Randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention

Background Depression and anxiety are major causes of absence from work and underperformance in the workplace. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be effective in treating such problems and online versions offer many practical advantages. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Phillips, R., Schneider, Justine M., Molosankwe, I., Leese, M., Foroushani, P. Sarrami, Grime, P., McCrone, P., Morriss, Richard K., Thornicroft, G.
Format: Article
Published: Cambridge University Press 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2404/
_version_ 1848790776742412288
author Phillips, R.
Schneider, Justine M.
Molosankwe, I.
Leese, M.
Foroushani, P. Sarrami
Grime, P.
McCrone, P.
Morriss, Richard K.
Thornicroft, G.
author_facet Phillips, R.
Schneider, Justine M.
Molosankwe, I.
Leese, M.
Foroushani, P. Sarrami
Grime, P.
McCrone, P.
Morriss, Richard K.
Thornicroft, G.
author_sort Phillips, R.
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Background Depression and anxiety are major causes of absence from work and underperformance in the workplace. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be effective in treating such problems and online versions offer many practical advantages. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a computerized CBT intervention (MoodGYM) in a workplace context. Method The study was a phase III two-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial whose main outcome was total score on the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS). Depression, anxiety, psychological functioning, costs and acceptability of the online process were also measured. Most data were collected online for 637 participants at baseline, 359 at 6 weeks marking the end of the intervention and 251 participants at 12 weeks post-baseline. Results In both experimental and control groups depression scores improved over 6 weeks but attrition was high. There was no evidence for a difference in the average treatment effect of MoodGYM on the WSAS, nor for a difference in any of the secondary outcomes. Conclusions This study found no evidence that MoodGYM was superior to informational websites in terms of psychological outcomes or service use, although improvement to subthreshold levels of depression was seen in nearly half the patients in both groups.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T18:18:00Z
format Article
id nottingham-2404
institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T18:18:00Z
publishDate 2013
publisher Cambridge University Press
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling nottingham-24042020-05-04T16:37:12Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2404/ Randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention Phillips, R. Schneider, Justine M. Molosankwe, I. Leese, M. Foroushani, P. Sarrami Grime, P. McCrone, P. Morriss, Richard K. Thornicroft, G. Background Depression and anxiety are major causes of absence from work and underperformance in the workplace. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be effective in treating such problems and online versions offer many practical advantages. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of a computerized CBT intervention (MoodGYM) in a workplace context. Method The study was a phase III two-arm, parallel randomized controlled trial whose main outcome was total score on the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS). Depression, anxiety, psychological functioning, costs and acceptability of the online process were also measured. Most data were collected online for 637 participants at baseline, 359 at 6 weeks marking the end of the intervention and 251 participants at 12 weeks post-baseline. Results In both experimental and control groups depression scores improved over 6 weeks but attrition was high. There was no evidence for a difference in the average treatment effect of MoodGYM on the WSAS, nor for a difference in any of the secondary outcomes. Conclusions This study found no evidence that MoodGYM was superior to informational websites in terms of psychological outcomes or service use, although improvement to subthreshold levels of depression was seen in nearly half the patients in both groups. Cambridge University Press 2013-06-24 Article PeerReviewed Phillips, R., Schneider, Justine M., Molosankwe, I., Leese, M., Foroushani, P. Sarrami, Grime, P., McCrone, P., Morriss, Richard K. and Thornicroft, G. (2013) Randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention. Psychological Medicine, 44 (4). pp. 741-752. ISSN 1469-8978 CBT Depression Stress Workplace https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/psychological-medicine/article/randomized-controlled-trial-of-computerized-cognitive-behavioural-therapy-for-depressive-symptoms-effectiveness-and-costs-of-a-workplace-intervention/B40432B39D6664F6E417D04500027D98 doi:10.1017/S0033291713001323 doi:10.1017/S0033291713001323
spellingShingle CBT
Depression
Stress
Workplace
Phillips, R.
Schneider, Justine M.
Molosankwe, I.
Leese, M.
Foroushani, P. Sarrami
Grime, P.
McCrone, P.
Morriss, Richard K.
Thornicroft, G.
Randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention
title Randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention
title_full Randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention
title_fullStr Randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention
title_full_unstemmed Randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention
title_short Randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention
title_sort randomized controlled trial of computerized cognitive behavioural therapy for depressive symptoms: effectiveness and costs of a workplace intervention
topic CBT
Depression
Stress
Workplace
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2404/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2404/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2404/