Cited by 387Digital Mental Health InterventionsTelemedicine and Telehealth ImplementationAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes

Therapist-delivered internet psychotherapy for depression in primary care: a randomised controlled trial

Kessler, David, Lewis, Glyn, Kaur, Surinder, Wiles, Nicola, King, Michael, Weich, Scott, Sharp, Debbie J, Araya, Ricardo +2 more·2009·The Lancet

Abstract

Background Despite strong evidence for its effectiveness, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) remains difficult to access. Computerised programs have been developed to improve accessibility, but whether these interventions are responsive to individual needs is unknown. We investigated the effectiveness of CBT delivered online in real time by a therapist for patients with depression in primary care.Methods In this multicentre, randomised controlled trial, 297 individuals with a score of 14 or more on the Beck depression inventory (BDI) and a confirmed diagnosis of depression were recruited from 55 general practices in Bristol, London, and Warwickshire, UK. Participants were randomly assigned, by a computer-generated code, to online CBT in addition to usual care (intervention; n=149) or to usual care from their general practitioner while on an 8-month waiting list for online CBT (control; n=148). Participants, researchers involved in recruitment, and therapists were masked in advance to allocation. The primary outcome was recovery from depression (BDI score <10) at 4 months. Analysis was by intention to treat. This trial is registered, number ISRCTN 45444578.Findings 113 participants in the intervention group and 97 in the control group completed 4-month follow-up. 43 (38%) patients recovered from depression (BDI score <10) in the intervention group versus 23 (24%) in the control group at 4 months (odds ratio 2.39, 95% CI 1.23-4.67; p=0.011), and 46 (42%) versus 26 (26%) at 8 months (2.07, 1.11-3.87; p=0.023).Interpretation CBT seems to be effective when delivered online in real time by a therapist, with benefits maintained over 8 months. This method of delivery could broaden access to CBT.Funding BUPA Foundation.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/s0140-6736(09)61257-5

Cites

23 of 23 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Authors
Kessler, D., Lewis, G., Kaur, S., Wiles, N., King, M., Weich, S., Sharp, D. J., Araya, R., Hollinghurst, S., & Peters, T. J.
Affiliations
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (GB)
  • University of Bristol (GB)
  • The Royal Free Hospital (GB)
  • University of Warwick (GB)
Corresponding author
Kessler, David
Venue
The Lancet
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2009-08
Volume
374
Issue
9690
Pages
628-634
ISSN
  • 0099-5355 (ISSN-L)
  • 0140-6736
OpenAlex
W2130951278
Cited by
387
References
22
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 29 · 2016: 33 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 41 · 2013: 35 · 2012: 27
FWCI
28.25
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • The Lancet (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
  • Explore Bristol Research (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (CL-2007-25-001)
  • Bupa Foundation
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
Keywords
online therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, depression, primary care, access to mental health care, recovery from depression
MeSH terms
Adult, Antidepressive Agents, Depressive Disorder, England, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Health Services Accessibility, Humans, Male, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Severity of Illness Index, Therapy, Computer-Assisted, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Effect Modifier, Epidemiologic, Linear Models, Logistic Models, Treatment Outcome, Internet, International Classification of Diseases

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review