Development of a New Approach to Guided Self-Help via the Internet: The Swedish Experience

ABSTRACT

This article describes the development and empirical status of guided Internet-delivered self-help. The treatment approach combines the benefits of bibliotherapy with book-length text materials and the support given online via web pages and e-mail. Interactive features such as online registrations, tests, and online discussion forums are also included. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) guided the research and clinical implementations of this approach, as it lends itself more easily to the self-help format compared with other presently available psychotherapy approaches. We include an overview of the research, current issues and research in service delivery, lessons learned through a program of research, and directions for future investigations.

KEYWORDS:

• Anxiety disorders
• behavioral medicine
• cognitive behavior therapy
• guided self-help
• internet
• mood disorders

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The preparation of this manuscript was sponsored in part from grants from the from the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish Cancer Foundation, Swedish Council for Working and Life Research, and the Hard of Hearing Research Fund.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gerhard Andersson

Gerhard Andersson, PhD, is professor, clinical psychologist, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Jan Bergström

Jan Bergström, MSc, is clinical psychologist, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Monica Buhrman

Monica Buhrman, MSc, is clinical psychologist, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.

Per Carlbring

Per Carlbring, PhD, is associate professor, clinical psychologist, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.

Fredrik Holländare

Fredrik Holländare, MSc, is clinical psychologist, Örebro University, örebro, Sweden.

Viktor Kaldo

Viktor Kaldo, MSc, is clinical psychologist, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.

Elisabeth Nilsson-Ihrfelt

Elisabeth Nilsson-Ihrfelt, MSc, is clinical psychologist, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.

Björn Paxling

Björn Paxling, MSc, is clinical psychologist, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.

Lars Ström

Lars Ström, MSc, is clinical psychologist, private practice, Livanda, Sweden.

Johan Waara

Johan Waara, MSc, is clinical psychologist, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.