GROUPS 4 HEALTH protects against unanticipated threats to mental health: Evaluating two interventions during COVID-19 lockdown among young people with a history of depression and loneliness

This article describes G4H, an intervention to mitigate loneliness. This article identifies the need for more interventions to address loneliness and seeks to contribute to the evidence available through a randomized controlled trial where individuals participate in either a group based belonging intervention (G4H) or in cognitive behavioral therapy. The research takes place in Australia and included 174 people who received the intervention prior to COVID-19, with follow up measures collected after COVID-19. Results indicated that both CBT and G4H were effective at improving symptoms, but G4H showed higher benefits regarding loneliness, depression, and wellbeing.