Computerised cognitive-behavioural therapy for depression: systematic review.

BACKGROUND Computerised cognitive-behavioural therapy (CCBT) is used for treating depression and provides a potentially useful alternative to therapist cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). AIMS To systematically review the evidence for the effectiveness of CCBT for the treatment of mild to moderate depression. METHOD Electronic databases were searched to identify randomised controlled trials. Selected studies were quality assessed and data extracted by two reviewers. RESULTS Four studies of three computer software packages met the inclusion criteria. Comparators were treatment as usual, using a depression education website and an attention placebo. CONCLUSIONS There is some evidence to support the effectiveness of CCBT for the treatment of depression. However, all studies were associated with considerable drop-out rates and little evidence was presented regarding participants' preferences and the acceptability of the therapy. More research is needed to determine the place of CCBT in the potential range of treatment options offered to individuals with depression.

[1]  B. Everitt,et al.  Clinical efficacy of computerised cognitive-behavioural therapy for anxiety and depression in primary care: Randomised controlled trial , 2004, British Journal of Psychiatry.

[2]  J Chilcott,et al.  A systematic review and economic evaluation of computerised cognitive behaviour therapy for depression and anxiety. , 2002, Health technology assessment.

[3]  F. Lynch,et al.  Overcoming Depression on the Internet (ODIN): A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Internet Depression Skills Intervention Program , 2002, Journal of medical Internet research.

[4]  P Sutcliffe,et al.  Health technology assessment. , 1986, Israel journal of medical sciences.

[5]  Chris Kelleher,et al.  Overcoming Depression on the Internet (ODIN) (2): A Randomized Trial of a Self-Help Depression Skills Program With Reminders , 2005, Journal of medical Internet research.

[6]  B. Everitt,et al.  Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Schizophrenia: Effect Sizes, Clinical Models, and Methodological Rigor , 2007, Schizophrenia bulletin.

[7]  K. Lovell,et al.  Access and effectiveness in psychological therapies: self-help as a routine health technology. , 2003, Health & social care in the community.

[8]  K R Abrams,et al.  Systematic review and evaluation of methods of assessing urinary incontinence. , 2006, Health technology assessment.

[9]  S. Hampson,et al.  The measurement of satisfaction with healthcare: implications for practice from a systematic review of the literature. , 2002, Health technology assessment.

[10]  L. Radloff.  The CES-D Scale , 1977 .

[11]  Nice.  Depression: management of depression in primary and secondary care , 2005 .

[12]  G. Andrews,et al.  Interpreting scores on the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) , 2001, Australian and New Zealand journal of public health.

[13]  G. Lewis,et al.  Assessing psychiatric disorder with a human interviewer or a computer. , 1994, Journal of epidemiology and community health.

[14]  C. Ray.  Chronic fatigue syndrome and depression: conceptual and methodological ambiguities , 1991, Psychological Medicine.

[15]  Eva Kaltenthaler,et al.  COMPUTERIZED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW , 2004, Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy.

[16]  E. Kaltenthaler,et al.  The acceptability to patients of computerized cognitive behaviour therapy for depression: a systematic review , 2008, Psychological Medicine.

[17]  H. Christensen,et al.  Delivering interventions for depression by using the internet: randomised controlled trial , 2004, BMJ : British Medical Journal.

[18]  J. Coyne,et al.  One size fits some: the impact of patient treatment attitudes on the cost-effectiveness of a depression primary-care intervention , 2004, Psychological Medicine.