Therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy versus face-to-face CBT for depression/anxiety symptoms in infertile women with adjustment disorders: A randomized controlled trial

ABSTRACT

Objective: The present study compared the effectiveness of ICBT to face-to-face CBT on the improvement of adjustment disorder symptoms in infertile women. Method: In a pragmatic, multi-center (public or private), single-blinded, non-inferior randomized controlled trial (RCT), 152 patients with AD (100 women in public center and 52 women in private canter) were assigned to ICBT and CBT. Primary outcomes were Adjustment Disorder New Module-20 (ADNM-20) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS). Secondary outcomes were the Fertility Problem Inventory (FPI) and Fertility Adjustment Scale (FAS). Results: “Peaceful mind” ICBT was feasible and accessible for delivering the treatment to infertile women with AD. At end-of-treatment, improvements in ICBT were non-inferior to CBT for symptoms of AD, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, the non-inferiority of ICBT to CBT was maintained at a three-month follow-up. Conclusions: ICBT was non-inferior to CBT in improving mental symptoms in infertile women with AD.

Keywords:

• Infertility
• Adjustment disorders
• Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy
• Depression
• Anxiety

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to all patients who participated in the study, as well as the respected personnel of Fatemeh Al-Zahra Infertility Center and Mehregan Private Hospital for their cooperation in this project, and Dr. Mania Amiri, Sharareh Abedi, Zahra Tajali, Rabieian, and Faezeh Ghofrani, who helped us in sampling, as well as Dr. Mehboubeh Mirtabar, who contributed to the evaluation of outcomes.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplemental data

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2022.2158763.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The article was funded by Babol University of Medical Sciences (Grant No. 724132795).