Internet based self-help program for depression assumes that the individual develops the skills and knowledge to cope with depressive symptoms through independent online work. Internet-based self-help interventions have proven to be effective abroad, but have not yet been implemented in Slovenia. In this study, I was therefore interested in whether guided online self-help treatment is effective in the Slovenian population for coping with symptoms of mild and moderate depression, and what are the secondary effects on positive mental health and health-related quality of life of the participants. I also investigated the correlation of dropout and participant engagement with the measured variables. For the purpose of the survey, I designed a guided online self-help program, delivered entirely online. 19 participants took part in the study, 10 of whom fully completed the intervention. Before and after the program, participants completed a battery of questionnaires consisting of questions to check socio-demographic data, inclusion criteria and Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Positive Mental Health Scale (PMH-scale) and Euro Quality of Life – 5 Dimension (EQ-5D). They also received short weekly reflective questionnaires during the implementation. The results showed that participants experienced a significant reduction in perceived depressive symptoms and an increase in positive mental health after the full intervention, while the change in health-related quality of life was not significant. I noted a high drop-out rate among the participants, but at the same time a high level of active participation among the remaining participants. The findings of the study should be interpreted with caution, as the research design did not include a control group, and the number of participants in the study was small, which could be built upon in future research.
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