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Internet-based self-help with therapist guidance has shown promise as an effective treatment and may increase access to evidence-based psychological treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). Although unguided self-help has been suggested primarily as a population-based preventive intervention, some studies indicate that patients with SAD may profit from unguided self-help. Gaining knowledge about predictors of outcome in guided and unguided self-help for SAD is important to ensure that these interventions can be offered to those who are most likely to respond. Utilizing a sample of 245 patients who received either guided or unguided self-help for SAD, the present study examined pre-treatment symptoms and program factors as predictors of treatment adherence and outcome. The results were in line with previous findings from the face-to-face treatment literature: namely, the intensity of baseline SAD symptoms, but not depressive symptoms, predicted treatment outcomes in both unguided and guided self-help groups. Outcomes were unrelated to whether a participant has generalized versus specific SAD. Furthermore, for the unguided self-help group, higher credibility ratings of the treatment program were associated with increased treatment adherence. The findings suggest that guided and unguided self-help may increase access to SAD treatment in a population that is more heterogeneous than previously assumed.

Background Internet-delivered self-help programmes with added guidance have shown efficacy in social anxiety disorder, unguided self-help has been insufficiently studied. Aims To evaluate the efficacy of guided and unguided self-help social anxiety disorder. Method Participants followed a cognitive-behavioural self-help programme in the form of either pure bibliotherapy or an internet-based treatment with therapist guidance and online group discussions. A subsequent trial was conducted to evaluate treatment specificity. Participants (n=235) were randomised to one of three conditions in the first trial, or one of four conditions in the second. Results Pure bibliotherapy and the internet-based treatment were better than waiting list on measures of social anxiety, general anxiety, depression and quality of life. The internet-based therapy had the highest effect sizes, but directly comparable effects were noted for bibliotherapy augmented with online group discussions. Gains were well maintained a year later. Conclusions Unguided self-help through bibliotherapy can produce enduring improvement for individuals with social anxiety disorder.

Background: Although effective therapies for social phobia exist, many individuals refrain from seeking treatment owing to the embarrassment associated with help-seeking. Internet-based cognitive-behavioural self-help can be an alternative, but adherence is a problem. Aims: To evaluate a 9-week programme of internet-based therapy designed to increase treatment adherence by the addition of short weekly telephone calls, nine in all, with a total duration of 95 min. Method: In a randomised controlled trial the effects of internet-based cognitive-behavioural therapy in the treatment group (n=29) were compared with a waiting-list control group (n=28). Results: Compared with the control group the treated participants experienced greater reductions on measures of general and social anxiety, avoidance and depression. Adherence to treatment was high, with 93% finishing the complete treatment package. One year later all improvements were maintained. Conclusions: This study provides evidence to support the use of internet-based treatment supplemented by short, weekly telephone calls.

The present study investigated the efficacy of self-help based on cognitive behaviour therapy in combination with Internet support in the treatment of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. After confirming the diagnosis with an in-person interview, 73 patients were randomly allocated to treatment or a waiting list control group. Treated individuals showed marked improvement after 12 weeks of self-help compared to the control group on both primary and secondary outcome measures. Intent-to-treat analyses revealed that 37% (46% among completers) had no binge eating or purging at the end of the treatment and a considerable number of patients achieved clinically significant improvement on most of the other measures as well. The results were maintained at the 6-month follow-up, and provide evidence to support the continued use and development of self-help programmes.

The procedural validity of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview - short form (CIDI-SF) administered via an Internet web-page was examined and compared with an in-person interview (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders, rese