The effectiveness of digital cognitive behavioral therapy in reducing loneliness among older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND

As the world's population ages faster, the issue of older adults' loneliness has become more important. Research shows loneliness significantly reduces their quality of life and is strongly linked to mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and cardiovascular disorders. Digital cognitive behavioral therapy (dCBT) has positive results in reducing anxiety and depression, but there is conflicting evidence about its effectiveness in treating older adults' loneliness.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the efficacy of digital cognitive behavioral therapy in alleviating the loneliness of among older adults aged 60 years and above.

METHOD: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane Library from database inception to November 8, 2025. Of 11,756 records screened, 6 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. Two researchers independently screened, extracted data and evaluated quality. The Cochrane RoB2 tool was used to assess bias risk. Stata (17.0) and RevMan (5.4) were used for meta - analysis.

RESULTS

This study included 6 RCTs, involving 653 older adults individuals. According to the meta-analysis, dCBT was associated with a reduction in senior citizens' loneliness, providing preliminary exploratory evidence for its potential effect. (standardized mean difference SMD = -0.27, 95% CI: -0.42 to -0.12, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The study results preliminarily suggest dCBT may alleviate older adults' loneliness, but the evidence has low certainty and needs further verification. This potential effect was observed in cognitively - intact older adults with good self - care ability and digital literacy.