Internet-delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Chronic Conditions: Comparing Low Intensity Delivery Models
- Conditions
- AnxietyDepressionChronic Disease
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Team-Guided ICBTBehavioral: Self-Guided ICBT
- Registration Number
- NCT03500237
- Lead Sponsor
- University of Regina
- Brief Summary
Chronic health conditions (e.g., heart disease, cancer, diabetes) represent any physical condition that persist for 3 months or more that requires ongoing management. Chronic health conditions are very common, and increase in prevalence with age. Internet-delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (ICBT) is a promising approach for overcoming these barriers, and improving access to mental health care. In ICBT, clients receive content from traditional face-to-face CBT over the Internet, while receiving support and assistance from a guide through secure e-mail. The Chronic Conditions Course is an 8-week, 5 lesson ICBT program that consists of education and relapse prevention as well as cognitive, behavioural, and physical strategies for managing chronic conditions. This intervention has traditionally been delivered either with no support or with weekly brief (15 minute) individual therapist guidance via email and phone. However, in order to provide a faster response to clients using an on the demand (responding as quickly as possible and for sure within one business day team based approach (e.g., first available therapist responds) may be beneficial.
The proposed trial will examine the Chronic Conditions Course delivered by a team at the Online Therapy Unit based at the University of Regina versus a self-directed program. In the team based approach, participants will be able to contact the Online Therapy Unit if they have any questions regarding the content of the Chronic Conditions Course during the 8 week program. Participants in this group will receive a response from one of the members of the team within one business day. In the self-directed group, clients will receive automatic messages from the Online Therapy Unit that encourage participation during the 8 week program but otherwise will work on the course on their own. All participants will complete questionnaires prior to the start of the program, before each lesson of the program, once they have completed the program, and 3 months after completing the program. The primary outcome measures include anxiety and depression. Secondary outcomes include fatigue, pain, self-efficacy, disability, overall quality of life, and life satisfaction.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 188
- 18 years of age or older
- residing in Canada
- endorsing symptoms of anxiety or depression
- diagnosed with a chronic medical health condition
- chronic condition does not impact ability to complete treatment (ex. cognitive impairment)
- able to access a computer and internet service
- willing to provide a physician as emergency contact
- high suicide risk
- suicide attempt or hospitalization in the last year
- primary problems with psychosis, alcohol or drug problems, mania
- currently receiving active psychological treatment for anxiety or depression
- not present in country during treatment
- concerns about online therapy
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Team-Guided ICBT Team-Guided ICBT An 8-week transdiagnostic internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) for persons with chronic conditions course will be delivered to participants. In addition to the online program, a guide from the Online Therapy Unit team will provide support within one business day of the client's email. The team of guides consist of registered social workers, psychologists or supervised graduate students, with experience delivering ICBT. Amount of contact will be personalized to participants' needs. Self-Guided ICBT Self-Guided ICBT An 8-week transdiagnostic internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) for persons with chronic conditions course will be delivered to participants. Participants are able to contact the Online Therapy Unit regarding any technical issues with logging onto the site. However, no psychological intervention will be provided. A team member from the Unit will contact the participant only if there is a significant clinical issue requiring attention (e.g., sudden increase in symptoms).
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in anxiety baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months Measured by Generalize Anxiety Disorder - 7 Item (GAD7)
Change in depression baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months Measured by Patient Health Questionnaire - 9 Item (PHQ-9)
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Treatment credibility baseline Measured by Treatment Credibility Questionnaire (TCQ) which contains 4 items. The first three items range from 0-9 with higher scores indicating better outcome, and the fourth item ranges from 0-100%, with higher scores indicating greater improvement in functioning.
Change in life satisfaction baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months Measured by Satisfaction with Life Scale (SwLS), items are added together to get a score ranging from 5-35; Higher scores are indicative of greater life satisfaction
Change in self-efficacy baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months Measured by Self-Efficacy for Managing Chronic Disease 6-item Scale
Change in psychological distress baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months Measured by Kessler 10-Item Scale
Change in treatment costs baseline, 3 months Measured by Treatment Inventory of Costs in Psychiatric Patients (TIC-P) Adapted for Canada
Treatment satisfaction 8 weeks Measured by Internet-CBT Treatment Satisfaction Measure
Change in pain baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months Measured by Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form
Change in disability baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months Measured by World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule - 12 Item
Change in quality of life symptoms baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months Measured by 5-level EuroQol-5D version (EQ-5D-5L), items are added for a score ranging from 5-25 with total score indicating: 5-14 Mild problem, 15-24 Moderate, 25 Worst Health State
Change in fatigue baseline, 8 weeks, 3 months Measured by Fatigue Symptom Inventory
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Online Therapy Unit, University of Regina
🇨🇦Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada