title: 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.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.|b Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Psychiatry Section , Karolinska Institutet , Stoclholm , Sweden.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: a Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning , Linköping University , Linköping , Sweden.
authors.forename: Naira
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Topooco
authors.affiliation: c Department of Clinical Psychology , University of Bergen , Bergen , Norway.|d Anxiety Disorders Research Network , Haukeland University Hospital , Bergen , Norway.
authors.forename: Odd
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Havik
authors.affiliation: c Department of Clinical Psychology , University of Bergen , Bergen , Norway.|d Anxiety Disorders Research Network , Haukeland University Hospital , Bergen , Norway.
authors.forename: Tine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nordgreen
mesh_terms: D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003863:Depression / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet
keywords: Cognitive behavior therapy; Internet delivery; depression; face-to-face treatment; mood disorders