Original title: Participants' experiences with the hybrid digital psychotherapy intervention-DIGIT for obesity and distress: A qualitative interview study
Tania Lalgi, Charlotte Michel, Sophie Schulz Genannt Menningmann, Britta Pehlke +5 · September 2026
Obesity affects people deeply, and it often links closely with mental health issues. Many individuals face serious roadblocks that stop them from getting good mental health care. To help, researchers tested DIGIT, a hybrid digital psychotherapy program. It runs online like an inpatient hospital stay, using a team of different healthcare professionals to deliver care remotely. After people completed DIGIT, researchers interviewed them about their experiences. Participants reported high levels of acceptance and satisfaction with the program. They found that it reduced the usual barriers to getting care compared to conventional treatment options. Participants also felt noticeable relief from their symptoms and developed better ways to cope with their condition. In addition, taking part had an overarching activating effect on them. Overall, this shows that digital programs modeled on hospital care can offer personalized treatment and help close gaps in mental health support.
Imagine you need physical therapy for a knee injury, but the clinic is an hour away and you can't drive. A friend brings the equipment to your home and guides you through the same exercises over video calls. It feels almost like being at the clinic, and you actually do the exercises because it's convenient. In this paper, the DIGIT program delivers an intensive therapy experience remotely, so people with obesity can get mental health support without traveling or facing long wait times.
Obesity affects millions and is tightly linked to mental health, but many people can't access treatment due to cost, distance, or stigma. This study shows that a digital program that mimics inpatient care can feel acceptable and helpful to patients, potentially reaching those who otherwise go without support.
The abstract does not specify the sample size beyond 14 interviews, nor does it report effect sizes or compare DIGIT to a control group. The findings are based on self-reported experiences, not objective measures of weight or mental health. The study was conducted in German, and cultural or healthcare system factors may limit generalizability. The abstract does not mention long-term follow-up or dropout rates.
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Participants' experiences with the hybrid digital psychotherapy intervention-DIGIT for obesity and distress: A qualitative interview study — Tania Lalgi, Charlotte Michel, Sophie Schulz Genannt Menningmann et al. — Internet interventions — doi:10.1016/j.invent.2026.100997
Abstract licence: CC BY
Explanation generated by Synthesis from the abstract — it is not the original paper.