Effectiveness of Digital Mental Health Interventions for Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Depression is common among the adolescent population and can have a negative impact on multiple facets of life, such as emotional and mental well-being, academic performance, and social functioning, and can persist into adulthood if not adequately addressed. Despite the availability of a large range of psychological treatments, many adolescents face barriers in accessing traditional mental health care. Digital Mental Health Interventions (DMHIs) have recently gained increasing attention as more accessible tools to support adolescents’ mental health. They have the potential to reduce barriers related to stigma, service availability, and geographic constraints. This thesis examines the effectiveness of these tools in reducing depressive symptoms among adolescents. This work is based on a systematic review of existing research focusing on asynchronous digital interventions designed to address depressive and anxiety symptoms, and emotion regulation in the same population. Some examined methods are mobile applications, web-based programs, and digitally delivered asynchronous psychological therapies. The findings suggest that DMHIs can contribute to the reduction of depressive symptoms among adolescents, especially when interventions are built on evidence-based psychological approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy. However, results varied across studies, and not all interventions showed significant effects. Variables including participant engagement, intervention duration, and methodological differences may have influenced the outcomes. In conclusion, Digital Mental Health Interventions appear to be a promising alternative to traditional mental health care for adolescents with depressive symptoms. Further research is needed to strengthen the evidence base and to better understand other types of digital interventions that are most effective in this population.