Worry-specific versus self-tailored internet-based treatments for generalized anxiety disorder, with scheduled support or support on demand: A pilot factorial design trial
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Studies suggest that internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) can be effective when treating generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This pilot factorial design study examined the effects of two types of ICBT (worry-specific and self-tailored treatment), and two support types (scheduled weekly support and support on demand), on measures of worry, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Participants (N = 85) were randomized into four treatment groups. Post-treatment measures were completed by 76.5% after eight weeks (n = 65). Intention to treat analysis showed significant improvements, with moderate to large within-group effects on the primary outcome measure, Penn State Worry Questionnaire (Cohen's d = 0.77–1.43). Minor to large effects on the secondary measures were found in all groups (Cohen's d = 0.13–1.66). No significant differences in outcome measures were found between the groups. Receiving scheduled support and self-tailored treatment was rated as more positive than receiving support on demand and the worry-specific program. A limitation is the low number of participants. The pilot results suggest that GAD can be treated with both worry-specific and self-tailored treatments, and that ICBT can be supported both with scheduled and support on demand.
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Guidance-on-demand appears to be as effective as weekly scheduled guidance but with significantly less input (e.g., Dahlin et al., 2022).
“Such guidance-on-demand appears to be as effective as weekly scheduled guidance but with significantly less input (e.g., Dahlin et al., 2022)”
From Coming of age: A reflection of the first 21 years of cognitive behaviour therapy for perfectionism (2023) · cites this paper as Dahlin et al., 2022
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- Authors
- Dahlin, M., Johansson, A., Romare, H., Carlbring, P., & Andersson, G.
- Affiliations
- Linköping University (SE)
- Stockholm University (SE)
- Corresponding author
- Andersson, Gerhard
- Venue
- Internet Interventions
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2022-04
- Volume
- 28
- Pages
- 100531
- ISSN
- 2214-7829 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC8971948
- OpenAlex
- W4220659070
- Cited by
- 15
- References
- 60
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 5
- FWCI
- 2.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Internet Interventions (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DiVA (Linkoping University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
- Keywords
- generalized anxiety disorder, internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy, Penn State Worry Questionnaire, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, treatment acceptability
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