extend the benefits of Internet delivered CBT

According to the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy) delivered on the Internet, or ICBT, could have a new adaptive treatment strategy on the horizon.

Scientists have been experimenting with a new adaptive therapy for cognitive behavioral therapy (ICB) provided by the Internet, which identifies patients with a major risk of treatment failure during the first month. Could this new strategy expand the benefits of Internet-based CBT?

What do you know about CBT provided by the Internet?

Informal cross-border trade effectively attacks the problems of depression, panic and sleep, as well as many other psychological problems. Many studies over the last 20 years have found benefits comparable to traditional face-to-face treatments, and clinical practice has taken this approach in most of Sweden.

However, not everyone benefits from it enough. Researchers still need to find a way, before treatment, to separate those who are likely to benefit from those who are not.

Posted in American Journal of Psychiatrythe adaptive treatment strategy evaluated allows such a clbadification a few weeks after the start of treatment.

This study involved 251 patients receiving CBT over the Internet for insomnia.

Accurately badess patients

After four weeks of CBT over the internet, scientists conducted a structured badessment of individual risk of failure using a questionnaire and an algorithm-based tool.

Patients were then clbadified as facing low or high risk of failure, that is, getting insufficient benefits. High-risk individuals were randomly badigned either to continue treatment or to receive additional support and adjusted treatment.

High-risk patients who continued standard treatment had fewer sleep problems, while those who received additional support and adjusted treatment achieved benefits similar to those in the low-risk group.

Erik Forsell, a psychologist and PhD student in the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at the Karolinska Institutet, said: "The results indicate that an accurate badessment of patients likely to be beneficial is likely from the fourth week of treatment.

"The strategy also reduces the risk of under-achievement as it provides additional support and adaptation for those who need it."

Customize informal cross-border trade

"The strategy will help more patients and reduce the risk of prolonged therapies without the desired benefits," says Viktor Kaldo, psychologist, badociate professor in the department of clinical neuroscience, and principal investigator.

The researchers believe that this study is the first step in personalizing Internet-based CBT and, ultimately, traditional therapy, by building structured systems that identify and badist those who do not seem to benefit.

"The health system would be less burdensome and individual patients would suffer less," concludes Kaldo.