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Self-Help and Internet-Guided Interventions in Depression and Anxiety Disorders: A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Edith van‘t Hof ,
Pim Cuijpers  and
Dan J. Stein
Edith van‘t Hof
Affiliation:
Ms. van‘t Hof is a researcher in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the, University of Cape Town
Pim Cuijpers*
Affiliation:
Dr. Cuijpers is head of the Department of Clinical Psychology at VU, University in Amsterdam
Dan J. Stein
Affiliation:
Dr. Stein is professor in and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the, University of Cape Town, and is on faculty at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
*
Pim Cuijpers, PhD, Department of Clinical Psychology, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; E-mail: P.Cuijpers@psy.vu.nl
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Abstract

There is a growing database of research on self-help and Internet-guided interventions in the treatment of common mental disorders, and a number of meta-analyses have now been published. This article provides a systematic review of meta-analyses on the efficacy of self-help interventions, including Internet-guided therapy, for depression and anxiety disorders. Searches were conducted in PubMed, PsychINFO, EMBASE, and the Cochrane database for statistical meta-analyses of randomized, controlled trials of self-help or Internet-guided interventions for depression or anxiety disorders published in English. Reference lists were also used to find additional studies. Effect sizes were tabulated; 13 meta-analyses reported medium to large effect sizes for self-help interventions. Studies included in the meta-analyses differed in samples, type of self-help (eg, computer-aided, Internet-guided), control conditions, and study design. The meta-analyses indicate that self-help methods are effective in a range of different disorders, including depression and anxiety disorders. Most meta-analyses found relatively large effect sizes for self-help treatments, independent of the type of self-help, and comparable to effect sizes for face-to-face treatments. However, further research is needed to optimize the use of self-help methods.

Type
Research Article
Information
CNS Spectrums , Volume 14 , Issue S3 , 2009 , pp. 34 - 40
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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