Internet-delivered psychological treatments for mood and anxiety disorders: A systematic review of their efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness

PLoS ONE

Volumn 9, Issue 5, 2014, Pages

  Arnberg, Filip K ^a   Linton, Steven J ^b   Hultcrantz, Monica ^c   Heintz, Emelie ^c,d   Jonsson, Ulf ^c,e  

^a UPPSALA UNIVERSITY   (Sweden)

^b ÖREBRO UNIVERSITY   (Sweden)

^c Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment   (Sweden)

^d LINKÖPING UNIVERSITY   (Sweden)

^e KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE   (Sweden)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ADVERSE OUTCOME; ANXIETY DISORDER; AUSTRALIA; COGNITIVE THERAPY; COST EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS; DEPRESSION; DISEASE SEVERITY; HEALTH CARE DELIVERY; HOSPITAL ADMISSION; HUMAN; INTERNET; META ANALYSIS; MOOD DISORDER; ONSET AGE; OUTCOMES RESEARCH; PATIENT SAFETY; RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (TOPIC); REVIEW; SOCIAL PHOBIA; SWEDEN; SYSTEMATIC REVIEW; TREATMENT RESPONSE; VOLUNTEER; ADOLESCENT; ADULT; ANXIETY DISORDERS; CHILD; COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS; ECONOMICS; MOOD DISORDERS; PRESCHOOL CHILD; PROCEDURES; PSYCHOTHERAPY; PUBLISHING; TIME; TREATMENT OUTCOME;

ADOLESCENT; ADULT; ANXIETY DISORDERS; CHILD; CHILD, PRESCHOOL; COGNITIVE THERAPY; COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS; HUMANS; INTERNET; MOOD DISORDERS; PSYCHOTHERAPY; PUBLICATION BIAS; RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS AS TOPIC; TIME FACTORS; TREATMENT OUTCOME;

EID: 84901295625     PISSN: None     EISSN: 19326203     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0098118     Document Type: Review

References (100)

1. Wittchen HU, Jacobi F, Rehm J, Gustavsson A, Svensson M, et al. (2011) The size and burden of mental disorders and other disorders of the brain in Europe 2010. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 21: 655-679.
2. Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE (2005) Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry 62: 617-627. (Pubitemid 40973437)
3. Lépine JP, Briley M (2011) The increasing burden of depression. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 7: 3-7.
4. Kessler RC, Ruscio AM, Shear K, Wittchen HU (2010) Epidemiology of anxiety disorders. In: Stein MB, Steckler T, editors. Behavioral neurobiology of anxiety and its treatment. New York: Springer. pp. 21-35.
5. Kazdin AE, Blase SL (2011) Rebooting psychotherapy research and practice to reduce the burden of mental illness. Perspect Psychol Sci 6: 21-37.
6. Trivedi MH, Rush AJ, Wisniewski SR, Nierenberg AA, Warden D, et al. (2006) Evaluation of outcomes with citalopram for depression using measurement-based care in STAR*D: implications for clinical practice. Am J Psychiatry 163: 28-40. (Pubitemid 43050100)
7. McHugh RK, Whitton SW, Peckham AD, Welge JA, Otto MW (2013) Patient preference for psychological vs pharmacologic treatment of psychiatric disorders: a meta-analytic review. J Clin Psychiatry 74: 595-602.
8. Hofmann SG, Smits JA (2008) Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. J Clin Psychiatry 69: 621-632. (Pubitemid 351792338)
9. Butler AC, Chapman JE, Forman EM, Beck AT (2006) The empirical status of cognitive-behavioral therapy: a review of meta-analyses. Clin Psychol Rev 26: 17-31. (Pubitemid 41803609)
10. Tolin DF (2010) Is cognitive-behavioral therapy more effective than other therapies? A meta-analytic review. Clin Psychol Rev 30: 710-720.
11. James AC, James G, Cowdrey FA, Soler A, Choke A (2013) Cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 6: CD004690.
12. Cuijpers P, Geraedts AS, van Oppen P, Andersson G, Markowitz JC, et al. (2011) Interpersonal psychotherapy for depression: a meta-analysis. Am J Psychiatry 168: 581-592.
13. Shedler J (2010) The efficacy of psychodynamic psychotherapy. Am Psychol 65: 98-109.
14. Demyttenaere K, Bruffaerts R, Posada-Villa J, Gasquet I, Kovess V, et al. (2004) Prevalence, severity, and unmet need for treatment of mental disorders in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys. JAMA 291: 2581-2590.
15. Stein MB (2004) Quality of care for primary care patients with anxiety disorders. Am J Psychiatry 161: 2230-2237.
16. Spek V, Cuijpers P, Nyklicek I, Riper H, Keyzer J, et al. (2007) Internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for symptoms of depression and anxiety: a meta-analysis. Psychol Med 37: 319-328.
17. Griffiths KM, Farrer L, Christensen H (2010) The efficacy of internet interventions for depression and anxiety disorders: a review of randomised controlled trials. Med J Aust 192: S4-11.
18. Andersson G (2009) Using the Internet to provide cognitive behaviour therapy. Behav Res Ther 47: 175-180.
19. Andrews G, Cuijpers P, Craske MG, McEvoy P, Titov N (2010) Computer therapy for the anxiety and depressive disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care: a meta-analysis. PLoS One 5: e13196.
20. Hedman E, Ljotsson B, Lindefors N (2012) Cognitive behavior therapy via the Internet: a systematic review of applications, clinical efficacy and costeffectiveness. Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res 12: 745-764.
21. Guyatt GH, Oxman AD, Vist G, Kunz R, Brozek J, et al. (2011) GRADE guidelines: 4. Rating the quality of evidence-study limitations (risk of bias). J Clin Epidemiol 64: 407-415.
22. Cooney GM, Dwan K, Greig CA, Lawlor DA, Rimer J, et al. (2013) Exercise for depression. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 9: CD004366.
23. Balshem H, Helfand M, Schunemann HJ, Oxman AD, Kunz R, et al. (2011) GRADE guidelines: 3. Rating the quality of evidence. J Clin Epidemiol 64: 401-406.
24. Andersson G, Cuijpers P (2009) Internet-based and other computerized psychological treatments for adult depression: a meta-analysis. Cogn Behav Ther 38: 196-205.
25. Collaboration TC (2014) Cochrane editorial and publishing policy resource: Conflicts of interest and Cochrane Reviews. Oxford, UK: The Cochrane Collaboration.
26. Higgins J, Altman D, Sterne JAC (editors) (2011) Chapter 8: Assessing risk of bias in included studies. In: Higgins J, Green S, editors. Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 510 (updated March 2011): The Cochrane Collaboration.
27. Schumi J, Wittes JT (2011) Through the looking glass: understanding non-inferiority. Trials 12: 106.
28. Moher D, Pham B, Jones A, Cook DJ, Jadad AR, et al. (1998) Does quality of reports of randomised trials affect estimates of intervention efficacy reported in meta-analyses? Lancet 352: 609-613. (Pubitemid 28380142)
29. D'Agostino RB Sr, Massaro JM, Sullivan LM (2003) Non-inferiority trials: design concepts and issues - the encounters of academic consultants in statistics. Stat Med 22: 169-186. (Pubitemid 36163579)
30. International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) (2000) Choice of control group and related issues in clinical trials: ICH harmonised tripartite guideline. Report nr E10. Geneva: ICH. Cited 23 Nov 2013. Available from: www.ich.org
31. Johansson R, Ekbladh S, Hebert A, Lindström M, Möller S, et al. (2012) Psychodynamic guided self-help for adult depression through the internet: a randomised controlled trial. PLoS One 7: e38021.
32. American Psychiatric Association (1994) Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 4th edition. Washington, DC: Author.
33. World Health Organization (1992) ICD-10: International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems. 10th edition. Geneva: Author.
34. Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment (SBU) (2013) Utvärdering av metoder i hälso- och sjukvården: En handbok. [Evaluation and synthesis of methods in healthcare: A handbook]. Stockholm, Sweden: SBU Swedish.
35. Cohen J (1988) Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences. 2nd edition. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. 567 p.
36. Shemilt I, Thomas J, Morciano M (2010) A web-based tool for adjusting costs to a specific target currency and price year. Evid Policy 6: 51-59.
37. Duval S, Tweedie R (2000) Trim and fill: a simple funnel-plot-based method of testing and adjusting for publication bias in meta-analysis. Biometrics 56: 455-463. (Pubitemid 30422636)
38. Carlbring P, Hagglund M, Luthstrom A, Dahlin M, Kadowaki A, et al. (2013) Internet-based behavioral activation and acceptance-based treatment for depression: a randomized controlled trial. J Affect Disord 148: 331-337.
39. Vernmark K, Lenndin J, Bjarehed J, Carlsson M, Karlsson J, et al. (2010) Internet administered guided self-help versus individualized e-mail therapy: a randomized trial of two versions of CBT for major depression. Behav Res Ther 48: 368-376.
40. Johansson R, Sjoberg E, Sjogren M, Johnsson E, Carlbring P, et al. (2012) Tailored vs. standardized internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for depression and comorbid symptoms: a randomized controlled trial. PLoS One 7: e36905.
41. Titov N, Andrews G, Davies M, McIntyre K, Robinson E, et al. (2010) Internet treatment for depression: a randomized controlled trial comparing clinician vs. technician assistance. PLoS One 5: e10939.
42. Choi I, Zou J, Titov N, Dear BF, Li S, et al. (2012) Culturally attuned Internet treatment for depression amongst Chinese Australians: a randomised controlled trial. J Affect Disord 136: 459-468.
43. Kessler D, Lewis G, Kaur S, Wiles N, King M, et al. (2009) Therapist-delivered Internet psychotherapy for depression in primary care: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 374: 628-634.
44. Berger T, Hammerli K, Gubser N, Andersson G, Caspar F (2011) Internet-based treatment of depression: a randomized controlled trial comparing guided with unguided self-help. Cogn Behav Ther 40: 251-266.
45. Andersson G, Hesser H, Hummerdal D, Bergman-Nordgren L, Carlbring P (2013) A 3.5-year follow-up of Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for major depression. J Ment Health 22: 155-164.
46. Carlbring P, Apelstrand M, Sehlin H, Amir N, Rousseau A, et al. (2012) Internet-delivered attention bias modification training in individuals with social anxiety disorder: a double blind randomized controlled trial. BMC Psychiatry 12: 66.
47. Hedman E, Andersson G, Ljotsson B, Andersson E, Ruck C, et al. (2011) Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy vs. cognitive behavioral group therapy for social anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. PLoS One 6: e18001.
48. Boettcher J, Berger T, Renneberg B (2012) Internet-based attention training for social anxiety: a randomized controlled trial. Cognit Ther Res 36: 522-536.
49. Andersson G, Carlbring P, Holmstrom A, Sparthan E, Furmark T, et al. (2006) Internet-based self-help with therapist feedback and in vivo group exposure for social phobia: a randomized controlled trial. J Consult Clin Psychol 74: 677-686. (Pubitemid 44199120)
50. Berger T, Hohl E, Caspar F (2009) Internet-based treatment for social phobia: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Psychol 65: 1021-1035.
51. Titov N, Andrews G, Schwencke G, Drobny J, Einstein D (2008) Shyness 1: distance treatment of social phobia over the internet. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 42: 585-594. (Pubitemid 352015737)
52. Titov N, Andrews G, Schwencke G (2008) Shyness 2: treating social phobia online: replication and extension. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 42: 595-605. (Pubitemid 352015738)
53. Titov N, Andrews G, Choi I, Schwencke G, Mahoney A (2008) Shyness 3: randomized controlled trial of guided versus unguided internet-based CBT for social phobia. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 42: 1030-1040.
54. Andersson G, Carlbring P, Furmark T, S. O. F. I. E. Research Group (2012) Therapist experience and knowledge acquisition in internet-delivered CBT for social anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial. PLoS One 7: e37411.
55. Carlbring P, Gunnarsdottir M, Hedensjo L, Andersson G, Ekselius L, et al. (2007) Treatment of social phobia: randomised trial of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy with telephone support. Br J Psychiatry 190: 123-128.
56. Furmark T, Carlbring P, Hedman E, Sonnenstein A, Clevberger P, et al. (2009) Guided and unguided self-help for social anxiety disorder: randomised controlled trial. Br J Psychiatry 195: 440-447.
57. Neubauer K, von Auer M, Murray E, Petermann F, Helbig-Lang S, et al. (2013) Internet-delivered attention modification training as a treatment for social phobia: a randomized controlled trial. Behav Res Ther 51: 87-97.
58. Carlbring P, Nordgren LB, Furmark T, Andersson G (2009) Long-term outcome of Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioural therapy for social phobia: a 30-month follow-up. Behav Res Ther 47: 848-850.
59. Hedman E, Furmark T, Carlbring P, Ljotsson B, Ruck C, et al. (2011) A 5-year follow-up of internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for social anxiety disorder. J Med Internet Res 13: e39.
60. Bergstrom J, Andersson G, Ljotsson B, Ruck C, Andreewitch S, et al. (2010) Internet-versus group-administered cognitive behaviour therapy for panic disorder in a psychiatric setting: a randomised trial. BMC Psychiatry 10: 54.
61. Wims E, Titov N, Andrews G, Choi I (2010) Clinician-assisted internet-based treatment is effective for panic: a randomized controlled trial. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 44: 599-607.
62. Carlbring P, Bohman S, Brunt S, Buhrman M, Westling BE, et al. (2006) Remote treatment of panic disorder: a randomized trial of internet-based cognitive behavior therapy supplemented with telephone calls. Am J Psychiatry 163: 2119-2125. (Pubitemid 46114232)
63. Carlbring P, Nilsson-Ihrfelt E, Waara J, Kollenstam C, Buhrman M, et al. (2005) Treatment of panic disorder: live therapy vs. self-help via the Internet. Behav Res Ther 43: 1321-1333. (Pubitemid 41116275)
64. Klein B, Richards JC, Austin DW (2006) Efficacy of internet therapy for panic disorder. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry 37: 213-238. (Pubitemid 43866643)
65. Andersson G, Paxling B, Roch-Norlund P, Ostman G, Norgren A, et al. (2012) Internet-based psychodynamic versus cognitive behavioral guided self-help for generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Psychother Psychosom 81: 344-355.
66. Paxling B, Almlov J, Dahlin M, Carlbring P, Breitholtz E, et al. (2011) Guided internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy for generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Cogn Behav Ther 40: 159-173.
67. Robinson E, Titov N, Andrews G, McIntyre K, Schwencke G, et al. (2010) Internet treatment for generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial comparing clinician vs. technician assistance. PLoS One 5: e10942.
68. Titov N, Andrews G, Robinson E, Schwencke G, Johnston L, et al. (2009) Clinician-assisted internet-based treatment is effective for generalized anxiety disorder: randomized controlled trial. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 43: 905-912.
69. Andersson G, Waara J, Jonsson U, Malmaeus F, Carlbring P, et al. (2009) Internet-based self-help versus one-session exposure in the treatment of spider phobia: a randomized controlled trial. Cogn Behav Ther 38: 114-120.
70. Spence J, Titov N, Dear BF, Johnston L, Solley K, et al. (2011) Randomized controlled trial of internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. Depress Anxiety 28: 541-550.
71. Andersson E, Enander J, Andren P, Hedman E, Ljotsson B, et al. (2012) Internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: a randomized controlled trial. Psychol Med 42: 2193-2203.
72. Johnston L, Titov N, Andrews G, Spence J, Dear BF (2011) A RCT of a transdiagnostic internet-delivered treatment for three anxiety disorders: examination of support roles and disorder-specific outcomes. PLoS One 6: e28079.
73. Titov N, Andrews G, Johnston L, Robinson E, Spence J (2010) Transdiagnostic internet treatment for anxiety disorders: a randomized controlled trial. Behav Res Ther 48: 890-899.
74. Carlbring P, Maurin L, Torngren C, Linna E, Eriksson T, et al. (2011) Individually-tailored, Internet-based treatment for anxiety disorders: a randomized controlled trial. Behav Res Ther 49: 18-24.
75. Bell CJ, Colhoun HC, Carter FA, Frampton CM (2012) Effectiveness of computerised cognitive behaviour therapy for anxiety disorders in secondary care. Aust N Z J Psychiatry 46: 630-640.
76. Titov N, Dear BF, Schwencke G, Andrews G, Johnston L, et al. (2011) Transdiagnostic internet treatment for anxiety and depression: a randomised controlled trial. Behav Res Ther 49: 441-452.
77. Newby JM, Mackenzie A, Williams AD, McIntyre K, Watts S, et al. (2013) Internet cognitive behavioural therapy for mixed anxiety and depression: a randomized controlled trial and evidence of effectiveness in primary care. Psychol Med: 1-14.
78. March S, Spence SH, Donovan CL (2009) The efficacy of an internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention for child anxiety disorders. J Pediatr Psychol 34: 474-487.
79. Hedman E, Andersson E, Ljotsson B, Andersson G, Ruck C, et al. (2011) Costeffectiveness of Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy vs. cognitive behavioral group therapy for social anxiety disorder: results from a randomized controlled trial. Behav Res Ther 49: 729-736.
80. Hollinghurst S, Peters TJ, Kaur S, Wiles N, Lewis G, et al. (2010) Costeffectiveness of therapist-delivered online cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression: randomised controlled trial. Br J Psychiatry 197: 297-304.
81. Andersson G, Carlbring P, Berger T, Almlöv J, Cuijpers P (2009) What makes Internet therapy work? Cogn Behav Ther 38 Suppl 1: 55-60.
82. Kimmelman J, Weijer C, Meslin EM (2009) Helsinki discords: FDA, ethics, and international drug trials. Lancet 373: 13-14.
83. Hey SP, Weijer C (2013) Assay sensitivity and the epistemic contexts of clinical trials. Perspect Biol Med 56: 1-17.
84. Rothmann MD, Wiens BL, Chan ISF (2011) Design and analysis of non-inferiority trials. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. 438 p.
85. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2009) Depression: the treatment and management of depression in adults (partial update of NICE clinical guideline 23). Clinical guideline 90. Available from: http://guidance.nice.org.uk/cg90.
86. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2013) Social anxiety disorder: recognition, assessment and treatment. Clinical guideline 159. Available: http://guidance.nice.org.uk/cg159.
87. Hedman E, Ljótsson B, Lindefors N (2012) Cognitive behavior therapy via the Internet: a systematic review of applications, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res 12: 745-764.
88. Chambless DL, Baker MJ, Baucom DH, Beutler LE, Calhoun KS, et al. (1998) Update on empirically validated therapies, II. Clinical Psychologist 51: 3-16.
89. Sloan DM, Gallagher MW, Feinstein BA, Lee DJ, Pruneau GM (2011) Efficacy of telehealth treatments for posttraumatic stress-related symptoms: a metaanalysis. Cogn Behav Ther 40: 111-125.
90. Arnberg FK, Alaie I, Parling T, Jonsson U (2013) Recent randomized controlled trials of psychological interventions in healthcare: a review of their quantity, scope, and characteristics. J Psychosom Res 75: 401-408.
91. Barak A, Hen L, Boniel-Nissim M, Shapira N (2008) A comprehensive review and a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of Internet-based psychotherapeutic interventions. J Technol Hum Serv 26: 109-160.
92. Carlbring P, Westling BE, Ljungstrand P, Ekselius L, Andersson G (2001) Treatment of panic disorder via the Internet: a randomized trial of a self-help program. Behav Ther 32: 751-764. (Pubitemid 34326715)
93. Peterson AL, Roache JD, Raj J, Young-McCaughan S, for the STRONG STAR Consortium (2013) The need for expanded monitoring of adverse events in behavioral health clinical trials. Contemp Clin Trials 34: 152-154.
94. Jonsson U, Alaie I, Parling T, Arnberg FK (2014) Reporting of harms in randomized controlled trials of psychological interventions for mental and behavioral disorders: A review of current practice. Contemp Clin Trials 38: 1-8.
95. Palmqvist B, Carlbring P, Andersson G (2007) Internet-delivered treatments with or without therapist input: does the therapist factor have implications for efficacy and cost? Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res 7: 291-297. (Pubitemid 47190237)
96. Johansson R, Andersson G (2012) Internet-based psychological treatments for depression. Expert Rev Neurother 12: 861-870.
97. Boettcher J, Leek L, Matson L, Holmes EA, Browning M, et al. (2013) Internet-based attention bias modification for social anxiety: a randomised controlled comparison of training towards negative and training towards positive cues. PLoS One 8: e71760.
98. Hakamata Y, Lissek S, Bar-Haim Y, Britton JC, Fox NA, et al. (2010) Attention bias modification treatment: a meta-analysis toward the establishment of novel treatment for anxiety. Biol Psychiatry 68: 982-990.
99. Osenbach JE, O'Brien KM, Mishkind M, Smolenski DJ (2013) Synchronous telehealth technologies in psychotherapy for depression: a meta-analysis. Depress Anxiety 30: 1058-1067.
100. Greenland S, O'Rourke K (2001) On the bias produced by quality scores in meta-analysis, and a hierarchical view of proposed solutions. Biostatistics 2: 463-471.