The DOI matches its Crossref record.
Is Group More Cost Effective than Individual Cognitive Behaviour Therapy? The Evidence is not Solid Yet
Abstract
This paper critically evaluates the empirical evidence of 36 studies regarding the comparative cost-effectiveness of group and individual cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) as a whole, and also for specific mental disorders (e.g. depression, anxiety, substance abuse) or populations (e.g. children). Methods of calculating costs, as well as methods of comparing treatment outcomes were appraised and criticized. Overall, the evidence that group CBT is more cost-effective than individual CBT is mixed, with group CBT appearing to be more cost effective in treating depression and children, but less cost effective in treating drugs and alcohol dependence, anxiety and social phobias. In addition, methodological weaknesses in the studies assessed are noted. There is a need to improve cost calculation methodology, as well as more solid and a greater number of empirical cost-effectiveness studies before a firm conclusion can be reached that group CBT is more cost effective then individual CBT.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
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?
In the citing paper
“and offers the potential for cost savings (Morrison, 2001;Tucker & Oei, 2007).”
From Better living with illness: A transdiagnostic acceptance and commitment therapy group intervention for chronic physical illness (2016) · cites this paper as Tucker & Oei, 2007
In the citing paper
“In depression care, group therapy has been shown to be more economic than individual therapy [23].”
In the citing paper
“Possible advantages of group compared to individual face-to-face therapy, may include more time in therapy at less cost, as well as the experience of learning from the struggles and progress of others and the social support offered by group treatment [12,13].”
From A randomised controlled feasibility trial of Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for people with severe asthma (2017) · cites this paper as [12]
Citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 101–154 of 154
Paredes-Mealla, M., Martínez‐Borba, V., Miragall, M., García‐Palacios, A., Baños, R. M., & Suso‐Ribera, C. (2022) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-022-03884-4 · Cited by 4
Open Versus Closed Group Treatment of Men with a History of Sexual Offenses
Stevenson, E., Thomas, S. D. M., & Daffern, M. (2022) · Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1177/10790632221139175 · Cited by 4
“…serve to challenge an individual within a supportive environment and are structured around the importance of shared experiences with others (Tucker & Oei, 2006; Ware et al., 2015), the consistent membership of the closed programmay also be important for creating a safe and supportive…”
BackgroundPsychotherapeutische Behandlung von depressiven Kindern und Jugendlichen
Straub, J., Nicolaus, L., Plener, P. L., Spröber, N., & Kölch, M. G. (2013) · Psychotherapeut · doi:10.1007/s00278-013-1026-0 · Cited by 4
Ooi, C. S. (2013) · Figshare · Cited by 4
Saraf, P., Rahman, T., Gallardo, M., Jamison, J., & Lor, C. (2018) · World Bank, Washington, DC eBooks · doi:10.1596/1813-9450-8489 · Cited by 5
Kökdağ, C., & Sütcü, S. T. (2016) · Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry · doi:10.18863/pgy.37237 · Cited by 3
Moore, R., Gillanders, D. T., & Stuart, S. (2022) · Psychiatry International · doi:10.3390/psychiatryint3040024 · Cited by 3
Yunus, W. M. A. W. M., Musiat, P., & Brown, J. S. L. (2020) · Behavioral Sciences · doi:10.3390/bs10120193 · Cited by 5
“In a review of 36 studies related to cost effectiveness in the treatment of mental disorders, group CBT was superior when compared to individual CBT [46].”
ResultEffektivität und Evidenz von Gruppenpsychotherapie bei depressiven Störungen
Jank, R., & Pieh, C. (2016) · Psychotherapie Forum · doi:10.1007/s00729-015-0059-y · Cited by 3
Mastrocinque, C., de Wet, D. R., & Fagiolini, A. M. (2013) · Rivista di psichiatria · doi:10.1708/1292.14292 · Cited by 3
“Gli interventi di gruppo offrono potenzialmente dei van-taggi rispetto alle psicoterapie individuali, quali un mi-glior rapporto costo-efficacia e un maggior accesso alle terapie psicologiche (17,18).”
Fatigue Management in Patients with Sarcoidosis Using Group CBT
Hubackova, L., Žůrková, M., & Zapletalová, J. (2020) · Cognitive Remediation Journal · doi:10.5507/crj.2020.004 · Cited by 2
“(28) According to a meta-analysis by Price et al.”
MethodA Pilot Study of Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Depression in a Japanese Community
Asano, K., Isoda, H., Inoue, T., Sato, K., Asanuma, A., Oshima, F., Nakazato, M., Nakagawa, A., & Shimizu, E. (2015) · Journal of Advances in Medicine and Medical Research · doi:10.9734/bjmmr/2015/19447 · Cited by 2
“Therapists can treat a greater number of people and reducing patient wait times [8].”
Holas, P., & Suszek, H. (2016) · International Journal of Group Psychotherapy · doi:10.1080/00207284.2016.1156405 · Cited by 2
“422 In the last two decades, a gradual shift has been observed towards the application of group CBT (GCBT) because it is cost- and timeeffective (Tucker & Oei, 2007), yet it gives similar outcome results to individual CBT (e.g. Oei & Dingle, 2008).”
ResultFawcett, D. (2012) · ScholarsArchive (Brigham Young University) · Cited by 2
Edwards, E. A. (2015) · CSUSB ScholarWorks (California State University, San Bernardino) · Cited by 2
Effectiveness of CBGT Compared to Individual CBT
Söchting, I. (2014) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781118510261.ch3 · Cited by 2
Cecil Pak Shun, W. O. N. G., Fong, D., Kitty Siu Shan, C. H. A. N., Yeung, J. T. K., Ngan, A. H. Y., Lam, Y. Y. L., Leung, H. H. Y., & Wang, M. P. (2025) · PSYCHOLOGIA · doi:10.2117/psysoc.2023-a271 · Cited by 1
Solberg, H., Idsøe, T., & Keles, S. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1461887 · Cited by 3
Folkers, K., Bos, E. H., & Appelo, M. (2009) · Directieve therapie · doi:10.1007/bf03087868 · Cited by 1
Yoga Plus Talk Therapy for Depression: A Case Study of a Six Week Group
Foulkrod, K. H., Griesemer, S. R., Banneyer, K. N., & Caemmerer, J. M. (2017) · DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) · Cited by 1
Practice and problems in using class-wide cognitive behavioral therapy for children
Koseki, S. (2017) · Journal of Health Psychology Research · doi:10.11560/jhpr.160816048 · Cited by 1
“…Dissemination of Psychological Procedures （1995）によって，認知行動 療法が児童の抑うつ症状に対する有効な唯一の心理療 法であると示された。これらのことを通して，児童を 対象とした認知行動療法の研究は大きく進展したとい える。実際に，これまで実践されてきた，学級集団を 対象とした認知行動療法に関する研究について検索を 行うと，Table 1に示したとおり，2000年以降に発展 してきたことがわかる。またこの表からは，日本にお いて実践が非常に活発に行われており，個人を対象と した認知行動療法の実践と，発展の割合は同等である…”
Inpatient group psychotherapy for addiction patients in times of COVID-19
Mondon, M. A., Pons-Cabrera, M. T., Navarro-Cortés, L., & Gimenez, P. (2021) · Adicciones · doi:10.20882/adicciones.1702 · Cited by 1
Theory and Interventions in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression
Beltrán-Gabrie, A., Lira, D., Quezada-Scholz, V. E., & Arriaza, T. (2021) · Depression and personality · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-77329-8_6 · Cited by 1
Development and preliminary validation of the Group Cognitive Therapy Scale
Nakashima, M., Matsunaga, M., Otani, M., Kuga, H., & Fujisawa, D. (2023) · Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences Reports · doi:10.1002/pcn5.128 · Cited by 3
Wilson, V. E., Somers, K., & Peper, E. (2023) · Biofeedback · doi:10.5298/608570 · Cited by 2
Malloy, J. (2014) · ScholarsArchive (Brigham Young University) · Cited by 1
Women’s Experience of GCBT for PPD
Væver, M. S. (2015) · clinics in Mother and Child Health · doi:10.4172/2090-7214.1000183 · Cited by 1
“Considerable time and commitment is required from CBT participants and approximately 10% to 40% fail to complete full treatment [35].”
BackgroundKusec, A., Murphy, F. C., Peers, P. V., Bennett, R., Carmona, E., Korbacz, A., Lawrence, C., Cameron, E., Bateman, A., Watson, P., et al. (2023) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/m6twj · Cited by 1
Telephone-delivered group CBT for anxiety: Experiences of group members
Coughtrey, A. E. (2013) · UCL Discovery (University College London)
Non-adherence to group therapy in a community drug and alcohol outpatient unit: a thematic analysis
Monahan, B. J. (2010) · Tuwhera (Auckland University of Technology)
Árangur hugrænnar atferlismeðferðar við ofþyngd og offitu
Hannesdóttir, E. H., & Steinþórsdóttir, K. H. (2013)
Individuele behandeling of groepsbehandeling: is er verschil?
Liber, J. M., Utens, L., van der Leeden, A. J. M., & Treffers, P. D. A. (2009) · Kind en adolescent · doi:10.1007/bf03087950
松永, 美., 鈴木, 伸., 岡本, 泰., Yoshimura, S., 国里, 愛., 神人, 蘭., 吉野, 敦., 西山, 佳., & 山脇, 成. (2012) · 行動療法研究 · doi:10.24468/jjbt.38.3_181 · Cited by 1
agoraphobia: an effectiveness study
Mastrocinque, C., de Wet, D. R., & Fagiolini, A. M. (2015)
Jónsdottir, I., Ingibergsdóttir, S., & Hauksson, P. (2009) · Hirsla (Landspítali University Hospital)
Treatment of depression and anxiety in Parkinson’s Disease
Troeung, L. (2013) · eSpace (Curtin University)
Martinovich, T. (2012) · ResearchSpace (University of Auckland)
Fear of emotion: Association with anxiety and depressive disorders and response to treatment
Campbell, B. N. C. (2017) · Murdoch University Research Portal
Introduction to This Book and the Take Control Course
Morris, L., McEvoy, P., Wallwork, T., Bates, R., Comiskey, J., & Mansell, W. (2018) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-813989-9.00001-4
Halliday, S. (2018) · Adelaide Research & Scholarship (AR&S) (University of Adelaide)
An Overview of Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Science and Practice
Nowakowski, M. E., & Bieling, P. (2021) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-818697-8.00205-3
Nakashima, M., Matsunaga, M., Otani, M., Kuga, H., & Fujisawa, D. (2022) · medRxiv · doi:10.1101/2022.06.07.22276085
A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Treatments for Depression in Rural and Remote Residents
Bentley, A., Hogan, L., Howard, J., Singh, R., Watt, L., Hall, A. E., & Tzelepis, F. (2025) · Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy · doi:10.1002/cpp.70058
Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
Davies, J., Salkovskis, P., Laidlaw, K., & Beck, J. S. (2025) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781009090940.029
心理士による集団認知行動療法がうつ病患者のうつ症状の改善に及ぼす効果 : 対照比較研究( 日本における心理士によるうつ病に対する認知行動療法のエビデンス)
大輔, 伊., 兼子, 唯., 巣山, 晴., 金谷, 順., 田上, 明., 小関, 俊., 貝谷, 久., 熊野, 宏., & 鈴木, 伸. (2012) · 行動療法研究 · doi:10.24468/jjbt.38.3_169
Kusec, A., Murphy, F. C., Peers, P. V., Bennett, R., Carmona-Cejudo, E., Korbacz, A., Lawrence, C., Cameron, E., Bateman, A., Watson, P., et al. (2024) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.24580440
Schwarzkopf, L., Dorscht, L., Kraus, L., & Luttenberger, K. (2021) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.16879987
Kusec, A., Murphy, F. C., Peers, P. V., Bennett, R., Carmona-Cejudo, E., Korbacz, A., Lawrence, C., Cameron, E., Bateman, A., Watson, P., et al. (2023) · Figshare · doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.24580314
Group Vs Individual Grief-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Older Adults
Komischke-Konnerup, K. B., Boelen, P. A., Maccallum, F., & O’Connor, M. (2026) · JAMA Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2025.4106
Ziemińska, I., & Strzałek, J. (2026) · Psychiatria i Psychologia Kliniczna · doi:10.15557/pipk.2025.0033
Culturally Adapted CFT Group Psychotherapy: A US Perspective
Griner, D., Erekson, D. M., Hansen, K. S. W., Beecher, M. E., & Caldwell, H. W. (2026) · Advances in mental health and addiction · doi:10.1007/978-3-032-12438-8_8
Roth, A., Richardson, R., Morgan, S. S. J., Kanaan, A.-M., Johns, A., & Kohlhoff, J. R. (2026) · Child & Family Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1080/07317107.2026.2708634
Gruppenpsychotherapie mit Psychedelika
Kunz, L., Kärtner, L., & Aicher, H. (2026) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-3-437-21293-2.00007-1
Metadata
- Authors
- Tucker, M., & Oei, T. P. S.
- Affiliations
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Venue
- Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2007-01
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 77-91
- ISSN
- 1352-4658 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-1833
- OpenAlex
- W1899727040
- Cited by
- 154
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 13.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy (publishedVersion)
- QUT Business School
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Economics, Econometrics and Finance › Economics and Econometrics › Health Systems, Economic Evaluations, Quality of Life
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
- Keywords
- group cognitive behavioral therapy, cost-effectiveness, depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, alcoholism, drug addiction, social anxiety disorder, children, cost calculation methods, treatment outcome comparison
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
