Optimizing Duration of Therapist-guided Internet-delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy

NCT04228575 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 410

Last updated 2021-12-16

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Depression and anxiety are common and prevalent conditions that are frequently under treated. In an attempt to increase timely and accessible psychological treatment, Internet-delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (ICBT) has emerged. ICBT involves delivering therapeutic content to manage depression and or anxiety via structured online lessons. This is often combined with brief therapist guidance, for example once per week for 8 weeks via secure messaging or phone calls. Although outcomes of ICBT are very impressive, there is room for improvement in terms of completion rates and outcomes. Feedback from patients suggest that some patients would prefer longer term support or follow-up care.

In this two-factorial randomized controlled trial, the investigators aim to contribute to the literature by examining whether the efficacy of ICBT is improved by offering an extended period of support to clients (from 8 weeks to 12 weeks) and being offered a booster session at 16 weeks after treatment enrollment (yes vs no). Follow-up assessments will be conducted at 8, 16 and 26 weeks after treatment enrollment. Primary outcomes are reduced anxiety and depression. Secondary outcomes include reduced panic, social anxiety, trauma, quality of life, disability, work productivity, and healthcare use.

Conditions

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy

All clients will receive the Wellbeing Course developed at Macquarie University, Australia. The Wellbeing Course is a transdiagnostic Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour intervention targeting symptoms of depressive and anxiety disorders. It comprises 5 online lessons targeting: 1) symptom identification and the cognitive behavioural model; 2) thought monitoring and challenging; 3) de-arousal strategies and pleasant activity scheduling; 4) graduated exposure; and 5) relapse prevention. Materials are presented in a didactic (i.e., text-based with visual images) and case-enhanced learning format (i.e., educational stories demonstrate the application of skills) and include homework activities. Lessons are released gradually in a standardized order over 8 weeks. Phone calls will only be made if there is a significant clinical issue requiring therapist attention that cannot be addressed over email (e.g., sudden increase in symptoms). Therapists will spend \~15 mins. per week/per client.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

    collaborator OTHER_GOV
  • University of Regina

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Heather Hadjistavropoulos, PhD · University of Regina

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2020-01-01
Primary Completion
2021-06-01
Completion
2021-06-01

Countries

  • Canada

Study Locations

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Entities

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT04228575 on ClinicalTrials.gov