Introduction: To shield older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, governments around the world have recommended social distancing. This can lead to social isolation and increase the risk for mental health problems such as depression. There is a need for brief, easy-accessible psychological treatments for depressive symptoms that can be delivered remotely. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of telephone-delivered Behavioral Activation with Mental Imagery (BA-MI) for the treatment of depressive symptoms in individuals 65 years and older living in isolation during the COVID-19-pandemic.
Materials and methods: In this open-label pilot randomized clinical trial, n = 41 individuals aged 65 years or older with clinically significant symptoms of depression were assigned to either a BA-MI treatment condition or an Attention control condition delivered over the telephone over a four week period.
Results: Depressive symptoms decreased in the treatment condition but not the control condition. The results in the treatment group were maintained 3 months post intervention. After treatment, 2 out of 16 participants in the treatment condition met diagnostic criteria for depression compared with 9 out of 13 in the control condition. Most participants in the treatment condition were satisfied with the treatment.
Conclusions: This pilot study suggests that BA-MI delivered over the telephone is feasible, acceptable, and potentially efficacious for the treatment of depressive symptoms in older individuals living in isolation. Replication in larger samples in different healthcare settings is needed.