Randomized trial examining extended support and booster lesson

Why was the study done?

The goal of this study was to understand if receiving extra help during ICBT treatment, through the use of extensions and boosters, benefits people with depression and anxiety. We wanted to know if these extra materials or time make a difference and if participants find them helpful.

What was done in the study?

Participants were assigned to 4 groups at random: some received regular online therapy while others also had access to an additional booster lesson, a 4-week extension for therapist support, or both. Scores of depression and anxiety were measured before and after the treatment and therapists were asked about their experiences with these extra sessions.

What did we find out?

The study found that participants’ moods generally improved after the ICBT course, whether they got the extra help or not. However, the extra help did not meaningfully reduce depression or anxiety more than the regular online therapy. Therapists spent more time with those who had extra help, but it was unclear how helpful these sessions were.

Where do we go from here?

Even though the extra help was not more beneficial than the regular ICBT course, we think more studies are needed. One possible direction is to see if certain people might benefit more from this extra help while others may not. Finding ways to make these sessions more helpful and easier for therapists to manage is also recommended.