Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Peer-Administered Psychosocial Interventions on Symptoms of Depression

Many community mental health centers have implemented peer treatment models that employ recovered former clients as cost-efficient adjunct providers. The effectiveness of these and other peer-administered interventions (PAIs) for treating depression symptoms has not been well-established. The curren...

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Veröffentlicht in:American journal of community psychology 2015-06, Vol.55 (3-4), p.455-471
Hauptverfasser: Bryan, Amanda E. B., Arkowitz, Hal
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:Many community mental health centers have implemented peer treatment models that employ recovered former clients as cost-efficient adjunct providers. The effectiveness of these and other peer-administered interventions (PAIs) for treating depression symptoms has not been well-established. The current study is a meta-analysis of PAIs’ effects on depression symptoms. Twenty-three eligible studies were identified. Study characteristics were coded by multiple raters, random-effects models were used to compare mean effect sizes, and mixed-effects models were used to test for moderation. PAIs produced significant pre-post reductions in depression symptoms ( d  = .5043 [95 % CI .3675–.6412]). In direct comparisons, PAIs performed as well as non-peer-administered interventions (.0848 [−.1455–.3151]), and significantly better than no-treatment conditions (.2011 [.0104–.3918]). PAIs that involved a professional in a secondary treatment role were significantly less effective than those that were purely peer-administered, and educational/skills-based PAIs produced better outcomes than those that were mainly supportive. Follow-up data, when available, indicated that PAIs’ benefits were maintained. PAIs reduce depression symptoms and warrant further study. The clinical significance of PAIs’ benefits, and whether they are better suited as stand-alone or adjunct treatments, remain to be established. Implications for the roles of mental health professionals are discussed.
ISSN:0091-0562
1573-2770
DOI:10.1007/s10464-015-9718-y