IF THE EVIDENCE IS SO GOOD – WHY DOESN'T ANYONE USE THEM? A NATIONAL SURVEY OF THE USE OF COMPUTERIZED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY

Abstract

Computerized Self-help (CSH) has recently been the subject of a NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) review. This increase in interest is also reflected in the increase in advertising for CSH programmes. We report a national survey of a random sample of 500 therapists accredited with the British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies, which is the lead organization for CBT in the UK. A total of 329 therapists responded (65.8%). A surprisingly small number of CBT therapists were using CSH (12 or 2.4%) and only 5 or 1% were using it as an alternative to patient-therapist contact. Despite this, over 90% of the responding therapists had not ruled out using CSH in the future, but the majority of these would use it to supplement rather than as an alternative to individual face-to-face therapy. The need to know more about computerized self-help and the need for training in therapy using this modality were seen as the main factors that would have to change to allow the therapists to use CSH. Knowledge of and ability to use computers did not appear to be an important factor as most therapists in this sample used computers on a regular basis. Most therapists were not aware of evidence of the effectiveness of CSH but the minority who did feel able to express views stated that CSH would be less effective than individual face-to-face therapy and result in less client satisfaction.