Guided and Unguided Internet Treatment for Problematic Alcohol Use

Karolinska Institute

Status: Completed

Conditions: Alcohol Abuse; Alcohol Addiction

Treatments: Behavioral: Messages; Behavioral: Self help; Behavioral: Choice

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02384304

2012/1761-31/5

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a 10-week internet-based program based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is effective in the treatment of alcohol problems, and if having therapist guidance leads to greater effects.

Full description

Objectives: An 10 week Internet-based self-help program based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was tested among Internet help seekers.The design was a three-armed randomized controlled design, and outcomes were measured in terms of changes in problematic alcohol use, as well as depression, anxiety and quality of life. 80 participants were recruited entirely online from an open access website and randomized into three different groups. All participants had access to the same self-help program. However, one group was given a choice between two forms of therapist guidance (messages or weekly chat sessions), one group received therapist guidance in the form of secure messages, and one group received no therapist guidance.

Enrollment: 80 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• ≥ 18 years
• access to the Internet
• problematic alcohol use defined as ≥ 8 p or more for men and ≥ 6 p or more for women in the Alcohol Use Identification Scale

Exclusion criteria

• not adequately fluent in Swedish

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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80 participants in 3 patient groups

Choice

Experimental group

Description:

A self help program consisting of 8 modules. Patients will have access to therapist support through either messages or chat sessions

Treatment:

Behavioral: Choice

Messages

Experimental group

Description:

A self help program consisting of 8 modules. Patients will have access to therapist support through messages

Treatment:

Behavioral: Messages

Self help

Active Comparator group

Description:

A relapse intervention program consisting of 8 modules. Patients will have no access to therapist support

Treatment:

Behavioral: Self help