Digital Media and the Changing Mode of Intervention Delivery: Does Intervention Delivered Online Produce the Same Effect as that Delivered Face-to-Face?

Abstract

Background: There is a raging debate about whether interventions delivered virtually produce the same effect as those delivered in a physical setting. This debate calls for more empirical evidence to guide researchers when making decisions regarding the setting of their interventions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of interventions delivered in an online setting compared to those delivered in a physical setting.

Methodology: The researchers used a quasi-experimental design and examined the impact of online and face-to-face music therapy in reducing depression among trying-to-conceive women. The data collection instrument was a self-rating depression scale, while data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. 

Result: Intervention delivered through an online platform produced the same effect as that delivered in a face-to-face setting. There was no significant statistical difference between participants in an online setting and those in a face-to-face setting. Rather, those in an online setting reported more satisfaction with the intervention than those in a face-to-face setting. The intervention delivered virtually also led to fewer dropouts and fewer cases of absenteeism compared with face-to-face intervention.

Contribution: This study has provided empirical evidence supporting the use of mediated platforms to deliver interventions in 21st-century society.

Conclusion: Interventions delivered through mediated platforms produce the same result as those delivered face-to-face.

Recommendations: Online platforms should be used as alternatives to deliver interventions to subjects because they produce the same results as face-to-face interventions. Virtual interventions also allow participants from different locations.