Internet-based therapy with FearFighter for anxiety disorders: a randomised clinical trial

Abstract

Background: Internet-based cognitive behavioural self-help psychotherapy (ICBT) can be an important alternative or supplement to ordinary face-to-face therapy.

Aim: To assess effectiveness of ICBT for adults with an anxiety disorder.

Methods: Sixty-four participants were randomised to 9 weeks with the FearFighter ICBT program (n = 32) or no intervention (n = 32). Outcomes included complete remission, severity of symptoms and occurrence of adverse events.

Results: No difference (p = 1.00) in remission between groups following 10 weeks of intervention nor at 37 weeks follow-up was found. There was significant reduction in the severity of symptoms (p < 0.05) at end of intervention of ICBT compared to the control group, while the reduction in symptoms at 37 weeks follow-up was equal for the two groups. Two participants in the ICBT group and none in the control group reported adverse events.

Conclusion: We found no difference in remission, but a reduction of symptoms in the ICBT group compared with the control group at end of intervention. At six months follow-up the two groups showed the same level in the reduction of symptoms.

Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02499055. Registered 01 July 2015.

Keywords:

• Anxiety
• randomised clinical trial
• cognitive behavioural therapy
• internet-based psychotherapy

Acknowledgements

The authors thank TrygFonden for the funding.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare to have no interests in the study and no involvement or partnership with the software company behind FearFighter.

Authors contributions

MF, CG, JL, and ML conceived and designed the trial. MF drafted the manuscript. CG, PW and JL provided critical contribution and review of the manuscript. PW planned and performed the statistical analyses. LJ and JHD were principal investigators for recruitment and LJ for initial assessment. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

The project is financed by the non-profit foundation TrygFonden, Lyngby Hovedgade 4, 2.sal. DK-2800 Kongens Lyngby, Denmark [Grant journal no. 7-10-0642].