This study was designed to examine the relationships between problem-solving skills, hardiness, and perceived stress and to test the moderating role of hardiness in the relationship between problem-solving skills and perceived stress among 500 undergraduates from Malaysian public universities. The analyses showed that undergraduates with poor problem-solving confidence, external personal control of emotion, and approach-avoidance style were more likely to report perceived stress. Hardiness moderated the relationships between problem-solving skills and perceived stress. These findings reinforce the importance of moderating role of hardiness as an influencing factor that explains how problem-solving skills affect perceived stress among undergraduates.

Suicide is a serious and growing public health problem and remains an unnecessary cause of death globally. In Iran, the highest prevalence of acute and chronic suicidal ideation is among young people aged 16-24. This study investigates the relationship between coping style, two types of perfectionism, and suicidal ideation among undergraduates, and examines coping style as a moderator of the relationship between perfectionism and suicidal ideation. Multi-stage cluster random sampling was employed to recruit 547 undergraduate students aged 19-24 years from the Islamic Azad University of Karaj. Structural Equation Modelling indicated that suicidal ideation was negatively associated with adaptive perfectionism and task-focused coping but positively associated with emotion-focused coping, avoidance coping, and maladaptive perfectionism. Coping style (including the three styles of task-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidance coping) was found to moderate the relationship between perfectionism and suicidal ideation. The study advances understanding of the importance of coping style in this context and explains how perfectionism affects suicidal ideation.

Because it remains one of the third leading causes of death among adolescents around the world, suicide is a major public health concern. This study was designed in response to this concern by examining the relationships among perceived stress, emotional intelligence, and suicidal ideation and to test the moderating role of emotional intelligence in the relationship between perceived stress and suicidal ideation. A sample of depressed adolescents (n = 202) was recruited from five hospitals in Tehran, Iran, and then asked to complete measures of patient health, suicidal ideation, perceived stress, and emotional intelligence. Structural Equation Modeling showed that depressed adolescent in-patients with high levels of perceived stress and low levels of emotional intelligence were more likely to report suicidal ideation. Multi-group analysis indicated that depressed in-patients high in both perceived stress and emotional intelligence had less suicidal ideation than others. The findings support the notion that perceived stress acts as a vulnerability factor that increase suicidal ideation among depressed inpatients. Suicidal history moderated the relationship between emotional intelligence and suicidal ideation. These findings also highlight the importance of emotional intelligence as a buffer in the relationship between perceived stress and suicidal ideation.

Recent evidence suggests that test anxiety is increasing among students; however, relatively little is known regarding the related factors of test anxiety. The purpose of this study was to (1) examine the relationships between two forms of perfectionism, academic hardiness, and test anxiety, and (2) examine the moderating role of academic hardiness on the association between two types of perfectionism and test anxiety. This study included 520 students ranging from 15 to 21 years of age from eight high schools in Tehran, Iran completed the self-administered questionnaires. The results of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) revealed that students with high levels of personal standards perfectionism and high levels of academic hardiness were less likely to experience test anxiety, while students with high levels of evaluative concerns perfectionism were more likely to experience test anxiety. A multi-group analysis revealed that academic hardiness moderated the relationship between evaluative concerns perfectionism and test anxiety. These findings enhance existing literature by revealing moderating processes that explain how perfectionism effects test anxiety.

One of the biggest barriers in treating adolescents with mental health problems is their refusing to seek psychological help. This study was designed to examine the relationships between two forms of perfectionism, self-concealment and attitudes toward seeking psychological help and to test the mediating role of self-concealment in the relationship between perfectionism and attitudes toward seeking psychological help among Malaysian high school students. The participants were 475 Malaysian high school students from four high schools in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Structural equation modelling results indicated that high school students with high levels of socially prescribed perfectionism, high levels of self-concealment, and low levels of self-oriented perfectionism reported negative attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Bootstrapping analysis showed that self-concealment emerged as a significant, full mediator in the link between socially prescribed perfectionism and attitudes toward seeking psychological help. Moderated mediation analysis also examined whether the results generalized across men and women. The results revealed that male students with socially prescribed perfectionism are more likely to engage in self-concealment, which in turn, leads to negative attitudes toward seeking psychological help more than their female counterparts. The results suggested that students high in socially prescribed perfectionism were more likely to engage in self-concealment and be less inclined to seek psychological help.

Recent evidence indicates an elevated risk of suicidal ideation for undergraduate nursing students. This research was designed to enhance the understanding of suicidal ideation in nursing students by investigating the relationships between problem-solving skills, perceived stress, hardiness, and suicidal ideation, with the possibility of hardiness acting as a moderator in the relationships between problem-solving skills appraisal and perceived stress with suicidal ideation. A multi-stage cluster random sample of Malaysian nursing undergraduate students (N = 204) completed self-report questionnaires. The results of structural equation modeling revealed that poor problem-solving skills, greater levels of perceived stress, and low levels of hardiness predicted greater levels of suicidal ideation. Also, hardiness emerged as a moderator in the links between problem-solving skills appraisal and perceived stress with suicidal ideation. The findings incrementally improve our understanding about the importance of hardiness as a moderator in explaining how problem-solving skills and perceived stress affect suicidal ideation. The results of this study are obtained from Malaysian nursing students and possible generalization to other populations should be verified by further studies.

Background: Suicidal ideation and depression are prevalent and costly conditions that reduce quality of life. This study was designed to determine the efficacy of exercise as an adjunct to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for suicidal ideation and depression among depressed individuals.

Methods: In a randomized clinical trial, 54 mildly to moderately depressed patients (54% female, mean age=48.25) were assigned to a combined CBT and exercise group or to a CBT only group. Both groups received one weekly session of therapy for 12 weeks, while the combined group also completed exercise three times weekly over the same period. Self-reported suicidal ideation, depression, and activities of daily living were measured at the beginning and the end of treatment.

Results: Multilevel modelling revealed greater improvements in suicidal ideation, depression, and activities of daily living in the combined CBT and exercise group, compared to the CBT only group.

Limitations: No follow-up data were collected, so the long-term effects (i.e., maintenance of gains) is unclear.

Conclusions: The findings revealed that exercise adjunct to CBT effectively decreases both depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation in mildly to moderately depressed individuals.

Purpose: Insomnia has adverse effects on people with epilepsy. We aimed to test a novel cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) app-based intervention on insomnia symptoms and social psychological factors in people with epilepsy and to examine the possible mechanisms among the factors.

Methods: Participants were recruited from neurology clinics in Iran and comprised individuals diagnosed with epilepsy and having moderate to severe insomnia. A two-arm randomized controlled trial design was used, consisting of a treatment group (CBT-I; n = 160) and control group (patient education; n = 160). Primary outcomes were self-reported sleep quality, insomnia severity, and sleep hygiene behavior and objective sleep characteristics measured by actigraphy. Secondary outcomes were attitude, perceived behavioral control, intention, action planning, coping planning, behavioral automaticity, self-monitoring, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QoL). All outcomes were measured at baseline, and at one, three, and six months postintervention, except objective sleep, which was assessed at baseline, and one and six months postintervention. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models.

Results: Current findings showed that sleep quality, insomnia severity, sleep hygiene behavior, and sleep onset latency were significantly improved in the CBT-I group compared with the patient education group at all measurement points. Also, the CBT-I group had significantly improved anxiety, depression, and QoL compared with the patient education group. Mediation analyses showed that attitude, intention, coping planning, self-monitoring, and behavioral automaticity significantly mediated the effect of the intervention on sleep outcomes.

Conclusion: Results support the use of the CBT-I app to improve sleep outcomes among people with epilepsy.

Objective

The role of genetics for predicting the response to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD) has only been studied in one previous investigation. The serotonin transporter (5-HTTLPR), the catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) val158met, and the tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2) G-703Tpolymorphisms are implicated in the regulation of amygdala reactivity and fear extinction and therefore might be of relevance for CBT outcome. The aim of the present study was to investigate if these three gene variants predicted response to CBT in a large sample of SAD patients.

Method

Participants were recruited from two separate randomized controlled CBT trials (trial 1: n = 112, trial 2: n = 202). Genotyping were performed on DNA extracted from blood or saliva samples. Effects were analyzed at follow-up (6 or 12 months after treatment) for both groups and for each group separately at post-treatment. The main outcome measure was the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Self-Report.

Results

At long-term follow-up, there was no effect of any genotype, or gene × gene interactions, on treatment response. In the subsamples, there was time by genotype interaction effects indicating an influence of the TPH2 G-703T-polymorphism on CBT short-term response, however the direction of the effect was not consistent across trials.

Conclusions

None of the three gene variants, 5-HTTLPR, COMTval158met and TPH2 G-703T, was associated with long-term response to CBT for SAD.

Inom det sociala arbetets praktik ser vi en ökad närvaro av internetrelaterade problem. Samtidigt föredrar allt fler människor webbaserad hjälp, samt råd och stöd i relation till mer traditionella behandlings- och preventionsprogram, vilket öppnar för nya möjligheter för det sociala arbetet.

The internet is no longer something new. It has existed now for a long time and has been part of many peoples' lives for at least 20 years. The internet increasingly informs many aspects of our lives, including the economy, health care, and delivery of psychological treatments. There are many areas in which the internet has had an impact on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This chapter describes challenges when delivering CBT via the internet, comments on assumptions behind treatment programs, and describes the main approaches, outcomes, and potential mechanisms of change. Further, the authors comment on the dissemination of internet-delivered CBT (ICBT), as well as applications for diverse target groups, and possible future developments. Although ICBT may appear as something new, it is almost as old as the internet itself, and the research field is very large, with more than 200 controlled trials.

Introduction: Numerous randomized controlled trials have been conducted on internet interventions. In addition to the effects observed in these trials immediately after treatment there are several long-term follow-ups. The aim of this talk is to review the long-term effects of internet-delivered CBT (ICBT) with a focus on results at 1-year or later following treatment termination.

Methods: We were able to locate examples of enduring effects for a range of conditions including mood and anxiety disorders and somatic disorders. The longest follow-up period has been five years.

Results: Large within-group effects have been documented in most trials, with effects sizes being moderate to large for anxiety and depression studies.

Discussion: Studies have failed to document how much the treatment is used during the follow-up period and in the case of depression it is unclear if episodes of depression have occured during the period covered. We conclude that the effects of ICBT appear to be enduring but that more research is needed.

Numerous controlled trials have been published on the effects of internet-delivered psychological treatments for a range of problems and disorders. Generally, trials adhere to the CONSORT statement and include control groups. Often this is attention control, waitlist but also alternative treatments. In experimental psychology factorial designs is the common way to investigate research questions but in psychotherapy research this is rare given the need for large samples in order to have sufficient power to detect differntial effects of  independent variables (like for example different versions of a treatment). With the advent of internet-delivered CBT (ICBT) this has changes and it is now possible to run trials with larger samples. At the same time there is really no need for more studies showing that a treatment is better than just waiting (for some areas at least like depression). In this talk we will present result from three completed factorial design trials in which we have manipulated support form (on demand versus scheduled in one trial and chat-support versus just email in another), and also other aspects like learning support and choice of treatment. The talk will end with a discussion on future directions of ICBT research with regards to design of trials.

Internetbaserad KBT ger tillgång till fungerande behandling för psykisk ohälsa på patientens villkor. Metoden har utvecklats i snabb takt genom utbredda forskningsinsatser, där Sverige kan betraktas som världsledande inom området.

Internetbehandling med KBT ger en grundlig genomgång av behandlingsarbetet med betoning på praktiska aspekter och tillämpningen i olika verksamheter. Särskilt fokus ligger på att skapa ett fungerande behandlingsupplägg, praktiska förberedelser, behandlarens roll och viktiga terapeutfärdigheter samt hur vanliga svårigheter hanteras. Läsaren får också en teoretisk orientering, kunskap om befintligt forskningsstöd och vilka fördelar metoden har för patienter, behandlare och verksamheter. Fallexempel, checklistor och annat praktiskt material gör boken till ett mycket användbart hjälpmedel.

The Internet, including modern information technology, has had a dramatic impact on many areas of life, including health care and psychological treatment. In particular, cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) has been found to be a form of psychological treatment that has been possible to transfer to other modes of delivery than regular face-to-face and group formats. The Internet is not only useful for providing CBT, but has a significant role in providing information about CBT and conditions that are treated using CBT. In addition, modern information technology also has a major role in assessment procedures, such as online administration of self-report mea- sures. In this article, we focus mainly on Internet-supported treatments, although another emerging format is to use video conferencing systems and conduct real- time face-to-face CBT, CBT training, or supervision.

Under de senaste 15 åren har en intensiv forskning bedrivits kring internetbaserad psykologisk behandling och svenska forskare har i hög grad deltagit i utvecklingen. Här ger Gerhard Andersson och Per Carlbring, båda professorer i klinisk psykologi, en introduktion till internetbaserad psykologisk behandling och en bild av kunskapsläget just nu.

In this chapter we review the literature on internet-delivered treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). There are several different treatment programs that have been tested in randomized controlled trials and evidence now suggests that guided internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) can be as effective as face-to-face therapy, that therapists may need less training than in face-to-face treatment, and that ICBT works in representative clinical settings, thereby supporting effectiveness. Moreover, there are studies to suggest that ICBT has enduring effects up to five years after treatment and that it is cost-effective. Since there are advantages with internet treatments, this treatment option should be considered as a complement or alternative to face-to-face treatments for SAD. Treatment mechanisms, including moderators and mediators of outcome, remain to be investigated.

Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) is an evidence-based form of CBT. Most programs include text, video, and audio files and are similar to face-to-face CBT in terms of content and duration of treatment. Most often ICBT includes some guidance from a therapist, although automated self-guided ICBT programs also exist. Studies suggest that guided ICBT can be as effective as face-to-face CBT for anxiety and mood disorders as well as for distress associated with certain somatic disorders. Transdiagnostic programs, either relying on presentation of common strategies for, or tailoring of treatment to, disorders have generated strong outcomes in controlled trials. Interventions for problems like procrastination also show promise. Studies on predictors and mediators of outcome are emerging, but there is a need to develop intervention-specific theories in order to better understand change mechanisms. In the future, blending of face-to-face CBT and modern information technology are expected to be more common and attractive to therapists.

We begin this chapter with a discussion of the history of ICBT and its roots in bibliotherapy and computerised CBT. We then provide a brief description of one way of administering guided ICBT, including the role of the therapist and data security issues. This description is followed by examples of conditions that are not covered later in the book, such as specific phobias and addictions. We end this chapter with a discussion of technical developments, cost-effectiveness and implementation.

The Internet has become a part of most people’s lives in many parts of the world. Since the late 1990s there has been an intensive research activity in which psychological treatments, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), have been found to be effective when delivered via the Internet. Most research studies indicate that the effects are larger when some form of guidance is provided from a therapist, and unguided treatments tend to lead to more dropout and smaller effects. Guided Internet treatments often consists of book length text materials, but can also include other components such as audio files and video clips. Homework assignment is often included and feedback is given for completed homework. Guided Internet-based CBT (iCBT) has been found to work for problems such as depression, panic-, social anxiety-, and generalized anxiety disorders. There are many research trials in which participants have been recruited via media, and there has been less research conducted in representative clinical settings. Most research has been conducted on adults and in university settings with nationwide recruitment. There is a need for treatments and studies on older adults, children and adolescents. In conclusion, dissemination of the research findings on guided iCBT to regular clinical settings is warranted.

Background: Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) was developed over 20 years ago and has since undergone a number of controlled trials, as well as several systematic reviews and meta-analyses. However, the crucial question of response rates remains to be systematically investigated. The aim of this individual patient meta-analysis (IPDMA) was to use a large dataset of trials conducted in Sweden to determine reliable change and recovery rates across trials for a range of conditions.

Methods: We used previously collected and aggregated data from 2,866 patients in 29 Swedish clinical trials of ICBT for three categories of conditions: anxiety disorders, depression, and others. Raw scores at pre-treatment and post-treatment were used in an IPDMA to determine the rate of reliable change and recovery. Jacobson and Truax’s, (1991) reliable change index (RCI) was calculated for each primary outcome measure in the trials as well as the recovery rates for each patient, with the additional requirement of having improved substantially. We subsequently explored potential predictors using binomial logistic regression.

Results: In applying an RCI of z = 1.96, 1,162 (65.6%) of the patients receiving treatment were classified as achieving recovery, and 620 (35.0%) were classified as reaching remission. In terms of predictors, patients with higher symptom severity on the primary outcome measure at baseline [odds ratio (OR) = 1.36] and being female (OR = 2.22) increased the odds of responding to treatment. Having an anxiety disorder was found to decrease the response to treatment (OR = 0.51). Remission was predicted by diagnosis in the same direction (OR = 0.28), whereas symptom severity was inversely predictive of worse outcome (OR = 0.81). Conclusions: Response seems to occur among approximately half of all clients administered ICBT, whereas about a third reach remission. This indicates that the efficacy of ICBT is in line with that of CBT based in prior trials, with a possible caveat being the lower remission rates. Having more symptoms and being female might increase the chances of improvement, and a small negative effect of having anxiety disorder versus depression and other conditions may also exist. A limitation of the IPDMA was that only studies conducted in Sweden were included.

Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) has existed for 20 years and there are now several controlled trials for a range of problems. In this paper, we focused on recent meta-analytic reviews of the literature and found moderate to large effects reported for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and major depression. In total, we reviewed 9 recent meta-analytic reviews out of a total of 618 meta-analytic reviews identified using our search terms. In these selected reviews, 166 studies were included, including overlap in reviews on similar conditions. We also covered a recent review on transdiagnostic treatments and 2 reviews on face-to-face v. internet treatment. The growing number of meta-analytic reviews of studies now suggests that ICBT works and can be as effective as face-to-face therapy.

Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) has been tested in many research trials but to a lesser extent been directly compared against face-to-face delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on trials in which guided ICBT was directly compared against face-to-face CBT within the same trial. Studies on psychiatric and somatic conditions were included. Systematic searches resulted in 13 studies (total N=1053) that met all review criteria and were included in the review. There were 3 studies on social anxiety disorder, 3 on panic disorder, 2 on depressive symptoms, 2 on body dissatisfaction, 1 on tinnitus, 1 on male sexual dysfunction, and 1 on spider phobia. Face-to-face CBT was either in the individual format (n=6 ) or in the group format (n=7). We also assessed quality and risk of bias. Results showed a pooled effect size at post-treatment across of Hedges g = -0.01 (95% CI, -0.13 to 0.12), indicating that ICBT and face-to-face treatment produce equivalent overall effects. Study quality did not affect outcomes. While the overall results indicate equivalence, there are still few studies for each psychiatric and somatic condition and many for which guided ICBT has not been compared against face-to-face treatment. Thus, more research is needed to establish equivalence of the two treatment formats.

Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) has been tested in many research trials, but to a lesser extent directly compared to face-to-face delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials in which guided ICBT was directly compared to face-to-face CBT. Studies on psychiatric and somatic conditions were included. Systematic searches resulted in 13 studies (total N=1053) that met all criteria and were included in the review. There were three studies on social anxiety disorder, three on panic disorder, two on depressive symptoms, two on body dissatisfaction, one on tinnitus, one on male sexual dysfunction, and one on spider phobia. Face-to-face CBT was either in the individual format (n=6) or in the group format (n=7). We also assessed quality and risk of bias. Results showed a pooled effect size (Hedges' g) at post-treatment of −0.01 (95% CI: −0.13 to 0.12), indicating that guided ICBT and face-to-face treatment produce equivalent overall effects. Study quality did not affect outcomes. While the overall results indicate equivalence, there are still few studies for each psychiatric and somatic condition and many conditions for which guided ICBT has not been compared to face-to-face treatment. Thus, more research is needed to establish equivalence of the two treatment formats.

Background

Guided internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) has been found to be effective in the treatment of mild to moderate depression, but there have been no direct comparisons with the more established group-based CBT with a long-term follow-up.

Method

Participants with mild to moderate depression were recruited from the general population and randomized to either guided ICBT (n=33) or to live group treatment (n=36). Measures were completed before and after the intervention to assess depression, anxiety, and quality of life. Follow-ups were conducted at one-year and three-year after the treatment had ended.

Results

Data were analysed on an intention-to-treat basis using linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results on the self-rated version of the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Scale showed significant improvements in both groups across time indicating non-inferiority of guided ICBT, and there was even a tendency for the guided ICBT group to be superior to group-based CBT at three year follow-up. Within-group effect sizes for the ICBT condition at post-treatment showed a Cohen′s d=1.46, with a similar large effect at 3-year follow-up,d=1.78. For the group CBT the corresponding within-group effects were d=0.99 and d=1.34, respectively.

Limitations

The study was small with two active treatments and there was no placebo or credible control condition.

Conclusions

Guided ICBT is at least as effective as group-based CBT and long-term effects can be sustained up to 3 years after treatment.

Background: Several studies and meta-analysis suggest that ICBT works for patients with mild to moderate depression/depressive symptoms. Given the quality of the data is is now possible to conduct IPMAs. Several IPMAs have been published with data from different countries. A problem with that approach is the some studies may be left out as data are not provided. The aim of this IPMA was to study the effects focusing on Swedish data only with less loss of data/studies.

Methods: We were able to include data from 16 studies with a total of 2952 participants. Missing data were imputed. The overall effect-size for nine studies compared to wait-list was d = 0.63 95 % CI [0.48, 0.78] and within-group effect-size for 15 studies d = 1.17 95 % CI [1.11, 1.22]. The results were surprisingly similar across different subgroups. Women had on average more symptoms before treatment and also reported a larger symptom decrease after treatment.

Conclusions: Results show a large effect of ICBT on depressive symptoms in a Swedish setting, including in routine care. This meta-analysis supports treatment of depressive symptoms with ICBT in Sweden.

Lars-Göran Öst is one of the most eminent clinical researchers in the field of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and a founder of CBT in Sweden. He has recently retired from his position as professor in clinical psychology at Stockholm University, Sweden. In this paper, we sketch a brief description of the body of work by Öst. Examples of his innovative and pioneering new treatment methods include the one-session treatment for specific phobias, as well as applied relaxation for a range of anxiety disorders and health conditions. While Öst remains active in the field, he has contributed significantly to the development and dissemination of CBT in Sweden as well as in the world.

Guided internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) has been tested in many trials since the early studies dating back to the late 1990’s. The aim of this review was to investigate the most recent literature on guided ICBT for depression. We identified 11 controlled studies published between January 2013 and September 2014. Overall, large treatment effects were observed with a few exceptions. A majority (7 studies) provided some information regarding unwanted effects such as deterioration. Three studies directly compared guided ICBT against face-to-face CBT. We added an earlier study and calculated meta-analytic summary statistics for the four studies involving a total of 336 participants. The average effect size difference was Hedges g = 0.12 (95% CI: -0.08~0.32) in the direction of favouring guided ICBT, but with no practical importance. We conclude that guided ICBT is a promising treatment for depression and mood disorders and that the research is rapidly expanding.

Internet-supported and therapist-guided cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) is effective for a range of problems in the short run, but less is known about the long-term effects with follow-ups of two years or longer.This paper reviews studies in which the long-term effects of guided ICBT were investigated. Following literature searches in PubMed and other sources meta-analytic statistics were calculated for 14 studies involving a total of 902 participants, and an average follow-up period of three years. Studies were from Sweden (n = 11) or the Netherlands (n = 3). Long-term outcome studies were found for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, mixed anxiety and depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, pathological gambling, stress and chronic fatigue. The duration of the treatments was usually short (8–15 weeks). The pre-to follow-up effect size was Hedge’s g = 1.52, but with a significant heterogeneity. The average symptom improvement across studies was 50%. Treatment seeking in the follow-up period was not documented and few studies mentioned negative effects.While effects may be overestimated, it is likely that therapist-supported ICBT can have enduring effects. Long-term follow-up data should be collected for more conditions and new technologies like smartphone-delivered treatments.

Introduction: Internet-supported and therapist-guided cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) is effective for a range of problems in the short run, but less is known about the long-term effects with follow-ups of two years or longer.

Areas covered: This paper reviews studies in which the long-term effects of guided ICBT were investigated. Following literature searches in PubMed and other sources meta-analytic statistics were calculated for 14 studies involving a total of 902 participants, and an average follow-up period of three years. Studies were from Sweden (n = 11) or the Netherlands (n = 3). Long-term outcome studies were found for panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, mixed anxiety and depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, pathological gambling, stress and chronic fatigue. The duration of the treatments was usually short (8–15 weeks). The pre-to follow-up effect size was Hedge’s g = 1.52, but with a significant heterogeneity. The average symptom improvement across studies was 50%. Treatment seeking in the follow-up period was not documented and few studies mentioned negative effects.

Expert commentary: While effects may be overestimated, it is likely that therapist-supported ICBT can have enduring effects. Long-term follow-up data should be collected for more conditions and new technologies like smartphone-delivered treatments.

Internet interventions, and in particular Internet‐delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT), have existed for at least 20 years. Here we review the treatment approach and the evidence base, arguing that ICBT can be viewed as a vehicle for innovation. ICBT has been developed and tested for several psychiatric and somatic conditions, and direct comparative studies suggest that therapist‐guided ICBT is more effective than a waiting list for anxiety disorders and depression, and tends to be as effective as face‐to‐face CBT. Studies on the possible harmful effects of ICBT are also reviewed: a significant minority of people do experience negative effects, although rates of deterioration appear similar to those reported for face‐to‐face treatments and lower than for control conditions. We further review studies on change mechanisms and conclude that few, if any, consistent moderators and mediators of change have been identified. A recent trend to focus on knowledge acquisition is considered, and a discussion on the possibilities and hurdles of implementing ICBT is presented. The latter includes findings suggesting that attitudes toward ICBT may not be as positive as when using modern information technology as an adjunct to face‐to‐face therapy (i.e., blended treatment). Finally, we discuss future directions, including the role played by technology and machine learning, blended treatment, adaptation of treatment for minorities and non‐Western settings, other therapeutic approaches than ICBT (including Internet‐delivered psychodynamic and interpersonal psychotherapy as well as acceptance and commitment therapy), emerging regulations, and the importance of reporting failed trials.

In this study, the authors compared guided Internet-delivered self-help with one-session exposure treatment (OST) in a sample of snake phobic patients. A total of 30 patients were included following a screening on the Internet and a structured clinical interview. The Internet treatment consisted of four weekly text modules which were presented on a web page, a video in which exposure was modelled, and support provided via Internet. The OST was delivered in a three-hour session following a brief orientation session. The main outcome was the behavioural approach test (BAT), and as secondary measures questionnaires measuring anxiety symptoms and depression were used. Results showed that the groups did not differ at post-treatment or follow-up, with the exception of a significant interaction for the BAT in favour of the OST. At post-treatment, 61.5% of the Internet group and 84.6% of the OST group achieved a clinically significant improvement on the BAT. At follow-up, the corresponding figures were 90% for the Internet group and 100% for the OST group (completer sample). Within-group effect sizes for the Snake Phobia Questionnaire were large (d = 1.63 and d = 2.31 for the Internet and OST groups, respectively, at post-treatment). It is concluded that guided Internet-delivered exposure treatment is a potential treatment option in the treatment of snake phobia, but that OST probably is better.

Introduction: This randomized, controlled pilot trial evaluated the efficacy of a brief internet-based recovery training intervention targeting a clinical sample of distressed employees.

Method: A sample of 69 employees with elevated symptoms of stress were assigned randomly to a five-week guided recovery training intervention (iRTP, n = 35) or a wait-list control (WLC, n = 34). The study was conducted in Sweden and participants enrolled via an open recruitment strategy. Self-report data were collected pre- and post-intervention, then six and 12 months after the intervention. The primary outcome measure was the Recovery Experience Questionnaire (REQ. The secondary outcome measures gauged other relevant mental and work-related health outcomes. Participants in the wait-list control group received access to iRTP after the six-month follow-up.

Results: Compared with the controls, participants in the intervention group showed a significant and large overall improvement on the primary outcome REQ (d = 0.93), and small to moderate effects on the secondary outcomes including, perceived stress (d = 0.48), anxiety (d = 0.49), quality of life (d = 0.47), and work ability (d = 0.47) during post-assessment. No significant differences were found at any time point regarding burnout, exhaustion, depression, physical exercise, work experience, or sickness absences.

Conclusion: This pilot trial is one of the first to examine a brief recovery training program's efficacy, suggesting that employees across a wide range of professions could learn how to recover from elevated stress symptoms. This type of accessible and brief recovery intervention could potentially prevent and reduce the negative effects of stress, as well as improve recovery and quality of life. However, more research is needed with larger samples before further conclusions can be drawn.

Trial Registration: The study was registered at Clinical Trials (clinicaltrials.gov) number NCT05220592.

Background: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a disabling psychiatric disorder, associated with high co-morbidity. Previous research on structural brain alterations associated with SAD has yielded inconsistent results concerning changes in gray matter (GM) in various brain regions, as well as on the relationship between GM and SAD-symptomatology. These heterogeneous findings are possibly due to limited sample sizes. Multi-site imaging offers new possibilities to investigate SAD-related GM changes in larger samples.

Methods: An international multi-center mega-analysis on the largest database of SAD brain scans to date was performed to compare GM volumes of SAD-patients (n=174) and healthy participants (n=213) using voxel-based morphometry. A hypothesis-driven region of interest (ROI) approach was used, focusing on the basal ganglia, amygdala-hippocampal complex, prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex.

Results: SAD-patients had larger GM volume in the dorsal striatum when compared to healthy participants. This increase correlated positively with the level of social anxiety symptoms. No SAD-related differences in GM volume were present in the other ROIs.

Conclusions: The results suggest a role for the dorsal striatum in SAD, but previously reported SAD-related changes in GM in the amygdala, hippocampus, precuneus, prefrontal cortex and parietal regions were not replicated. Thereby, our findings indicate that sample size matters and stress the need for meta-analyses like those performed by the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium and its working groups. Actually, the collaborative effort for this work has resulted in the start of the ENIGMA-Anxiety workgroup.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a prevalent and disabling mental disorder, associated with significant psychiatric co-morbidity. Previous research on structural brain alterations associated with SAD has yielded inconsistent results concerning the direction of the changes in gray matter (GM) in various brain regions, as well as on the relationship between brain structure and SAD-symptomatology. These heterogeneous findings are possibly due to limited sample sizes. Multi-site imaging offers new opportunities to investigate SAD-related alterations in brain structure in larger samples.

An international multi-center mega-analysis on the largest database of SAD structural T1-weighted 3T MRI scans to date was performed to compare GM volume of SAD-patients (n = 174) and healthy control (HC)-participants (n = 213) using voxel-based morphometry. A hypothesis-driven region of interest (ROI) approach was used, focusing on the basal ganglia, the amygdala-hippocampal complex, the prefrontal cortex, and the parietal cortex. SAD-patients had larger GM volume in the dorsal striatum when compared to HC-participants. This increase correlated positively with the severity of self-reported social anxiety symptoms. No SAD-related differences in GM volume were present in the other ROIs. Thereby, the results of this mega-analysis suggest a role for the dorsal striatum in SAD, but previously reported SAD-related changes in GM in the amygdala, hippocampus, precuneus, prefrontal cortex and parietal regions were not replicated. Our findings emphasize the importance of large sample imaging studies and the need for meta-analyses like those performed by the Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium.

This study has explored therapists' experiences of conducting cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) online and face-to-face. Eleven therapists partook in semi-structured interviews, which were thematically analysed using an abductive approach. The results indicate that the therapists viewed face-to-face therapy as a stronger experience than Internet-based CBT (ICBT), and the latter as being more manualised, but providing more work-time control. Several participants also thought that working alliance may be achieved faster and more easily in face-to-face therapy, and might worsen with fewer modalities of communication. Clinical implications in need of investigation are whether working with ICBT might buffer therapist exhaustion, and whether this therapy form can be improved by becoming less manual dependant in order to be easier to individualise.

This study has explored therapists' experiences of conducting cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) online and face-to-face. Eleven therapists partook in semi-structured interviews, which were thematically analysed using an abductive approach. The results indicate that the therapists viewed face-to-face therapy as a stronger experience than Internet-based CBT (ICBT), and the latter as being more manualised, but providing more work-time control. Several participants also thought that working alliance may be achieved faster and more easily in face-to-face therapy, and might worsen with fewer modalities of communication. Clinical implications in need of investigation are whether working with ICBT might buffer therapist exhaustion, and whether this therapy form can be improved by becoming less manual dependant in order to be easier to individualise.

Internet-delivered interventions are generally effective for psychological problems. While the presence of a clinician guiding the client via text messages typically leads to better outcomes, the characteristics of what constitutes high-quality communication are less well investigated. This study aimed to identify how an internet therapist most effectively communicates with clients in internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT). Using data from a treatment study of depressed adolescents with a focus on participants who had a positive outcome, messages from therapists were analyzed using thematic analysis. The study focused on the therapist's 1) encouragement and 2) affirmation, and how the therapists used 3) personal address. The analysis resulted in a total of twelve themes (Persistence Wins, You Are a Superhero, You Make Your Luck, You Understand, Hard Times, You Are Like Others, My View on the Matter, Time for a Change, Welcome In, Let Me Help You, You Affect Me, and I Am Human). Overall, the themes form patterns where treatment is described as hard work that requires a motivated client who is encouraged by the therapist. The findings are discussed based on the cognitive behavioral theoretical foundation of the treatment, prior research on therapist behaviors, and the fact that the treatment is provided over the internet.

Introduction: In mental health comorbidity is common, both physical and psychiatric. Normally studies on cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) protocols do not exclude comorbid patients but leave the comorbidity to improve without being addressed, or remain unchanged without being identified. since most cognitive behavior treatment protocols are diagnosis-specific. Based on the idea that several problems can be targeted at once, individually tailored CBT protocols have developed. Including patients’ specific symptom profile and preferences, and the knowledge from established disorder-specific programs these protocols opens for individualization both before and during treatment based on individual progress. Tailoring can also be done to target different age groups and include for example the interface of the treatment program and the clinical examples used.

Methods: Most programs have been tested in randomized controlled trials against active waitlist conditions. Specific symptom measures served as primary outcome measures and measures of life quality as secondary. Some studies also included economic evaluations of cost- effectiveness and ratings of therapeutic alliance. Our samples have been both self-recruited and referred by health care professionals. Most of the studies have measure-points not only directly at post treatment, but also at one- and two-year follow-up.

Results: Taken together the tailored programs show, on average, a medium to large effect size (Cohen’s d) on primary outcome measures regarding both anxiety and depressive symptoms, and small effect sizes on life quality measures. Effects were sustained at follow-up. The tailored treatment proved to be cost-effective administered in regular care. We also found patient ratings of therapeutic alliance to correlate with outcome.

Discussion: Individually tailored internet-administered CBT show promising results. Based on the available data, it might be a feasible approach in treating anxiety and depression. Acceptability, for whom it is most beneficial, and if some components are more powerful than others, are questions left to be answered.

Background: Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) is a form of guided self-help that has been found to be effective for addressing several problems. The target for this type of therapy is usually restricted to one specific disorder. Tailoring the treatment widens the scope of ICBT in that it can address comorbid conditions directly. Objectives: The working, or therapeutic, alliance has been found to predict outcome in studies of face-to-face therapy. The extent to which these findings apply to ICBT is largely unknown. We therefore decided to find out whether the working alliance could predict outcome in tailored ICBT for anxiety disorders. Methods: Data were obtained from the treatment group (n=27) in a randomized controlled trial aiming to test the effects of tailored ICBT for anxiety disorders. The forthcoming study was designed to test the hypothesis that the working alliance measured both pre-treatment and early in treatment (week 3) can predict treatment outcome as measured by the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation–Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) in a heterogeneous group of patients with anxiety disorders (n=27). Results: Working alliance measured at week 3 into the treatment correlated significantly with the residual gain scores on the primary outcome measure (r=-.47, P=.019, n=25), while expected working alliance pre-treatment did not (r=-.17, P=.42, n=27). Conclusions: These results raise questions about the importance of working alliance in ICBT treatments, and suggest that the working alliance could be important in ICBT.

Goals: To investigate the effectiveness of therapist-guided internet treatment for panic disorder (PD), and major depression (MD), in a routine care setting, the eMeistring clinic, within the public health care in Norway. Methods: Approximately 300 patients are included in two effectiveness studies, one per treatment (PD, MD). Assessment points are pretreatment, posttreatment and 6 months follow-up. Within group effect sizes, responder and remission rates are investigated. All analyses are Internet to treat. Results: Effect sizes for PD were large, d = 1.24 pre - post and 1.39 pre - 6 months follow-up. 56 % had recovered or were improved at posttreatment. Results for MD are preliminary and will be presented at the conference. Conclusion: Final conclusions will be presented at the conference. Results so far indicate that the treatments, after implementation into routine care in Norwegian public health care, are equally effective as in preceding effectiveness and randomized efficacy trials. The results so far thereby strengthen the notion that therapist guided Internet-based treatments are a viable alternative to other modes of treatment delivery.

Romantic relationships have been argued to function as attachment relationships, and the level of satisfaction with the relationship have been associated with one’s attachment style. Both attachment avoidance and anxiety have shown to be reliable predictors of relationship dissatisfaction. In this study, which were part of a screening process for couples’ therapy, 660 participants (330 both heterosexual and homosexual couples) completed a questionnaire regarding their attachment style (Experience of Close Relationships) and relationship satisfaction (Dyadic Adjustment Scale). Through structural equation modelling we found that relationship satisfaction was linked to both attachment avoidance (? = -.26) and anxiety (? = -.15) of one own, but only to partner avoidance (? = -.12). These findings are to some extent contradictory to previous research regarding the effect of partner attachment, by showing that specifically avoidance but not anxiety is linked to dissatisfaction.

Background: Guided Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (ICBT) has been found to be effective for social anxiety disorder (SAD) by several independent research groups. However, since the extent of clinically significant change demonstrated leaves room for improvement, new treatments should be developed and investigated. A novel treatment, which has generally been found to be effective, is cognitive bias modification (CBM). This study aims to evaluate the combination of CBM and ICBT. It is intended that two groups will be compared; one group randomized to receiving ICBT and CBM towards threat cues and one group receiving ICBT and control training. We hypothesize that the group receiving ICBT plus CBM will show superior treatment outcomes.

Methods/design: Participants with SAD (N = 128), will be recruited from the general population. A composite score combining the scores obtained from three social anxiety questionnaires will serve as the primary outcome measure. Secondary measures include self-reported depression and quality of life. All treatments and assessments will be conducted via the Internet and measurement points will be baseline, Week 2, post-treatment, and 4 months post-treatment.

Discussion: There is no direct evidence of the effects of combining CBM and ICBT in SAD. Adding attention-training sessions to ICBT protocols could increase the proportion of participants who improve and recover through Internet-based self-help.