Efficacy of online behavioral activation and cognitive-behavioral therapies for the treatment of depression in Mexican women victims of violence

Background: Violence against women (VAW) and the COVID-19 pandemic are issues that have affected women's mental health, with sequela such as depression. Objective: To compare the efficacy of brief behavioral activation therapy (BATD) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with cultural adaptations administered online by telehealth for depression in victims of VAW during COVID-19 in Mexico. Method: A randomized clinical trial was conducted with 20 Mexican women aged 18-60 years with depression who experienced VAW in the last six months during COVID-19. Participants were randomized 1:1 to the BATD and CBT groups. For data analysis, Friedman and Mann-Whitney U tests were applied, and the Reliable Change Index was estimated. Results: A decrease in depressive symptoms (p < .001) and an increase in activation levels (p < .001) were found in favor of the BATD group at the end of the intervention and at follow-up, in contrast to CBT. Conclusions: BATD was shown to be effective in health emergency crises in VAW contexts. Gathering evidence of efficient interventions for this population contributes to mitigating mental health conditions.