Text-based psychotherapy can be just as effective as live video sessions for treating depression, according to new research from the University of Washington.
The study, published Oct. 30 in JAMA Network Open, compared outcomes among 850 adults who received either message-based psychotherapy or weekly video therapy through the online platform Talkspace.
Researchers found that patients in both groups showed similar improvements in depression symptoms and social functioning.
“We found that patients improved at similar rates, regardless of whether they were communicating with their therapist through messaging or live video calls,” said Patricia A. Areán, a retired UW psychiatry professor and senior author of the study. “This supports the use of text-based therapy as a viable, evidence-based way to treat the millions of Americans who experience depression every year.”
Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two therapy formats for 12 weeks.
Those who did not respond to treatment after six weeks were reassigned to receive a combination of both approaches.
At the end of the study, outcomes were nearly identical across both formats.
Researchers also found that patients in the video therapy group were slightly more likely to drop out early, while those using text-based therapy often stayed more engaged, citing its flexibility and convenience.
“Depression is one of the leading causes of disability and mortality worldwide,” said lead author Michael Pullmann, formerly a research professor of psychiatry at UW and now a senior program officer at the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute in Washington, D.C. “Message-based psychotherapy can help practitioners reach patients who may not otherwise be able to access care.”
The authors said expanding insurance coverage for message-based therapy could make treatment more accessible for millions who struggle to find in-person or live virtual care.
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