Usage and reported helpfulness of self-help strategies by adults with sub-threshold depression

Abstract

Background: Informal self-help has the potential to reduce the population burden from sub-threshold forms of depression. Evaluating the effectiveness of self-help is difficult in controlled trials, but can be assessed with direct ratings by consumers. Depression experts have previously rated the likely effectiveness of self-help for sub-threshold depression but it is unclear whether the strategies are helpful in practice. We report ratings of the effectiveness of self-help as used by adults with sub-threshold depression. Methods: 1326 adults with sub-threshold depression were recruited over the internet and completed questionnaires about their use of 26 self-help strategies for depression sy..