Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Physician Assistant Studies

Committee Chair

Trey Boyd

Abstract

Background: Digital mental health tools are becoming widely used as flexible alternatives to in-person therapy. A key question is how effective they are compared to traditional therapy for people with depression and anxiety.

Objective: To compare how effective digital interventions, like app-based CBT or telehealth, are compared to in-person psychotherapy in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in adults.

Methods: A structured PubMed search was conducted using specific search terms, limited to English-language randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published between 2020 and 2025. After screening 116 articles, four high-quality studies were selected for review.

Results: Of the four studies reviewed, one was a meta-analysis and 3 were randomized controlled trials. Response and remission rates were similar, and the patient groups were comparable. There were no major differences in treatment success, dropout rates, or how well patients stuck with the therapy.

Discussion: Digital mental health interventions, such as online CBT programs and video-based therapy, can be effective alternatives to traditional therapy for adults with depression and anxiety. More research is still needed to look at long-term outcomes, access issues, and how to best match patients to the right kind of treatment.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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