Self-help behaviors partially mediate the relationship between personalized depression risk disclosure and psychological distress: A mediation analysis using data from a randomized controlled trial.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent forms of mental illness. Multivariate risk predictive (MVRP) algorithms provide a new means of identifying high-risk individuals for mental health disorders. Self-help behaviors may provide accessible methods to mitigate depression risk. The objective of this study is to investigate the mediating effects of self-help behavior on the relationship between depression risk disclosure and psychological distress. A sample (n = 556) of high-risk Canadians for a major depressive episode (MDE) were randomized into risk-disclosure or control groups and followed-up at 6 and 12 months. Mediation analysis using repeated measure mixed effects models was used to investigate the mediating effects of self-help behaviors on the relationship between depression risk disclosure and psychological distress over time. Self-help behavior was found to partially mediate the relationship between risk disclosure and psychological distress at month 12. Both unadjusted and adjusted associations were found to be negative and significant (ß = -0.16 [-0.30, -0.03]) (ß = -0.15[-0.29, -0.02]). Self-help plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between depression risk disclosure and psychological distress over time. More research is required in this field to increase knowledge about the role of self-help in mental health treatment.