Computer-based and online therapy for depression and anxiety in children and adolescents
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to provide an overview of computer-based and online therapies (e-therapy) to treat children and adolescents with depression and/or anxiety, and to outline programs that are evidence based or currently being researched. METHODS: We began by defining the topic and highlighting the issues at the forefront of the field. We identified computer and Internet-based interventions designed to prevent or treat depression or anxiety that were tested with children and young people <18 years of age (or inclusive of this age range together with emerging adults). We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We summarized available relevant systematic reviews. RESULTS: There is an increasing body of evidence that supports the use of computers and the Internet in the provision of interventions for depression and anxiety in children and adolescents. A number of programs have been shown to be effective in well-designed RCTs. Replication and long-term follow-up studies are needed to confirm results. CONCLUSIONS: There are now a range of effective computerized interventions for young people with depression and anxiety. This is likely to impact positively on attempts to make psychological therapies widely available to children and young people. We expect to see increased program sophistication and a proliferation of programs in the coming years. Research efforts, when developing programs, need to align with technological advances to maximize appeal. Implementation research is needed to determine the optimal modes of delivery and effectiveness of e-therapies in clinical practice. Given the large number of unproven program on the Internet, ensuring that there is clear information for patients about evidence for individual programs is likely to present a challenge.
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Although ICBT for anxiety in adolescents is still in an early phase, emerging research show promising results.
“Although ICBT for anxiety in adolescents is still in an early phase, emerging research show promising results.”
From Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy for adolescents with anxiety disorders: A feasibility study (2018) · cites this paper as Stasiak et al., 2016
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“For example, eTherapies have been demonstrated as being useful additions to adult mental health services, 38 services for children and young people 57 58 and also treatment provision delivered by social care workers.”
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“41 This scale contains nine questions on with 4-point Likert scale from ”not at all” (0) to ”nearly every day” (3).”
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“A more recent review of the literature has also found that cCBT is effective for preventing and treating anxiety and depression in young people (see Stasiak et al. 2016).”
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“7 An example of CCBT for the treatment of adolescent depression is Stressbusters, which has been developed in the UK.”
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“We are already aware that Web-based interventions with structured monitoring are effective for adolescents with depression [7,9].”
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“Internet-based programs that incorporate cognitive– behavioral techniques have received support in treating symptoms of anxiety in children as well (Stasiak et al., 2016).”
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“Several studies showed that these online programs were effective in reducing childhood anxiety (e.g., Khana & Kendall, 2010; Rapee et al., 2006; Stasiak et al., 2016; Wuthrich et al., 2012), and the BRAVE online program was also found to be as effective as the face-to-face program (Spence et al.,…”
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“Research to date has shown digital tools to be acceptable and effective treatments for the common mental health problems of anxiety and depression in youth [7, 8] as well as for other conditions such as ADHD [9].”
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“Our relatively short timescale poses other challenges for both the intervention and its evaluation, as well as its possible real-world implementation [58].”
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“There is also a necessity to create pathways of online support specifically built to target pre-adolescents and adolescents [62,63].”
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“More specifically, a systematic review of eTherapy concluded that web-based modalities are effective in treating depression in children and adolescents [10].”
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“Reviews of online interventions have found that computerised CBT interventions are effective in treating anxiety and depression (Ebert et al., 2015; Stasiak et al., 2016), and web-based CBT self-help is the most commonly evaluated modality with positive outcomes (Zhou et al., 2021).”
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“These programs, which are often based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and delivered via interactive websites and multimedia applications, have proven effective for reducing anxiety and depression among youth.(17) Youth-based TMH usability research is far less advanced than effectiveness research.”
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“There’s only 20 % of the patients with a social anxiety disorder receive help from professionals due to the patients will have to interact with the psychologist or therapist [28][29].”
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“Finally, schools may be able to offer computer-based ‘treatment’ programs for students already identified as depressed (Pennant et al., 2015; Stasiak et al., 2016).”
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“The results of this assessment will serve as the basis for interventions that offer individually tailored ageappropriate content, engagement strategies, and content load [12].”
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PEMANFAATAN AUDIOVISUAL DALAM PENANGANAN DEPRESI PADA REMAJA
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Playing anxiety and depression away
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Online Transdiagnostic Self-Help Interventions
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- Authors
- Stasiak, K., Fleming, T., Lucassen, M. F. G., Shepherd, M. J., Whittaker, R., & Merry, S. N.
- Affiliations
- University of Auckland (NZ)
- Corresponding author
- Merry, Sally N.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2016-04
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 235-245
- ISSN
- 1044-5463 (ISSN-L)
- 1557-8992
- OpenAlex
- W2103126528
- Cited by
- 87
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 3
- FWCI
- 8.63
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Open Research Online (The Open University) (acceptedVersion)
- 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 › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- computer-based therapy, online therapy, e-therapy, depression, anxiety, children, adolescents, online intervention, evidence-based programs, implementation research, access to psychotherapy, emerging adults
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Anxiety, Child, Child Health Services, Depression, Humans, Mental Health Services, Psychotherapy, Therapy, Computer-Assisted, Adolescent Health Services, Telemedicine
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