Internet-supported versus face-to-face cognitive behavior therapy for depression

Abstract

Major depression and depressive symptoms are highly prevalent and there is a need for different forms of psychological treatments that can be delivered from a distance at a low cost. In the present review the authors contrast face-to-face and Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) for depression. A total of five studies are reviewed in which guided ICBT was directly compared against face-to-face CBT. Meta-analytic summary statistics were calculated for the five studies involving a total of 429 participants. The average effect size difference was Hedge’s g = 0.12 (95% CI: −0.06–0.30) in the direction of favoring guided ICBT. The small difference in effect has no implication for clinical practice. The overall empirical status of clinician-guided ICBT for depression is commented on and future challenges are highlighted. Among these are developing treatments for patients with more severe and long-standing depression and for children, adolescents and the elderly. Also, there is a need to investigate mechanisms of change.

KEYWORDS:

• Cognitive behavior therapy
• depression
• face-to-face treatment
• Internet delivery
• mood disorders

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This paper was sponsored in part by the Swedish research council, Linköping University (Professor contract) and the E-COMPARED project (EC funded). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.