Cited by 34Digital Mental Health InterventionsAnxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

Technology‐delivered cognitive‐behavioral therapy for pediatric anxiety disorders: a meta‐analysis of remission, posttreatment anxiety, and functioning

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Cervin, Matti, Lundgren, Tobias·2022·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

Abstract

Background: The efficacy of technology‐delivered cognitive‐behavioral therapy (tCBT) for pediatric anxiety disorders (ADs) is uncertain as no meta‐analysis has examined outcomes in trials that used structured diagnostic assessments at pre‐ and posttreatment. Methods: We carried out a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of tCBT for pediatric ADs that included participants <18 years of age with a confirmed primary AD according to a structured diagnostic interview. Nine studies with 711 participants were included. Results: tCBT outperformed control conditions for remission for primary AD (37.9% vs. 10.2%; k = 9; OR = 4.73; p < .0001; I 2 = 0%; moderate certainty), remission for all ADs (19.5% vs. 5.3%; k = 8; OR = 3.32; p < .0001; I 2 = 0%; moderate certainty), clinician‐rated functioning ( k = 7; MD = −4.38; p < .001; I 2 = 56.9%; low certainty), and caregiver‐reported anxiety ( k = 7; SMD = 0.27; p = .02; I 2 = 41.4%; low certainty), but not for youth‐reported anxiety ( k = 9; SMD = 0.13; p = .12; I 2 = 0%; low certainty). More severe pretreatment anxiety, a lower proportion of completed sessions, no face‐to‐face sessions, media recruitment, and a larger proportion of females were associated with lower remission rates for primary AD. Conclusions: tCBT has a moderate effect on remission for pediatric ADs and clinician‐rated functioning, a small effect on caregiver‐reported anxiety, and no statistically significant effect on youth‐reported anxiety. The certainty of these estimates is low to moderate. Remission rates vary substantially across trials and several factors that may influence remission were identified. Future research should examine for whom tCBT is most appropriate and what care to offer the large proportion that does not remit. Future RCTs should consider contrasting tCBT with partial tCBT (e.g., including therapist‐led exposure) and/or face‐to‐face CBT.

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  • In a meta-analysis of 9 RCTs on iACT for pediatric anxiety disorders, the authors concluded that their confidence in the effect of iACT on functioning is low.

    “However, in a meta-analysis of 9 RCTs on iACT for pediatric anxiety disorders, of which 7 included CGAS as a measure of functioning, the authors concluded that their confidence in the effect of iACT on functioning is low [51].”

    From The Impact of Parental Support on Adherence to Therapist-Assisted Internet-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Primary Care for Adolescents With Anxiety: Naturalistic 12-Month Follow-Up Study (2025) · cites this paper as [51]

    The Abstract reports nine RCTs of technology-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (tCBT), and Study selection says seven used CGAS. The Discussion explicitly says confidence in the effect on functioning is low. The paper evaluates tCBT, however, not iACT as the citing sentence states. (LLM, conf=0.90)

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  • Cervin & Lundgren (2022) found that ICBT showed a moderate effect on remission of primary anxiety diagnosis and clinician-rated functioning.

    “ICBT showed a moderate effect on the remission of primary anxiety diagnosis and functioning as rated by clinicians.”

    From Effectiveness of and processes related to internet-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescents with anxiety disorders: a randomized controlled trial (2023) · cites this paper as Cervin & Lundgren, 2022

    The Discussion reports a moderate effect on remission of the primary anxiety disorder and clinician-rated functioning compared with controls. However, that result is for technology-delivered CBT, which the Introduction defines to include computer- and internet-based formats; the paper does not establish the same effect for internet-delivered CBT specifically. Page numbers are unavailable in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • A recent meta-analysis of ICBT for patients under 18 with pediatric anxiety found ICBT effective on remission of primary anxiety diagnosis and clinician-rated overall functioning, but not on self-reported anxiety symptoms.

    “Interestingly, this result is in line with a recent metaanalysis of ICBT for patients <18 years with pediatric anxiety, where ICBT showed effectiveness on remission of primary anxiety diagnosis and overall functioning as rated by clinicians, but not for anxiety-symptoms as assessed by self-report measures of participating youths (Cervin & Lundgren, 2022).”

    From Effectiveness of and processes related to internet-delivered acceptance and commitment therapy for adolescents with anxiety disorders: a randomized controlled trial (2023) · cites this paper as Cervin & Lundgren, 2022

    The Discussion (page unavailable) reports effects on remission of the primary anxiety disorder and clinician-rated functioning, but no statistically significant effect on youth-reported anxiety. The Introduction (page unavailable) defines the intervention more broadly as technology-delivered CBT, including computer- and Internet-based formats; the claim's description of the meta-analysis as specifically about ICBT is therefore too narrow. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Cervin & Lundgren (2022) found a small significant effect for parent/caregiver-reported anxiety but no significant effect on youth-rated anxiety.

    “Less evidence was found for rated anxiety symptoms, where a small significant effect was found for parent/caregiver-reported anxiety but no significant effect on anxiety was rated by the youths themselves (Cervin & Lundgren, 2022).”
  • Some meta-analyses have shown promising results for the efficacy of ICBT for children and adolescents.

    “Some meta-analyses have also shown promising results for the ICBT efficacy for children and adolescents (Cervin & Lundgren, 2022; Ebert et al., 2015; Vigerland et al., 2016).”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Silverman, W.K., & Albano, A.M. (1996). Anxiety disorders interview schedule for DSM-IV: Child version. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

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Authors
Cervin, M., & Lundgren, T.
Affiliations
  • Lund University (SE)
  • Region Stockholm (SE)
Corresponding author
Cervin, Matti
Venue
Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2021-07-07
Volume
63
Issue
1
Pages
7-18
ISSN
  • 0021-9630 (ISSN-L)
  • 1469-7610
OpenAlex
W3178210157
Cited by
34
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 6
FWCI
0.64
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Lund University Publications (Lund University) (submittedVersion)
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
childhood anxiety disorders, remission, functioning, treatment moderators
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Child, Female, Humans, Technology, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

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