HelloBetter offers two CBT-based guided self-help programs available outside Germany: a Depression Prevention program and a Stress Management program. Course units take around an hour each and are designed to be worked through weekly, with exercises between units to apply what you learn to everyday life. Access lasts 12 months for the Depression Prevention program.
Both are guided programs: a psychologist provides written feedback upon completion of each unit. HelloBetter offers a wider range of programs within Germany, where they are covered by insurance providers; only the two prevention programs are available internationally.
Programs
- Depression Prevention: 6 CBT-based units to improve mood, develop problem-solving skills, and strengthen social relationships.
- Stress Management: 8 CBT-based units to identify, reduce, and prevent personal stress triggers and symptoms.
Evidence
Efficacy has been evaluated in a large number of randomized controlled trials and pretest–posttest studies.
Depression Prevention program:
- Randomized controlled trial (2015): Evaluating The Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of Web-Based Indicated Prevention of Major Depression: Design of a Randomised Controlled Trial. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2015): Effectiveness of a Web-Based Cognitive Behavioural Intervention for Subthreshold Depression: Pragmatic Randomised Controlled Trial, N = 406. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2015): Effect of a Web-Based Guided Self-help Intervention for Prevention of Major Depression in Adults With Subthreshold Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial, N = 406. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2018): Effectiveness of Web- and Mobile-Based Treatment of Subthreshold Depression With Adherence-Focused Guidance: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial, N = 204. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2018): Turning Good Intentions Into Actions by Using the Health Action Process Approach to Predict Adherence to Internet-Based Depression Prevention: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial, N = 101. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2021): Effectiveness and Acceptance of a Web-Based Depression Intervention During Waiting Time for Outpatient Psychotherapy: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2021): Effectiveness of a Guided Web-Based Intervention to Reduce Depressive Symptoms before Outpatient Psychotherapy: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial, N = 136. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2021): Clinical and Cost-Effectiveness of Guided Internet-Based Interventions in The Indicated Prevention of Depression in Green Professions (PROD-A): Study Protocol of A 36-Month Follow-Up Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2021): Effectiveness Of Guided Internet-Based Interventions in the Indicated Prevention of Depression in Green Professions (PROD-A): Results of a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial, N = 360. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2021): Are Guided Internet-Based Interventions for the Indicated Prevention of Depression in Green Professions Effective in the Long Run? Longitudinal Analysis of the 6- And 12-Month Follow-Up of a Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial (PROD-A), N = 360. link
Stress Management program:
- Randomized controlled trial (2016): Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of a Web-Based and Mobile Stress-Management Intervention for Employees: Design of a Randomized Controlled Trial. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2016): Web-Based and Mobile Stress Management Intervention for Employees: A Randomized Controlled Trial, N = 264. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2016): A Health Economic Outcome Evaluation of an Internet-Based Mobile-Supported Stress Management Intervention for Employees, N = 264. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2016): Economic Evaluation of an Internet-Based Stress Management Intervention Alongside a Randomized Controlled Trial, N = 264. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2016): Internet- and Mobile-Based Stress Management for Employees with Adherence-Focused Guidance: Efficacy and Mechanism of Change, N = 264. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2016): Self-guided Internet-Based and Mobile-Based Stress Management for Employees: Results of a Randomised Controlled Trial, N = 264. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2018): Effectiveness of an Internet- and App-Based Intervention for College Students With Elevated Stress: Randomized Controlled Trial, N = 150. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2021): Effectiveness and Moderators of an Internet-Based Mobile-Supported Stress Management Intervention as a Universal Prevention Approach: Randomized Controlled Trial, N = 396. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2021): A Universal Digital Stress Management Intervention for Employees: Randomized Controlled Trial with Health-Economic Evaluation, N = 396. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2021): Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of Minimal Guided and Unguided Internet-Based Mobile Supported Stress-Management in Employees with Occupational Stress: A Three-Armed Randomised Controlled Trial. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2021): A three-armed Randomised Controlled Trial Investigating the Comparative Impact of Guidance on the Efficacy of a Web-Based Stress Management Intervention and Health Impairing and Promoting Mechanisms of Prevention, N = 404. link
- Pretest–posttest design (2022): Web-Based Stress Management Program for University Students in Indonesia: Systematic Cultural Adaptation and Protocol for a Feasibility Study. link
- Pretest–posttest design (2022): A Web-Based Stress Management Intervention for University Students in Indonesia (Rileks): Feasibility Study Using a Pretest-Posttest Design, N = 68. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2022): The Efficacy of a Web-Based Stress Management Intervention for Employees Experiencing Adverse Working Conditions and Occupational Self-efficacy as a Mediator: Randomized Controlled Trial, N = 262. link
- Pretest–posttest design (2024): The Evaluation of the GET.ON Nationwide Web-Only Treatment Service for Depression- and Stress-Related Symptoms: Naturalistic Trial, N = 851. link
- Randomized controlled trial (2025): Feasibility of Online Group Stress Management Training Compared to Web-Based Individual Training for Employees—A Randomized Pilot Study, N = 62. link
Mental health experts were involved in the development of the programs.