Therapist-Guided Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs Internet-Delivered Supportive Therapy for Children and Adolescents With Social Anxiety Disorder

Source:

Nordh M, Wahlund T, Jolstedt M, et al. Therapist-Guided Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy vs Internet-Delivered Supportive Therapy for Children and Adolescents With Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online May 12, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.0469

Key Points

Question  Is internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) an efficacious and cost-effective treatment for youths with social anxiety disorder (SAD)?

Findings  In this randomized clinical trial of 103 children and adolescents with a principal diagnosis of SAD and their parents, a 10-week course of ICBT was efficacious and cost-effective compared with an active comparator.

Meaning  Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy has the potential to overcome common treatment barriers and increase the availability of evidence-based psychological treatments for young people with SAD; policy makers could consider ICBT with minimal therapist support a promising, low-intensity treatment for children and adolescents with SAD.