Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for depression, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder: Effectiveness and predictors of response in a teaching clinic

Though therapist-guided Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) appears to be efficacious for depression, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, relatively little is known about real-world settings and predictors of treatment effects derived from cognitive-behavioral theory. We examined treatment effectiveness and predictors of improvement in a prospective cohort study where patients took part in 10 weeks … Read more

The efficacy of app‐supported smartphone interventions for mental health problems: a meta‐analysis

Today we published a new paper in World Psychiatry (impact factor = 34). Although impressive progress has been made toward developing empirically‐supported psychological treatments, the reality remains that a significant proportion of people with mental health problems do not receive these treatments. Finding ways to reduce this treatment gap is crucial. Since app‐supported smartphone interventions … Read more

1-session virtual reality exposure therapy for public speaking anxiety: Results from a randomized controlled trial

Public speaking anxiety (PSA) is a common condition which can be treated effectively with exposure therapy. However, inherent difficulties in stimuli presentation and control limits dissemination and the therapeutic potential. Virtual Reality (VR) technology has the potential to resolve these issues and provide a scalable platform for self-help interventions. No previous study has examined whether … Read more

Internet-based vs. face-to-face cognitive behavior therapy for psychiatric and somatic disorders: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

In 2014 we published a first study investigating the relative effects of Internet-based vs. face-to-face cognitive behavior therapy. The study was picked up by the Wall Street Journal During the last two decades, Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) has been tested in hundreds of randomized controlled trials, often with promising results. However, the control groups … Read more

Individually tailored internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for older adults with anxiety and depression

Mixed anxiety and depression is common among older adults (those 60 years and older). Internet-supported cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) has been tested for a range of conditions, and one approach is to tailor the treatment according to each client’s symptoms and preferences. The aim of the study was to compare the effects of an eight-week-long … Read more

Treating procrastination: Treatment delivered via the Internet VS. Group therapy

Procrastination is a common problem among university students, with at least half of the population reporting great difficulties initiating or completing tasks and assignments. Procrastination can have a negative impact on course grades and the ability to achieve a university degree, but can also lead to psychological distress. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is believed to … Read more

Behavioral Activation vs. Physical Activity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

In a new study that was accepted today we had randomized 286 participants with major depression into one of five conditions. 1) physical activity without a treatment rational, 2) physical activity with a treatment rational, 3) Lewinshon’s model of behavioral activation, 4) Martell’s model of behavioral activation, or 5) wait-list control. All groups (including the … Read more

Combining SSRI and cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are often used concomitantly to treat social anxiety disorder (SAD), but few studies have examined the effect of this combination. We conducted a study to evaluate if adding escitalopram to Internet-delivered CBT (ICBT) improves clinical outcome and alters brain reactivity and connectivity in SAD. It … Read more

History and Current Status of ICBT

A new book – Guided Internet-Based Treatments in Psychiatry – has just been published by Springer. It is a 12 chapter stong book. Together with  Gerhard Andersson and Nils Lindefors I have cowritten the first chapter entitled History and Current Status of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavior Therapy. We begin the chapter with a discussion of the history of Internet-based … Read more

Cognitive-behavioural therapy for concerned significant others of people with problem gambling

Today we published a study protocol for a randomised wait-list controlled trial in BMJ Open. The study is important since about 2.3% of the adult population in Sweden are considered to suffer from problem gambling. However, it is estimated that only 5% of those seek treatment. Problem gambling can have devastating effects on the economy, … Read more