Beyond efficacy: Eliciting preference for face-to-face and digital psychological interventions among people with depression using discrete choice experiment

• Participants showed a preference for psychological services characterized by short waiting time, low cost, and high effectiveness. • Waiting time emerged as the most critical factor in selecting psychological interventions, surpassing the importance of service delivery mode. • Study found non-significant differences in preferences for digital versus face-to-face psychological interventions. • Older people and those with formal clinical diagnoses showed less acceptance of digital interventions; younger people prioritized access. • Preferences for psychological interventions are nuanced; a one-size-fits-all approach is inadequate in mental health services.