported mood and depressive symptoms. A total of 838 participants (mean age = 35.86) were randomized into either BA condition, BA with reminders (BAR), or Waitlist control (WLC). Participants in the BA and BAR conditions showed a significant and small improvement in mood (t(476) = − 7.23, p < .001. d = .25) from baseline to immediate post. There were no significant differences by condition in self-reported mood (F(113) = .61, p = .543) and PROMIS scores (F(119) = 1.57, p = .213) from baseline to one week follow-up. Self-reported activity levels significantly increased at the seven-day follow-up for both the BA and BAR conditions (F(58) = 8.28, p = .006). Change in activity level significantly predicted self-reported mood at follow up (F(56) = 5.07, p = .03, r = .29, Adjusted R-squared = .068), but did not significantly predict PROMIS scores at follow up (F(59) = .13 p = .72, r = -.05, adjusted r-squared = -.015). Reminders did not improve completion rates (p = .233). Our results found that the Behavioral Activation OMI had a small but significant immediate effect on self-reported mood for participants in the active conditions. While there were no significant differences in mood and depression across conditions at one week follow-up, there was a significant increase in the number of activities they engaged in at one week follow-up. Overall results of a BA OMI were promising.