Peer-reviewed article
Small but mighty: how can pediatric psychologists harness the power of digital single-session interventions?
Amaro CM, Monzon AD, Alderfer MA, Canter KS, Amylon M et al. ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This review examines single-session interventions (SSIs) delivered digitally as a scalable approach to address mental health needs in children and adolescents. Digital SSIs are self-guided online programs that show small to medium effects for anxiety, depression, and psychological distress. The authors argue that pediatric psychologists should develop these interventions with input from communities and families to ensure they are relevant and accessible, particularly for young people with limited access to mental health services. Two examples in development include programs for adolescent siblings of children with cancer and for adolescents with type 1 diabetes.
Key points
- Digital SSIs show small to medium effects across mental health concerns including distress, anxiety, and depression
- SSIs are low-cost and accessible, addressing gaps in psychological care for youth and families with limited access to services
- Community engagement during development is essential to ensure interventions are contextually relevant for pediatric populations
- Two illustrative programs in development incorporate input from key community members: one for siblings of children with cancer and one for depression in adolescents with type 1 diabetes
- Pediatric psychologists are well-positioned to develop, evaluate, and implement SSIs across diverse populations
Limitations
This is a topical review that describes SSIs broadly rather than a meta-analysis or systematic review; it does not provide detailed quantitative synthesis of effects or identify which specific populations benefit most. The review does not report on comparative effectiveness between digital SSIs and other treatment modalities.
Abstract
Objective Single-session interventions (SSIs) are an innovative, scalable approach for addressing the unmet behavioral and mental health needs of pediatric patients and their families. Specifically, digital SSIs, which are self-guided and delivered online, offer a low-cost and accessible approach but are currently underutilized in pediatric psychology. Methods This topical review aims to describe SSIs broadly and the specific need for digital SSIs, explore potential applications within pediatric psychology, outline future directions and considerations, and present two examples of community-engaged digital SSI design. Results SSIs evidence small to medium effects across a range of mental health concerns, including distress, anxiety, and depression, supporting their broad applicability. Incorporating community voices during the development process is essential to ensure SSIs are contextually relevant in pediatric populations. Two illustrative SSIs currently in development within pediatric psychology are described: (1) an intervention supporting adolescent siblings of children with cancer and (2) a program targeting depression in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Both examples incorporate input from key community members, underscoring the value of participatory design in enhancing intervention relevance and impact. Conclusions SSIs offer a brief and scalable strategy to help address gaps in psychological care, particularly for youth and families with limited access to services. Pediatric psychologists are well positioned to develop, evaluate, and implement SSIs across diverse populations and intervention targets. Ensuring the effectiveness, equity, and sustainability of SSIs will require ongoing collaboration with community partners and integration across pediatric care settings.
Findings the Hub has extracted
Each claim below is labelled by its type of design and links back to this report.
- Intervention
- Digital single-session interventions (SSIs) - self-guided, online programs delivered to address mental health concerns in youth
- Population
- Pediatric patients and families, including adolescent siblings of children with cancer and adolescents with type 1 diabetes
Key finding
Digital SSIs evidence small to medium effects across a range of mental health concerns including distress, anxiety, and depression
CM et al. · Europe PMC · 1 Aug 2026