Table 2.
Study Characteristics—Clinical Trials of Stand-Alone PST
| Study | Country | Na | Participant age range (mean) in years | % female | Diagnostic status | % with elevated depressive symptoms | Recruitment Setting | Conditions | N sessions | Outcome considered for meta-analysis | Risk of Bias |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eskin et al. [43] | Turkey | 53 | N/A (19.1) | 70 | Diag. (Dep) | 100 | Community |
1. PST 2. Waitlist |
6 | BDI (Prim) | High |
| Hoek et al. [44] | Netherlands | 45 | 12–21 (16.1) | 76 |
Elev. (Anx or Dep) |
80 | Community |
1. PST 2. Waitlist |
5 | CES-D (Prim) | Some concerns |
| Parker et al. [45] | Australia | 176 | 15–25 (17.6) | 61 | Elev. (various) | 54 | Clinical |
1. PST c 2. SUP c |
6 | BDI-II (Prim) | Some concerns |
| Michelson et al. [46] | India | 251 | 12–20 (15.6) | 30 | Elev. (various) | 53b | Community |
1. PST 2. PST via booklets only |
5 |
SDQ emotional symptoms (Sec) |
Low |
Note. BDI: Beck Depression Inventory [67]; CES-D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [68]; Diag.: Diagnosis; Elev.: elevated symptoms; Prim: defined as a primary outcome in the primary study; SDQ = Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire [69]; Sec: defined as a secondary outcome in the primary study; SUP: supportive counselling
aThe total sample size reported is the number of participants randomized to intervention and control conditions
bThis study assessed broader emotional symptoms, rather than depressive symptoms, via the SDQ’s emotional symptoms subscale
cDelivered with adjunctive behavioural activation or psychoeducation in a factorial 2 × 2 design