A Meta-Analysis on the Efficacy of Technology Mediated CBT for Anxious Children and Adolescents

Several meta-analyses indicate that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) via electronic/technological devices or applications (i.e., eCBT) is an effective alternative to standard therapist-delivered CBT for anxious adults. However, we know little about the efficacy of eCBT interventions for anxious ch...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of rational-emotive and cognitive-behavior therapy 2016-03, Vol.34 (1), p.31-50
Main Authors: Podina, Ioana R., Mogoase, Cristina, David, Daniel, Szentagotai, Aurora, Dobrean, Anca
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
Anxiety
Anxiety disorders
Behavior modification
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Child & adolescent psychiatry
Child development
Children
Children & youth
Clinical Psychology
Clinical trials
Cognition & reasoning
Cognitive ability
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive-behavioral factors
Community and Environmental Psychology
Education
Efficacy
Fear & phobias
Internet
Intervention
Mental depression
Meta-analysis
Moderation
Psychiatry
Psychology
Psychotherapy
Public Health
Systematic review
Technology
Teenagers
Therapists
Therapy
Virtual reality
Young adults
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Summary:Several meta-analyses indicate that cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) via electronic/technological devices or applications (i.e., eCBT) is an effective alternative to standard therapist-delivered CBT for anxious adults. However, we know little about the efficacy of eCBT interventions for anxious children and adolescents. The present meta-analysis set out to investigate the efficacy of eCBT in comparison to standard CBT or waitlist control for anxious children and adolescents. Eight randomized controlled studies (N = 404 participants) that targeted anxiety at post-intervention and follow-up were included in the analysis. The results indicated that eCBT was as effective as standard CBT (g = .295) and more effective than waitlist (g = 1.410) in reducing anxiety symptoms. Moderation analyses revealed that anxious children and adolescents benefited the most from eCBT in the minimal therapist involvement condition (g = 2.682) in contrast to the significant therapist involvement group (g = .326). Furthermore, older participants seemed to extract greater clinical benefits from eCBT in contrast to younger participants (slope = .514). Current eCBT interventions for anxious children and adolescents appear to be promising, but require further investigation.
ISSN:0894-9085
1573-6563
DOI:10.1007/s10942-015-0228-5