To identify the unique evidence-based psychological interventions (EBPs) and their variations evaluated for six severe mental disorders.
Approach:
Study Selection: Established a cohort of EBPs by selecting all randomised controlled trials (RCTs) from six recent large network meta-analyses for severe mental disorders in adults.
Intervention Classification: Pairs of researchers independently selected psychological intervention arms and assigned them to macro-families based on labels and theoretical background.
Consolidation of Interventions: Groups of identical arms referencing the same manual or protocol were consolidated as distinct psychological interventions, with adaptations described.
Key Findings:
From 260 RCTs, 422 psychological intervention arms were grouped into 45 macro-families and distilled into 266 distinct interventions (63% of total arms).
Intervention variability was lowest for stimulant use disorder (45%) and bulimia nervosa (55.5%), while it was high for bipolar disorders (81%), anorexia nervosa (69%), schizophrenia/psychosis (70%), and borderline personality disorder (64.5%).
29% of the distinct interventions contained adaptations, and 28% had openly available manuals or protocols.
Interpretation:
Mapping EBPs across macro-families and distinct interventions could inform evidence synthesis and identification of active ingredients, supporting prioritization of interventions for research and dissemination.
Limitations:
The study may not encompass all psychological interventions tested in RCTs due to the selection criteria.
The classification may not account for all variations in intervention delivery and context.
Conclusion:
The proposed classification could support a more precise aggregation of intervention arms in evidence synthesis and better trial planning and reporting.
