Implementation Outcomes and Effectiveness of a Personalized Single Session Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Depression and Anxiety

Single-session interventions (SSIs) have become increasingly popularpsychotherapeutic interventions in recent years due to their potential in providing a therapeuticand problem-focused experience in one encounter. However, less focus has been given todissemination and implementation outcomes for SSIs within existing healthcare settings. Thisstudy evaluated the effectiveness and suitability for broad implementation of a personalizedSingle Session Cognitive Behavioral Intervention (SSCBI) for depression and anxiety,delivered in a university-based training clinic in Singapore. Using a mixed-methods design,adult therapy clients (N = 24) completed pre-treatment and follow-up measures assessingdepression, anxiety, and cognitive and affective subjective well-being. Quantitative analysesshowed reductions in both symptoms of depression (d = 0.94, p < .001) and anxiety (d = 0.45,p = .038). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with clients (n = 9) and clinicians (n =9), and thematic analysis identified twelve key themes mapped to five implementationoutcomes: acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, fidelity, and adoption. Both clients andclinicians reported high acceptability of the intervention, highlighting its structure, relevance,and utility in supporting coping skill development. Clinicians felt the protocol was feasible andappropriate for clients with relatively less complex presentations, with full protocol adherenceachieved across all therapeutic sessions. Recruitment (63.5%) and completion (78.1%) ratesexceeded the pre-registered feasibility benchmarks. These findings provide preliminaryevidence supporting our personalized SSCBI as an effective and scalable brief psychologicalintervention, particularly suited for resource-limited settings. Future research shouldinvestigate its longer-term impact, cost-effectiveness, and broader applicability in communityand primary care contexts.