The efficacy and effectiveness of online CBT

In 1997, researches at the University of Amsterdam developed one of the first psychotherapeutic applications of the World Wide Web. The implemented a standardized cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT) of post-traumatic stress symptoms in a website, and used this site to treat clients over the internet, without face-to-face contact. Over the years, the efficacy of this treatment was established in a series of controlled trials. In this dissertation, we explore the wider applicability of online CBT, in four randomized controlled trials and a practice study. In the controlled studies, we assess the efficacy of online CBT for work-related stress, mild to moderate depression, panic disorder and bulimia nervosa. In the fifth study, we examine the effectiveness of online CBT in routine clinical practice. The results suggest that online CBT provided a feasible alternative to existing treatment options for people who suffer from a variety of mental health disorders.