Venciendo la Depresi� A Feasibility Study of Telehealth-Delivered Behavioral Activation for Depressed Spanish-Speaking Latinxs
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Authors
Reinosa Segovia, Francisco Arturo
Issue Date
2023
Type
Dissertation
Language
Keywords
behavioral activation , depression , Latinxs , telehealth
Alternative Title
Abstract
Although Latinxs are substantially impacted by depression, they tend to underutilizebehavioral health services. The research literature has documented barriers (e.g., stigma, limited
English proficiency, and lack of transportation) contributing to the underutilization of behavioral
health services among Spanish-speaking Latinxs (SSLs). Telehealth can be broadly defined as
the provision of healthcare information and services through the use of telecommunications
technology. Behavioral Activation (BA) has well established empirical support for reducing
symptoms of depression among ethnic minority groups. The unprecedented challenges associated
with accessing in-person behavioral health services during the COVID-19 pandemic have
underscored the need to examine alternate methods for treatment delivery. Thus, the proposed
study aimed to conduct a feasibility study to determine the viability of telehealth-delivered BA
for SSLs. Twenty-five SSL participants met eligibility criteria and were enrolled in the
intervention and 17 participants completed treatment; the majority of participants experienced
significant improvements in depressive symptoms, and positive affect. These treatment gains
were sustained at one-month follow-up. Our data indicated that the majority of participants had
never used telehealth-delivered services in the past, yet they viewed the intervention as
acceptable and easy to use. Qualitative data highlighted positive and negative experiences while
receiving the intervention via telehealth that can be used to inform future research. The present
study offers promising preliminary data to support the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of
telehealth-delivered BA, with the potential to lessen barriers to care by offering readily
accessible behavioral health services for depressed individuals in underserved communities.