Internet-based interventions for posttraumatic stress: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Clinical Psychology Review

Volumn 43, Issue , 2016, Pages 1-16

  Kuester, Annika ^a   Niemeyer, Helen ^a   Knaevelsrud, Christine ^a  

^a FREIE UNIVERSITÄT BERLIN   (Germany)

Author keywords

Internet intervention; Meta analysis; Online therapy; Posttraumatic stress; PTSD; Systematic review

Indexed keywords

CLINICAL EFFECTIVENESS; COGNITIVE THERAPY; EXPRESSIVE WRITING; FOLLOW UP; HUMAN; INTERNET INTERVENTION; META ANALYSIS; ONLINE SYSTEM; OUTCOME ASSESSMENT; POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER; PSYCHOTHERAPY; RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL (TOPIC); REVIEW; STATISTICAL ANALYSIS; INTERNET; STATISTICS AND NUMERICAL DATA; STRESS DISORDERS, POST-TRAUMATIC;

COGNITIVE THERAPY; HUMANS; INTERNET; OUTCOME ASSESSMENT (HEALTH CARE); PSYCHOTHERAPY; RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS AS TOPIC; STRESS DISORDERS, POST-TRAUMATIC;

EID: 84949212629     PISSN: 02727358     EISSN: 18737811     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2015.11.004     Document Type: Review

References (106)

1. American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and statistical manual-Text revision (DSM-IV-TRim, 2000): American Psychiatric Association 2000.
2. American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, (DSM-5®): American Psychiatric Pub. 2013.
3. American Psychiatric Association Publications Reporting standards for research in psychology: Why do we need them? What might they be?. The American Psychologist 2008, 63(9):839.
4. Andersson G., Cuijpers P. Internet-based and other computerized psychological treatments for adult depression: A meta-analysis. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy 2009, 38(4):196-205.
5. Andrykowski M.A., Cordova M.J., Studts J.L., Miller T.W. Posttraumatic stress disorder after treatment for breast cancer: Prevalence of diagnosis and use of the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) as a screening instrument. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 1998, 66(3):586.
6. Begg C.B., Mazumdar M. Operating characteristics of a rank correlation test for publication bias. Biometrics 1994, 1088-1101.
7. Besser A., Neria Y. When home isn't a safe haven: Insecure attachment orientations, perceived social support, and PTSD symptoms among Israeli evacuees under missile threat. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy 2012, 4(1):34.
8. van Beugen S., Ferwerda M., Hoeve D., Rovers M.M., Spillekom-van Koulil S., van Middendorp H., Evers A.W. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with chronic somatic conditions: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2014, 16(3):e88. 10.2196/jmir.2777.
9. Beyer J.A. The effects of web-based interactive emotional disclosure on stress and health: A randomized, controlled study. (71), ProQuest Information & Learning, US Retrieved from. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2011-99060-244&site=ehost-live%20Available%20from%20EBSCOhost%20psyh%20database.
10. Biostat Comprehensive meta-analysis (version 3.3.070 - November 21, 2014) 2014, Englewood, NJ, (Retrieved from http://www.comprehensive.com).
11. Bisson J.I., Ehlers A., Matthews R., Pilling S., Richards D., Turner S. Psychological treatments for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder. Systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Psychiatry 2007, 190:97-104. 10.1192/bjp.bp.106.021402.
12. Bisson J., Roberts N., Andrew M., Cooper R., Lewis C. Psychological therapies for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults (review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, 12.
13. Blais R.K., Tsai J., Southwick S.M., Pietrzak R.H. Barriers and facilitators related to mental health care use among older veterans in the United States. Psychiatric Services 2015, (appips201300469). 10.1176/appi.ps.201300469.
14. Bolton A., Dorstyn D. Telepsychology for posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare 2015, (1357633X15571996).
15. Borenstein M., Hedges L.V., Higgins J.P., Rothstein H.R. Introduction to meta-analysis 2011, John Wiley & Sons.
16. Bradley R., Greene J., Russ E., Dutra L., Westen D. A multidimensional meta-analysis of psychotherapy for PTSD. American Journal of Psychiatry 2014.
17. Butler A.C., Chapman J.E., Forman E.M., Beck A.T. The empirical status of cognitive-behavioral therapy: A review of meta-analyses. Clinical Psychology Review 2006, 26(1):17-31. 10.1016/j.cpr.2005.07.003.
18. Calhoun P.S., Bosworth H.B., Grambow S.C., Dudley T.K., Beckham J.C. Medical service utilization by veterans seeking help for posttraumatic stress disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry 2002, 159(12):2081-2086. 10.1176/appi.ajp.159.12.2081.
19. Campbell S.B., Renshaw K.D. PTSD symptoms, disclosure, and relationship distress: Explorations of mediation and associations over time. Journal of Anxiety Disorders 2013, 27(5):494-502.
20. Carpenter K.M., Stoner S.A., Schmitz K., McGregor B.A., Doorenbos A.Z. An online stress management workbook for breast cancer. Journal of Behavioral Medicine 2014, 37(3):458-468.
21. Charuvastra A., Cloitre M. Social bonds and posttraumatic stress disorder. Annual Review of Psychology 2008, 59:301.
22. Cheng S.K., Dizon J. Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2012, 81(4):206-216.
23. Clum G.A. Development of PTSD measures. Unpublished raw data 1999.
24. Cohen J. Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences 1988, Erlbaum, Hillsdale.
25. Cohen J. A power primer. Psychological Bulletin 1992, 112(1):155.
26. Cowpertwait L., Clarke D. Effectiveness of web-based psychological interventions for depression: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction 2013, 11(2):247-268.
27. Crombie I.K., Davies H.T. What is meta-analysis. What is 2009, 1-8.
28. Cuijpers P., Marks I.M., van Straten A., Cavanagh K., Gega L., Andersson G. Computer-aided psychotherapy for anxiety disorders: A meta-analytic review. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy 2009, 38(2):66-82.
29. Davidson J.R., Stein D.J., Shalev A.Y., Yehuda R. Posttraumatic stress disorder: Acquisition, recognition, course, and treatment 2014.
30. Diehle J., Schmitt K., Daams J.G., Boer F., Lindauer R.J. Effects of psychotherapy on trauma-related cognitions in posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analysis. Journal of Traumatic Stress 2014, 27(3):257-264.
31. Difede J., Olden M., Cukor J. Evidence-based treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. Annual Review of Medicine 2014, 65:319-332.
32. Duval S., Tweedie R. Trim and fill: A simple funnel-plot-based method of testing and adjusting for publication bias in meta-analysis. Biometrics 2000, 56(2):455-463.
33. Ebert D.D., Erbe D. Internetbasierte psychologische Interventionen. Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie für Bachelor 2012, 131-140. Springer.
34. Egger M., Smith G.D., Schneider M., Minder C. Bias in meta-analysis detected by a simple, graphical test. BMJ 1997, 315(7109):629-634.
35. Ehring T., Welboren R., Morina N., Wicherts J.M., Freitag J., Emmelkamp P.M. Meta-analysis of psychological treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder in adult survivors of childhood abuse. Clinical Psychology Review 2014, 34(8):645-657. 10.1016/j.cpr.2014.10.004.
36. Eichenberg C., Ott R. Klinisch-psychologische intervention im internet. Psychotherapeut 2012, 57(1):58-69. 10.1007/s00278-011-0832-5.
37. Falsetti S.A., Resnick H.S., Resick P.A., Kilpatrick D. The Modified PTSD Symptom Scale: A brief self-report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder. Behaviour Therapy 1993, 16:161.
38. Figley C.R. Compassion fatigue as secondary traumatic stress disorder: An overview. Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treatthe traumatized 1995, 1-20. Brunner/Mazel, New York. C.R. Figley (Ed.).
39. Foa E.B., Tolin D.F. Comparison of the PTSD symptom scale-Interview version and the clinician-administered PTSD scale. Journal of Traumatic Stress 2000, 13(2):181-191.
40. Foa E.B., Cashman L., Jaycox L., Perry K. The validation of a self-report measure of posttraumatic stress disorder: The Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale. Psychological Assessment 1997, 9(4):445.
41. Gonçalves R., Pedrozo A.L., Coutinho E.S.F., Figueira I., Ventura P. Efficacy of virtual reality exposure therapy in the treatment of PTSD: A systematic review. PloS One 2012, 7(12):e48469.
42. Grist R., Cavanagh K. Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for common mental health disorders, what works, for whom under what circumstances? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy 2013, 43(4):243-251.
43. Hedges L.C. Distribution theory for Glass's estimator of effect size and related estimators. Journal of Educational Statistics 1981, 6:107-128.
44. Herbert C., Brunet A. Psychotraumatismes: Quel role pour internet?=psychological trauma: What role for internet?. Revue Francophone du Stress et du Trauma 2009, 9(1):55-64.
45. Higgins J.P., Green S. Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions 2008, Vol. 5. Wiley Online Library.
46. Hirai M., Clum G.A. An internet-based self-change program for traumatic event related fear, distress, and maladaptive coping. Journal of Traumatic Stress 2005, 18(6):631-636. 10.1002/jts.20071.
47. Hirai M., Skidmore S.T., Clum G.A., Dolma S. An investigation of the efficacy of online expressive writing for trauma-related psychological distress in Hispanic individuals. Behavior Therapy 2012, 43(4):812-824. 10.1016/j.beth.2012.04.006.
48. Hoge C.W., Castro C.A., Messer S.C., McGurk D., Cotting D.I., Koffman R.L. Combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care. The New England Journal of Medicine 2004, 351(1):13-22. 10.1056/NEJMoa040603.
49. Hoge C.W., Grossman S.H., Auchterlonie J.L., Riviere L.A., Milliken C.S., Wilk J.E. PTSD treatment for soldiers after combat deployment: Low utilization of mental health care and reasons for dropout. Psychiatric Services 2014, 65(8):997-1004. 10.1176/appi.ps.201300307.
50. Horowitz M., Wilner N., Alvarez W. Impact of Event Scale: A measure of subjective stress. Psychosomatic Medicine 1979, 41(3):209-218.
51. Ioannidis J.P., Trikalinos T.A. The appropriateness of asymmetry tests for publication bias in meta-analyses: A large survey. Canadian Medical Association Journal 2007, 176(8):1091-1096.
52. de Jong J.M., Komproe I.H., Van Ommeren M., et al. LIfetime events and posttraumatic stress disorder in 4 postconflict settings. JAMA 2001, 286(5):555-562. 10.1001/jama.286.5.555.
53. Keane T.M., Marshall A.D., Taft C.T. Posttraumatic stress disorder: Etiology, epidemiology, and treatment outcome. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology 2006, 2(1):161-197. 10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.2.022305.095305.
54. Keller B., Stevens L., Lui C., Murray J., Yaggie M. The effects of bilateral eye movements on EEG coherence when recalling a pleasant memory. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research 2014, 8(3):113-128.
55. Kersting A., Dolemeyer R., Steinig J., Walter F., Kroker K., Baust K., Wagner B. Brief internet-based intervention reduces posttraumatic stress and prolonged grief in parents after the loss of a child during pregnancy: A randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics 2013, 82(6):372-381. 10.1159/000348713.
56. Kersting A., Kroker K., Schlicht S., Baust K., Wagner B. Efficacy of cognitive behavioral internet-based therapy in parents after the loss of a child during pregnancy: Pilot data from a randomized controlled trial. Archives of Women's Mental Health 2011, 14(6):465-477.
57. Kessler R.C., Petukhova M., Sampson N.A., Zaslavsky A.M., Wittchen H.-U. Twelve-month and lifetime prevalence and lifetime morbid risk of anxiety and mood disorders in the United States. International Journal of Methods in Psychiatric Research 2012, 21(3):169-184. 10.1002/mpr.1359.
58. Kessler R.C., Sonnega A., Bromet E., Hughes M., Nelson C.B. Posttraumatic stress disorder in the national comorbidity survey. Archives of General Psychiatry 1995, 52(12):1048-1060.
59. Kessler R.C., Zhao S., Katz S.J., Kouzis A.C., Frank R.G., Edlund M., Leaf P. Past-year use of outpatient services for psychiatric problems in the national comorbidity survey. American Journal of Psychiatry 1999, 156(1):115-123.
60. Kirkpatrick H.A., Heller G.M. Post-traumatic stress disorder: Theory and treatment update. International Journal of Psychiatry in Medicine 2014, 47(4):337-346.
61. Knaevelsrud C., Maercker A. Internet-based treatment for PTSD reduces distress and facilitates the development of a strong therapeutic alliance: A randomized controlled clinical trial. BMC Psychiatry 2007, 7.
62. Knaevelsrud C., Maercker A. Long-term effects of an internet-based treatment for posttraumatic stress. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy 2010, 39(1):72-77.
63. Knaevelsrud C., Brand J., Lange A., Ruwaard J., Wagner B. Web-based psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in war-traumatized Arab patients: Randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2015, 17(3).
64. Kuhn E., Greene C., Hoffman J., Nguyen T., Wald L., Schmidt J., Ruzek J. Preliminary evaluation of PTSD coach, a smartphone app for post-traumatic stress symptoms. Military Medicine 2014, 179(1):12-18.
65. Lange A., Rietdijk D., Hudcovicova M., van de Ven J.P., Schrieken B., Emmelkamp P.M. Interapy: A controlled randomized trial of the standardized treatment of posttraumatic stress through the internet. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2003, 71(5):901-909.
66. Lange A., Schrieken B., van de Ven J.-P., Bredeweg B., Emmelkamp P.M.G., van der Kolk J., Reuvers A. "Interapy": The effects of a short protocolled treatment of posttraumatic stress and pathological grief through the internet. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy 2000, 28(02):175-192.
67. Lange A., van de Ven J.P., Schrieken B., Emmelkamp P.M. Interapy, treatment of posttraumatic stress through the internet: A controlled trial. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry 2001, 32(2):73-90.
68. Laska K.M., Gurman A.S., Wampold B.E. Expanding the lens of evidence-based practice in psychotherapy: A common factors perspective. Psychotherapy 2014, 51(4):467.
69. Lipsey M.W., Wilson D.B. Practical meta-analysis 2001, Vol. 49. Sage publications Thousand Oaks, CA.
70. Litz B.T., Engel C.C., Bryant R.A., Papa A. A randomized, controlled proof-of-concept trial of an internet-based, therapist-assisted self-management treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder. The American Journal of Psychiatry 2007, 164(11):1676-1683. 10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.06122057.
71. Macea D.D., Gajos K., Calil Y.A.D., Fregni F. The efficacy of web-based cognitive behavioral interventions for chronic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Journal of Pain 2010, 11(10):917-929.
72. McLay R., Ram V., Murphy J., Spira J., Wood D.P., Wiederhold M.D., Reeves D. Effect of virtual reality PTSD treatment on mood and neurocognitive outcomes. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking 2014, 17(7):439-446.
73. Motraghi T.E., Seim R.W., Meyer E.C., Morissette S.B. Virtual reality exposure therapy for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A methodological review using CONSORT guidelines. Journal of Clinical Psychology 2014, 70(3):197-208.
74. Post-traumatic stress disorder: The management of PTSD in adults and children in primary and secondary care 2005, National Collaborating Center for Mental Health, Gaskell.
75. Niemeyer H., Musch J., Pietrowsky R. Publication bias in meta-analyses of the efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions for depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2013, 81(1):58.
76. Owen J., Klapow J., Roth D., Shuster J., Bellis J., Meredith R., Tucker D. Randomized pilot of a self-guided internet coping group for women with early-stage breast cancer. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 2005, 30(1):54-64. 10.1207/s15324796abm3001_7.
77. Pennebaker J.W. Writing about emotional experiences as a therapeutic process. Psychological Science 1997, 8(3):162-166.
78. Phelps A., Wade D., Creamer M., Bryant R.A., McFarlane A., Silove D., Mills K. Trauma at the hands of another: Distinguishing PTSD patterns following intimate and nonintimate interpersonal and noninterpersonal trauma in a nationally representative sample. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry 2014, 75(2):147-153.
79. Possemato K., Ouimette P., Geller P.A. Internet-based expressive writing for kidney transplant recipients: Effects on posttraumatic stress and quality of life. Traumatology 2010, 16(1):49-54.
80. Powers M.B., Halpern J.M., Ferenschak M.P., Gillihan S.J., Foa E.B. A meta-analytic review of prolonged exposure for posttraumatic stress disorder. Clinical Psychology Review 2010, 30(6):635-641. 10.1016/j.cpr.2010.04.007.
81. Rayburn N.R., Wenzel S.L., Elliott M.N., Hambarsoomians K., Marshall G.N., Tucker J.S. Trauma, depression, coping, and mental health service seeking among impoverished women. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 2005, 73(4):667.
82. Reger G.M., Hoffman J., Riggs D., Rothbaum B.O., Ruzek J., Holloway K.M., Kuhn E. The "PE coach" smartphone application: An innovative approach to improving implementation, fidelity, and homework adherence during prolonged exposure. Psychological Services 2013, 10(3):342.
83. Reger M.A., Gahm G.A. A meta-analysis of the effects of internet-and computer-based cognitive-behavioral treatments for anxiety. Journal of Clinical Psychology 2009, 65(1):53-75.
84. Richards D., Richardson T. Computer-based psychological treatments for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review 2012, 32(4):329-342.
85. Roberts A.L., Gilman S.E., Breslau J., Breslau N., Koenen K.C. Race/ethnic differences in exposure to traumatic events, development of post-traumatic stress disorder, and treatment-seeking for post-traumatic stress disorder in the United States. Psychological Medicine 2011, 41(01):71-83. 10.1017/S0033291710000401.
86. Ruwaard J., Lange A., Schrieken B., Emmelkamp P. Efficacy and effectiveness of online CBT: A decade of interapy research. Studies in Health Technology and Informatics 2011, 16:9-14.
87. Sloan D.M., Gallagher M.W., Feinstein B.A., Lee D.J., Pruneau G.M. Efficacy of telehealth treatments for posttraumatic stress-related symptoms: A meta-analysis. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy 2011, 40(2):111-125. 10.1080/16506073.2010.550058.
88. So M., Yamaguchi S., Hashimoto S., Sado M., Furukawa T.A., McCrone P. Is computerised CBT really helpful for adult depression?-A meta-analytic re-evaluation of CCBT for adult depression in terms of clinical implementation and methodological validity. BMC Psychiatry 2013, 13(1):113.
89. Spek V., Cuijpers P., Nyklícek I., Riper H., Keyzer J., Pop V. Internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for symptoms of depression and anxiety: A meta-analysis. Psychological Medicine 2007, 37(03):319-328.
90. Spence J., Titov N., Dear B.F., Johnston L., Solley K., Lorian C., Schwenke G. Randomized controlled trial of internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder. Depression and Anxiety 2011, 28(7):541-550. 10.1002/da.20835.
91. Spence J., Titov N., Johnston L., Jones M.P., Dear B.F., Solley K. Internet-based trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy for PTSD with and without exposure components: A randomised controlled trial. Journal of Affective Disorders 2014, 162:73-80. 10.1016/j.jad.2014.03.009.
92. Spoont M.R., Murdoch M., Hodges J., Nugent S. Treatment receipt by veterans after a PTSD diagnosis in PTSD, mental health, or general medical clinics. Psychiatric Services 2010, 61(1):58-63.
93. Steinmetz S.E., Benight C.C., Bishop S.L., James L.E. My disaster recovery: A pilot randomized controlled trial of an internet intervention. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping 2012, 25(5):593-600.
94. Sterne J.A., Becker B.J., Egger M. The funnel plot. Publication bias in meta-analysis: Prevention, assessment and adjustments 2005, 75-98.
95. Sterne J.A., Gavaghan D., Egger M. Publication and related bias in meta-analysis: Power of statistical tests and prevalence in the literature. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology 2000, 53(11):1119-1129.
96. Stockton H., Joseph S., Hunt N. Expressive writing and posttraumatic growth: An internet-based study. Traumatology: An International Journal 2014, 20(2):75-83. 10.1037/h0099377.
97. Terhakopian A., Sinaii N., Engel C.C., Schnurr P.P., Hoge C.W. Estimating population prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder: An example using the PTSD Checklist. Journal of Traumatic Stress 2008, 21(3):290-300.
98. Terrin N., Schmid C.H., Lau J., Olkin I. Adjusting for publication bias in the presence of heterogeneity. Statistics in Medicine 2003, 22(13):2113-2126.
99. Trusz S.G., Wagner A.W., Russo J., Love J., Zatzick D.F. Assessing barriers to care and readiness for cognitive behavioral therapy in early acute care PTSD interventions. Psychiatry 2011, 74(3):207-223.
100. Tulbure B.T. The efficacy of internet-supported intervention for social anxiety disorder: A brief meta-analytic review. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 2011, 30:552-557.
101. Wagner B., Maercker A. A 1.5-year follow-up of an internet-based intervention for complicated grief. Journal of Traumatic Stress 2007, 20(4):625-629.
102. Wagner B., Knaevelsrud C., Maercker A. Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy for complicated grief: A randomized controlled trial. Death Studies 2006, 30(5):429-453.
103. Wang Z., Wang J., Maercker A. Chinese my trauma recovery, a web-based intervention for traumatized persons in two parallel samples: Randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2013, 15(9):e213.
104. Webb T., Joseph J., Yardley L., Michie S. Using the internet to promote health behavior change: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of theoretical basis, use of behavior change techniques, and mode of delivery on efficacy. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2010, 12(1):e4.
105. Weiss D.S., Marmar C.R. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised 1997.
106. Winzelberg A.J., Classen C., Alpers G.W., Roberts H., Koopman C., Adams R.E., Taylor C.B. Evaluation of an internet support group for women with primary breast cancer. Cancer 2003, 97(5):1164-1173. 10.1002/cncr.11174.