Background
depressive disorders
Globally, >264 million individuals experience depressive disorders [One approach to bridging this treatment gap is to deliver computerized psychotherapy. The first therapeutic chatbot, ELIZA, was developed in 1966 [Computerized CBT (cCBT) has gained traction as a viable treatment modality, with >200 trials conducted to date [Unguided cCBT interventions have the potential to bridge the treatment gap in LMICs. The evidence for unguided cCBT interventions is mixed, with some meta-analyses showing that they are effective with a small or medium effect size [Studies on cCBT interventions have been conducted predominantly in high-income countries [