Efficacy and utility of computer-assisted cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders

Abstract

Despite the efficacy of cognitive behavioural treatment for anxiety disorders, more than 70% of individuals with anxiety disorders go untreated every year. This is partially due to obstacles to treatment including limited access to mental health services for rural residents, the expense of treatment and the inconvenience of attending weekly therapy sessions. Computer-assisted therapy may be a means of providing cost-effective psychological services to individuals experiencing barriers to treatment. To date, computers have been applied to therapy for anxiety disorder using various formats including Internet treatment, virtual reality treatment, videoconferencing and more standard computer-assisted or computer-guided packages that are implemented on palmtop computers or desktop computers. The current paper reviews trials evaluating the efficacy of these technology-based treatments for anxiety disorders and discusses implications for future research.