Internet CBT for Depression and Anxiety in Chronic Illnesses

Recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Heather Hadjistavropoulos, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Regina

Disqualifiers: Severe psychiatric, Immediate surgery, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 8 weeks

260 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to test an online therapy program called the Chronic Conditions Course, designed to assist people with chronic illnesses who also experience depression and anxiety. The internet-based course includes support from a trained therapist to personalize care. The focus is on identifying factors that might predict therapy outcomes, such as initial symptom severity and adherence to the program. Eligible participants should live in Saskatchewan, have a chronic illness affecting mental health, and have internet access. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding and improving mental health support for those with chronic conditions.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It might be best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that this Internet-delivered CBT is safe for chronic health conditions?

Research has shown that online cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) for long-term health issues is generally safe. In a recent study, the Chronic Conditions Course led to small but meaningful improvements in depression and anxiety, indicating it is well-tolerated. Participants reported positive experiences during and after the treatment, which suggests its safety. Few reports of negative side effects suggest it is a low-risk option for managing depression and anxiety in individuals with chronic illnesses. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike typical treatments for depression and anxiety, which often involve in-person therapy sessions or medication, the Internet-delivered CBT for Chronic Conditions Course (CCC) is unique because it provides cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) online. This approach is particularly beneficial for individuals with chronic illnesses, as the treatment can be accessed from home, making it more convenient and accessible. Additionally, the course includes personalized support from a trained therapist through secure messaging, offering a tailored experience without the need for physical appointments. Researchers are excited about this method as it combines the flexibility of digital therapy with the effectiveness of traditional CBT, potentially broadening access to mental health care for those with chronic conditions.

What evidence suggests that Internet-delivered CBT is effective for depression and anxiety in chronic illnesses?

Studies have shown that online cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) can effectively reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. For individuals with long-term illnesses, ICBT has proven especially helpful. In this trial, participants will receive the Chronic Health Conditions Course, which includes therapist-guided ICBT. Research indicates that therapist guidance in the ICBT process leads to significant improvements in mental health. This guided approach proves more effective than self-directed therapy, particularly for chronic conditions like pain, cancer, and arthritis. Overall, ICBT helps individuals manage their mental health better while dealing with ongoing physical health issues. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Heather Hadjistavropoulos, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Regina

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals with chronic health conditions who also experience depression or anxiety. Participants should be interested in receiving therapist-guided Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) to manage their symptoms.

Inclusion Criteria

I have a chronic physical illness that affects my mental health.

Saskatchewan resident (as funding is provided by Sask government)

Access to a computer and the Internet

Exclusion Criteria

I do not have any severe mental health issues or urgent medical conditions that would prevent me from participating.

Taking part in another treatment in our clinic

Living outside of Saskatchewan

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive the Wellbeing for Chronic Health Conditions Course, consisting of 5 ICBT lessons released gradually over 8 weeks with weekly therapist support via secure messaging.

8 weeks

Weekly virtual support

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in depression, anxiety, and other outcomes at 20 weeks post-enrollment.

12 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Internet-delivered CBT - Chronic Conditions Course (CCC)

Trial Overview The study tests the effectiveness of a Chronic Conditions Course (CCC), an online program designed to help people with various chronic illnesses cope better by using cognitive behavior therapy techniques, guided by therapists.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Chronic Health Conditions Course_Therapist Guided ICBT Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

All clients eligible for ICBT who report having a chronic health condition will receive the Wellbeing for Chronic Health Conditions Course. The course consists of 5 ICBT lessons released gradually over 8 weeks. Clients will also receive weekly support via secure messaging from a trained therapist for the duration of the course.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Regina

Lead Sponsor

Trials

59

Recruited

9,100+

Macquarie University, Australia

Collaborator

Trials

27

Recruited

27,100+

Government of Saskatchewan, Ministry of Health

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

60+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9362581/

Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic ... Numerous meta-analyses have reported that guided ICBT results in larger clinical improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety than self- ...

2. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41746-023-00809-8

Internet-based and mobile-based cognitive behavioral ... IM-CBT shows stronger benefits in chronic pain, cancer, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease, relative to other conditions. Changes in ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272735824001399

Do the effects of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral ... The i-CBTs had small to large effects in reducing anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Long-term efficacy was weaker for insomnia, stronger for ER and QOL and ...

4. link.springer.com link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10865-018-9984-x

Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic ... This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (ICBT) on anxiety and depression

5. jmir.org jmir.org/2025/1/e47927/

Implementing Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral ... Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) for depression and anxiety has been developed to help increase access to evidence-based ...

6. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782921001214

Exploration of client experiences during and after treatment The current study was designed to explore how clients (N = 82) experienced ICBT that had been tailored to meet their needs.

7. journals.plos.org journals.plos.org/digitalhealth/article?id=10.1371/journal.pdig.0000194

Effectiveness of internet delivered cognitive behaviour therapy ... This study examines the outcome of a subset of patients in the depressed phase of bipolar disorder (BDd), who enrolled in treatment in a free transdiagnostic ...

8. cda-amc.ca cda-amc.ca/sites/default/files/ou-tr/icbt-for-mdd-and-anxiety-evidence-highlights.pdf

Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Major ... iCBT may offer a viable service option for people with mild-to-moderate major depression and/or anxiety disorders who have limited access to face-to-face.