Internet and Computer-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression in Youth: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Outcome Trials
By David Daniel Ebert, A. Zarski, Helen Christensen, Y. Stikkelbroek, Pim Cuijpers, Matthias Berking, Heleen Riper. PLoS ONE, 2015
503 citations recorded by the source corpus.
Background Anxiety and depression in children and adolescents are undertreated. Computer- and Internet-based cognitive behavioral treatments (cCBT) may be an attractive treatment alternative to regular face-to-face treatment.This meta-analysis aims to evaluate whether cCBT is effective for treating symptoms of anxiety and depression in youth. Methods and Findings We conducted systematic searches in bibliographical databases (Pubmed, Cochrane controlled trial register, PsychInfo) up to December 4, 2013. Only randomized controlled trials in which a computer-, Internet- or mobile-based cognitive behavioral intervention targeting either depression, anxiety or both in children or adolescents up to the age of 25 were compared to a control condition were selected. We employed a random-effects pooling model in overall effect analyses and a mixed effect model for sub-group analyses. Searches resulted in identifying 13 randomized trials, including 796 children and adolescents that met inclusion criteria. Seven studies were directed at treating anxiety, four studies at depression, and two were of a transdiagnostic nature, targeting both anxiety and depression. The overall mean effect size (Hedges’ g) of cCBT on symptoms of anxiety or depression at post-test was g=0.72 (95% CI:0.55-0.90, numbers needed to be treated (NNT)=2.56). Heterogeneity was low (I²=20.14%, 95% CI: 0-58%). The superiority of cCBT over controls was evident for interventions targeting anxiety (g=0.68; 95% CI: 0.45-0.92; p < .001; NNT=2.70) and for interventions targeting depression (g=0.76; 95% CI: 0.41-0.12; p < .001; NNT=2.44) as well as for transdiagnostic interventions (g=0.94; 95% CI: 0.23-2.66; p < .001; NNT=2.60). Conclusions Results provide evidence for the efficacy of cCBT in the treatment of anxiety and depressive symptoms in youth. Hence, such interventions may be a promising treatment alternative when evidence based face-to-face treatment is not feasible. Future studies should examine long-term effects of treatments and should focus on obtaining patient-level data from existing studies, to perform an individual patient data meta-analysis.
Subfields: Applied Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Sociology and Political Science
View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/5ff00e46bd244bb0759cb50bd603e7f78b2d5ece
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Citations in the corpus
- The WHO World Mental Health Surveys International College Student Project: Prevalence and Distribution of Mental Disorders (2018, unknown): “…and associated problems (e.g., sleep, stress) and have been shown to be effective for both prevention and treatment of these conditions (e.g., Ebert et al., 2015; Josephine, Josefine, Philipp, David, & Harald, 2017; Olthuis, Watt, Bailey, Hayden, & Stewart, 2015; Riper et al., 2014; Rosso et…”
- Recommendations for policy and practice of telepsychotherapy and e-mental health in Europe and beyond. (2020, background): “Even a ten-minute video highlighting the rationale and potential added value to utilize e-mental health, for example, increases the acceptance of emental health for potential clients (Ebert et al., 2015).”
- Annual Research Review: Digital health interventions for children and young people with mental health problems – a systematic and meta‐review (2017, background): “Consequences of a negative experience of DHIs for CYP such as a lack of faith in efficacy or specific feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and low selfworth may reduce future help-seeking behaviour in CYP,which is a particular concern given the recurrent nature of mental health problems (Watsford ”
- Evidence on Digital Mental Health Interventions for Adolescents and Young People: Systematic Overview (2020, background): “On the basis of 2 RCTsb included in this review, no difference in anxiety outcomes is found between the intervention and control groups (alternative nontherapeutic videogame).”
- Digital Mental Health Interventions for Depression, Anxiety, and Enhancement of Psychological Well-Being Among College Students: Systematic Review (2018, unknown): “This is consistent with past meta-analyses on digital mental health programs for college students [17,18] and is consistent with the broader literature on digital mental health interventions [134,135].”