Meta-analysis of psychosocial interventions for older adults with subclinical depression and anxiety

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Psychological medicine Published May 14, 2026 Medically reviewed May 14, 2026 Study authors: Saldivia Sandra, Aslan Joseph, Castillo-Carreño Anabel, Petkari Eleni, Pietschnig Jakob PubMed ↗ DOI ↗ By Dr. Ji-eun Park, MD · Brain, Mind & Pain

Key Takeaway

Consider implementing psychosocial interventions in community settings for older adults with subclinical symptoms, noting modest effects.

This is a meta-analysis of 58 randomized controlled trials examining psychosocial interventions for older adults aged 60 and above with subclinical depressive and anxiety symptoms in community settings. The authors synthesized evidence on the reduction of depressive and anxiety symptoms as primary outcomes.

For depressive symptoms, the meta-analysis found a moderate postintervention effect (effect size = -0.474) that remained nontrivial and modest at follow-up (effect size = -0.386). For anxiety symptoms, the analysis found a small-to-moderate effect postintervention (effect size = -0.333) and a small effect at follow-up (effect size = -0.205). The authors found no significant differences in effect based on intervention type or control condition type.

The analysis noted that younger participants within the older adult group showed greater reductions in depressive symptoms from pre-to-post-intervention and at follow-up, and greater reductions in anxiety symptoms from pre-to-post-intervention only. A key limitation noted by the authors is that the effect at follow-up for anxiety was nominally nonsignificant.

The authors suggest implementing psychosocial interventions in community settings, regardless of intervention type, to protect the elderly against common mental disorders. This recommendation is based on the synthesized evidence, though the certainty of the findings, particularly for anxiety at follow-up, is limited.

Study Details

Study typeMeta analysis

EvidenceLevel 1

PublishedMay 2026

PMID42132005

View Original Abstract ↓

Common mental disorders (CMDs) such as depression and anxiety are highly prevalent among older adults. While psychosocial interventions are increasingly recognized for their preventive potential, a comprehensive synthesis of their effectiveness with nonclinical elderly populations is pending. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms among older adults with subclinical symptom levels and to examine potential moderators (that is, intervention type, length, delivery modality, and control group characteristics). A meta-analysis was conducted of 58 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing psychosocial interventions aimed at preventing depression and/or anxiety, using validated measures and targeting adults aged ≥60. Moderator variable effects were assessed through mixed-effects meta-regressions, and effect generality was examined using multiverse analyses. Psychosocial interventions showed a moderate postintervention effect in reducing depressive symptoms ( = -0.474) that remained nontrivial and modest at follow-up ( = -0.386) compared to control. For anxiety, a small-to-moderate effect was observed postintervention ( = -0.333), with a small, albeit nominally nonsignificant, effect at follow-up ( = -0.205) compared to control. No significant differences were found between intervention types or control conditions. Younger participants experienced greater reductions in depressive symptoms from pre-to-post-intervention and at follow-up, and in anxiety symptoms from pre-to-post-intervention only. Multiverse analyses showed that intervention effects generalized across numerous variables, thus indicating a remarkable robustness of the findings. Our findings demonstrate that it is important to implement psychosocial interventions in community settings, regardless of intervention type, to protect the elderly against CMDs.