Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33875837›Full record

SynthesisNature human behaviour2021

A systematic review and meta-analysis of psychological interventions to improve mental wellbeing.

Joep van Agteren, Matthew Iasiello, Laura Lo, Jonathan Bartholomaeus, Zoe Kopsaftis, Marissa Carey, Michael Kyrios

Registry-linked trialAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Nature human behaviour, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06442774 (Digital Tool to Improve Maternal Mental Health), which is not on this map. Cited by 187 papers, 20 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
187citing papers in PubMed, 20 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06442774 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Digital Tool to Improve Maternal Mental Health: Enhancing Well-being, Early Detection, Diagnosis Support, and Monitoring of Mental Health Problems During the Perinatal Period

TypeinterventionalSponsorA Thousand Colibris, S.LRan2024 to 2027Enrolled1,200ConditionsPregnancy Related, Mental Health Issue, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum AnxietyArmsMobile application, Monitoring via wearable
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

187 citing papers in PubMed, 20 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  10. Psychological interventions for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2025
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127 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Joep van AgterenWellbeing and Resilience Centre, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Joep.vanagteren@sahmri.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7347-7649
Matthew IasielloWellbeing and Resilience Centre, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1449-602X
Laura LoWellbeing and Resilience Centre, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Jonathan BartholomaeusWellbeing and Resilience Centre, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Zoe KopsaftisAustralian Centre for Precision Health, Division of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9189-1405
Marissa CareyWellbeing and Resilience Centre, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Michael KyriosWellbeing and Resilience Centre, Lifelong Health Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9438-9616

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Our current understanding of the efficacy of psychological interventions in improving mental states of wellbeing is incomplete. This study aimed to overcome limitations of previous reviews by examining the efficacy of distinct types of psychological interventions, irrespective of their theoretical underpinning, and the impact of various moderators, in a unified systematic review and meta-analysis. Four-hundred-and-nineteen randomized controlled trials from clinical and non-clinical populations (n = 53,288) were identified for inclusion. Mindfulness-based and multi-component positive psychological interventions demonstrated the greatest efficacy in both clinical and non-clinical populations. Meta-analyses also found that singular positive psychological interventions, cognitive and behavioural therapy-based, acceptance and commitment therapy-based, and reminiscence interventions were impactful. Effect sizes were moderate at best, but differed according to target population and moderator, most notably intervention intensity. The evidence quality was generally low to moderate. While the evidence requires further advancement, the review provides insight into how psychological interventions can be designed to improve mental wellbeing.

Indexed as

Mental HealthAcceptance and Commitment TherapyBehavior TherapyHumansPsychosocial InterventionPsychotherapyTreatment Outcome

Identifiers

PMID33875837

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.