A new review from Northwestern Medicine has confirmed that single-session interventions can lead to significant improvements in mental health for both youth and adults, providing a scalable solution to address mental health issues in underserved populations. The study, published in the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, highlights the benefits of structured, one-time encounters with healthcare professionals or programs.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, nearly 50% of individuals with mental health needs do not receive treatment, and among those who do, many only access services once. This review aims to address those gaps, showing that single-session interventions—structured programs designed to provide mental health support in just one visit—can significantly reduce issues such as depression and anxiety.
Jessica Schleider, PhD, associate professor of Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern and lead author of the review, stressed that while single-session interventions should not replace ongoing therapies like weekly psychotherapy, they present an opportunity to reach more individuals, especially through digital or self-guided options. “These interventions are highly scalable and could fill critical gaps in the mental healthcare system that high-intensity treatments are not designed to address,” Schleider said.
Previous research led by Schleider included a meta-analysis of 50 randomized controlled trials involving 10,000 youth, which found that single-session interventions had a notable impact on reducing mental health problems. Despite her background in long-term psychotherapeutic treatments, Schleider became a strong proponent of these brief interventions after seeing their effectiveness. “I was surprised by the results, but it became clear that we can make the most of the first—and often only—clinical encounter a person may have,” she said.
Encouraged by these findings, Schleider and her team expanded their research to explore whether single-session interventions could also increase engagement in additional mental health services. Their umbrella review synthesized 24 systematic reviews of single-session mental health and behavioral health interventions, totaling 415 clinical trials. The results were promising: 83% of the reviews reported positive outcomes in areas such as anxiety, depression, substance use, and treatment engagement.
Schleider hopes these findings will push the mental health field to incorporate single-session interventions as a standard part of care. She also advocates for policy changes that would support the integration of such interventions into existing healthcare systems. “If the first session is solely focused on diagnosis, you miss the chance to make a meaningful impact,” she said. “We hope to create new reimbursement codes to ensure that clinics can sustainably offer these interventions, especially for those who may not otherwise have access to traditional services.”
The research was supported by multiple funding sources, including the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Mental Health, and several private organizations dedicated to improving adolescent mental health.
This groundbreaking review suggests that integrating single-session interventions into the mental healthcare system could not only reduce mental health issues but also promote long-term engagement in further treatment, addressing a critical need in mental health care access.
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