Comparing the Efficacy of Electronically Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (e-CBT) to Weekly Online Mental Health Check-Ins for Generalized Anxiety Disorder-A Randomized Controlled Trial: Comparaison de l'efficacité de la thérapie cognitivo-comportementale délivrée par voie électronique (e-TCC) aux contrôles hebdomadaires en ligne de santé mentale pour le trouble d'anxiété généralisée - un essai randomisé contrôlé.

Abstract

Background: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a prevalent anxiety disorder characterized by uncontrollable worry, trouble sleeping, muscle tension, and irritability. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is one of the first-line treatments that has demonstrated high efficacy in reducing symptoms of anxiety. Electronically delivered CBT (e-CBT) has been a promising adaptation of in-person treatment, showing comparable efficacy with increased accessibility and scalability. Finding further scalable interventions that can offer benefits to patients requiring less intensive interventions can allow for better resource allocation. Some studies have indicated that weekly check-ins can also lead to improvements in GAD symptoms. However, there is a lack of research exploring the potential benefits of online check-ins for patients with GAD.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of weekly online asynchronous check-ins on patients diagnosed with GAD and compare it with a group receiving e-CBT.

Methods: Participants (n e-CBT = 45; n check-in = 51) with GAD were randomized into either an e-CBT or a mental health check-in program for 12 weeks. Participants in the e-CBT program completed pre-designed modules and homework assignments through a secure online delivery platform where they received personalized feedback from a trained care provider. Participants in the mental health check-in condition had weekly asynchronous messaging communication with a care provider where they were asked structured questions with a different weekly theme to encourage conversation.

Results: Both treatments demonstrated statistically significant reductions in GAD-7-item questionnaire (GAD-7) scores over time, but when comparing the groups there was no significant difference between the treatments. The number of participants who dropped out and baseline scores on all questionnaires were comparable for both groups.

Conclusions: The findings support the effectiveness of e-CBT and mental health check-ins for the treatment of GAD.

Plain language summary title: Comparing the Effectiveness of Electronically Delivered Therapy (e-CBT) to Weekly Online Mental Health Check-ins for Generalized Anxiety Disorder-A Randomized Controlled Trial.