Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, Vol 93(11), Nov 2025, 719-734; doi:10.1037/ccp0000982
Objective: We conducted a nationwide, fully remote two-arm randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of a self-guided internet-based behavioral activation (BA) intervention for depression in online workers. The intervention was a 4-week program designed as part of the Common Element Toolbox (COMET). Method: Eight hundred five online workers who screened for depression were randomized to COMET-BA or a wait-list control. Self-report measures of depression, anxiety, subjective well-being, BA, psychosocial function, and emotion regulation were collected weekly for 4 weeks, 1-week postintervention, and then at a 1-month follow-up. The design and analytic plan were preregistered. Results: There was a significant Time × Treatment interaction during the intervention phase of the study. Those in COMET-BA improved significantly more than those in the wait-list control, with small–medium differences in depression (standardized mean difference = −0.32; 95% CI [−0.47, −0.17]). All but two outcomes demonstrated significant improvements, which were maintained during the 1-month follow-up period. Conclusion: BA may be effectively delivered as a self-guided online intervention for depression in online workers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)