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Table 1 Search strategy with SPIDER elements used to identify quantitative and qualitative studies for systematic review

From: Behavioral Activation as an ‘active ingredient’ of interventions addressing depression and anxiety among young people: a systematic review and evidence synthesis

SPIDER Element

Search Strategy

Sample 

Quantitative review: mean age between 14–24 years; study sample selected based on elevated symptoms or diagnosis of anxiety or depression. 

Qualitative review: mean age or majority of participants (50% or more) aged between 14–24 years; study sample selected based on elevated symptoms or diagnosis or self-reported lived experience of anxiety or depression

Phenomenon of Interest

Quantitative review: characteristics and outcomes of indicated prevention/treatment studies, where BA was included as the standalone intervention or else a constituent practice element of the multicomponent intervention protocol

 

Qualitative review: Lived experience of the defined youth population of participating in the standalone BA intervention or multicomponent intervention where BA was highlighted as a theme; lived experience of coping among individuals from the defined youth population

Design

Quantitative review: randomized controlled trials

 

Qualitative: interview or group-discussion studies using any analytic method

Evaluation

Quantitative review: validated measures of anxiety or depression

 

Qualitative review: first-hand experiential accounts (including direct quotations) of intervention participants

Research type

Quantitative review: randomized comparisons of standalone intervention or multicomponent interventions against one or more control group(s)

 

Qualitative review: qualitative studies, or mixed-methods studies which contained substantial qualitative data

Search terms

Quantitative review: Inclusion and exclusion of quantitative studies on the above criteria was determined based on information coded already in PracticeWise database

 

Qualitative review- (i): Database-specific methods of using the following search terms were applied: (‘youth’ OR ‘young*’ OR ‘teen’ OR ‘adolescen*’ OR ‘minor’ OR ‘pube*’) AND activation (‘behavio* activation’ OR ‘activity schedul*’ OR ‘behavio* therapy’ OR ‘activity selection’) AND (‘focus group’ OR ‘interview’ OR ‘survey’ OR’report’) AND (‘feel’ OR ‘understand*’ OR ‘acceptab*’ OR ‘experience’) AND (‘qualitative’ OR ‘mixed method’ OR ‘thematic synthesis’)

 

(ii): Database-specific methods of using the following search terms were applied: (‘youth’ OR ‘young*’ OR ‘teen’ OR ‘adolescen*’ OR ‘minor’ OR ‘pube*’) AND (‘anxiety’ OR ‘depression’ OR ‘transdiagnostic’ OR ‘common mental health’) AND (‘focus group’ OR ‘interview’ OR ‘survey’ OR’report’) AND (‘view’ OR ‘opinion’ OR ‘experience’ OR ‘cop*’ OR ‘attitude’ OR ‘strateg*’ OR ‘belie*) AND(‘qualitative’ OR ‘mixed method’ OR ‘thematic synthesis’)