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. 2021 May 6;21(4):1–232.

Table 33:

Results for Acceptability of rTMS

Domain Notes Results
Usefulness — What treatment would you use for the following?

  • Mild depressive episode: ECT 2 (0.4%), rTMS 22 (4.6%), tDCS 22 (4.6%), AD 27 (5.7%), psychotherapy 384 (80.7%)

  • Moderate depressive episode: ECT 2 (0.4%), rTMS 52 (10.9%), tDCS 18 (3.8%), AD 270 (56.7%), psychotherapy 113 (23.7%)

  • Severe depressive episode: ECT 44 (9.2%), rTMS 33 (6.9%), tDCS 15 (3.2%), AD 358 (75.2%), psychotherapy 4 (0.8%)

  • Resistant moderate depressive episode: ECT 43 (9%), rTMS 199 (41.8%), tDCS 36 (7.6%), AD 160 (33.6%), psychotherapy 15 (3.2%)

  • Resistant severe depressive episode: ECT 299 (62.8%), rTMS 106 (22.3%), tDCS 16 (3.4%), AD 31 (6.5%), psychotherapy 3 (0.6%)

  • Depressive episode with psychotic features: ECT 194 (40.8%), rTMS 57 (12%), tDCS 5 (1.1%), AD 194 (40.8%), psychotherapy 4 (0.8%)

  • Depressive episode with melancholic features: ECT 375 (78.8%), rTMS 18 (3.8%), tDCS 4 (0.8%), AD 58 (12.2%), psychotherapy 2 (0.4%)


Do you think rTMS has a faster effect than AD, psychotherapy, or ECT?

  • 74.62% thought rTMS had a faster effect than psychotherapy

  • 30.13% thought rTMS had a faster effect than AD; 33.6% thought rTMS had the same delay as AD


Do you think rTMS has a more lasting effect than AD, psychotherapy, or ECT?

  • 30–43% “did not know”

  • 42.8% considered rTMS to be as durable as or more durable than ECT

  • 33.4% considered rTMS to be as durable as or more durable than AD

  • 31.8% considered rTMS to be as durable as or more durable than psychotherapy


86.4% believed rTMS could be helpful for a patient reluctant to use medication
Usability — 86.5% of the sample considered themselves ready to integrate rTMS into their usual therapeutic approach Indications for which psychiatrists would prescribe rTMSa

  • Resistant depressive disorders 79.7%

  • Nonresistant depressive disorders 68.7%

  • Refractory auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia 65.8%

  • Obsessive-compulsive disorders 52.9%


Would you use rTMS for patients who had a severe depressive episode? 60%
Easiness Measured on a Likert-scale (1–6) to estimate ease of using rTMS 48.07% of participants believed rTMS was simple to use (> 3)
Benefit-risk equation — 81.27% thought benefit of rTMS outweighs riska
For treatment of a depressive episode

  • 31.41% believed rTMS was riskier than antidepressant medication

  • 16.64% believed rTMS was riskier than ECT


Do you think rTMS is riskier than no treatment? 13% agreed or strongly agreed
Overall acceptability score Composed of items 1, 8, 9, and 11
1: What therapeutic option is the most useful treatment (question captured in usefulness domain)
8: If you were to suffer from a severe depressive episode, would you use this technique for yourself?
9: Do you think that this technique is easy to use?
11: Do you think the benefit outweighs the risk?		 47.2% have high acceptance
40.6% have moderate acceptance
12.1% have low acceptance

Abbreviations: AD, antidepressants; ECT, electroconvulsive therapy; rTMS, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation; tDCS, transcranial direct current stimulation; TMS, transcranial magnetic stimulation.

a

Percentages are those who responded “strongly agree” or “agree”