PICOS framework
| Concept | Details |
|---|---|
| Population | Adults (mean age ≥25 years, inclusive) experiencing nonacute, emerging, mild-to-moderate mental ill-health symptoms, with no existing psychiatric diagnosis (i.e. indicated populations) |
| Intervention | Adult-specific mental health interventions, excluding those for alcohol and other drugs. Interventions were either evidence-based or informed, and developed by mental health professionals, and/or those with lived experience (e.g., consumers, clients, service users). They were very brief, lasting only one session up to a maximum of three hours in total, including all guided and partially guided components. They were delivered digitally, either to individuals or groups, through various digital methods. Two types of delivery methods: (1) Entirely guided delivery: The intervention was fully guided; (2) Combination delivery: This involved both guided and self-guided elements. For combination or partially guided interventions, the digital component had to be guided, whether in real-time (synchronous) or delayed (asynchronous). This guidance could be provided by a clinician, researcher, student, an expert by experience, a volunteer or a combination of these experts. The interventions did not have to adhere to any specific therapeutic framework |
| Comparison | Optional comparison group |
| Outcome | Socioemotional outcomes were included and had to be evaluated at least once after the intervention had concluded. Studies that reported outcomes solely measured before the intervention were not considered |
| Study design | Primary research from published and unpublished sources in the form of experimental and quasi-experimental (i.e. randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized controlled trials, before-and-after studies, interrupted time-series studies) were included. Case control studies were also included. Studies needed to report on clinical pre-post mental health program efficacy data. Observational studies were also included which reported exclusively on post-program efficacy outcomes without a baseline pre-intervention assessment. Qualitative research was excluded. Quantitative results of mixed-methods studies were included |
| Concept | Details |
|---|---|
| Population | Adults (mean age ≥25 years, inclusive) experiencing nonacute, emerging, mild-to-moderate mental ill-health symptoms, with no existing psychiatric diagnosis (i.e. indicated populations) |
| Intervention | Adult-specific mental health interventions, excluding those for alcohol and other drugs. Interventions were either evidence-based or informed, and developed by mental health professionals, and/or those with lived experience (e.g., consumers, clients, service users). They were very brief, lasting only one session up to a maximum of three hours in total, including all guided and partially guided components. They were delivered digitally, either to individuals or groups, through various digital methods. Two types of delivery methods: (1) Entirely guided delivery: The intervention was fully guided; (2) Combination delivery: This involved both guided and self-guided elements. For combination or partially guided interventions, the digital component had to be guided, whether in real-time (synchronous) or delayed (asynchronous). This guidance could be provided by a clinician, researcher, student, an expert by experience, a volunteer or a combination of these experts. The interventions did not have to adhere to any specific therapeutic framework |
| Comparison | Optional comparison group |
| Outcome | Socioemotional outcomes were included and had to be evaluated at least once after the intervention had concluded. Studies that reported outcomes solely measured before the intervention were not considered |
| Study design | Primary research from published and unpublished sources in the form of experimental and quasi-experimental (i.e. randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized controlled trials, before-and-after studies, interrupted time-series studies) were included. Case control studies were also included. Studies needed to report on clinical pre-post mental health program efficacy data. Observational studies were also included which reported exclusively on post-program efficacy outcomes without a baseline pre-intervention assessment. Qualitative research was excluded. Quantitative results of mixed-methods studies were included |
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