Therapist-Assisted, Internet-Based Treatment for Panic Disorder: Can General Practitioners Achieve Comparable Patient Outcomes to Psychologists?
2008; JMIR Publications; Volume: 10; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.2196/jmir.1033
ISSN1439-4456
AutoresKerrie Shandley, David Austin, Britt Klein, Ciaran Pier, Peter Schattner, David Pierce, Victoria Wade,
Tópico(s)Impact of Technology on Adolescents
ResumoBackgroundMental illness is an escalating concern worldwide.The management of disorders such as anxiety and depression largely falls to family doctors or general practitioners (GPs).However, GPs are often too time constrained and may lack the necessary training to adequately manage the needs of such patients.Evidence-based Internet interventions represent a potentially valuable resource to reduce the burden of care and the cost of managing mental health disorders within primary care settings and, at the same time, improve patient outcomes. ObjectiveThe present study sought to extend the efficacy of a therapist-assisted Internet treatment program for panic disorder, Panic Online, by determining whether comparable outcomes could be achieved and maintained when Panic Online was supported by either GPs or psychologists. MethodsVia a natural groups design, 96 people with a primary diagnosis of panic disorder (with or without agoraphobia) completed the Panic Online program over 12 weeks with the therapeutic assistance of their GP (n = 53), who had received specialist training in cognitive behavioral therapy, or a clinical psychologist (n = 43).Participants completed a clinical diagnostic telephone interview, conducted by a psychologist, and a set of online questionnaires to assess panic-related symptoms at three time periods (pretreatment, posttreatment, and 6 month follow-up). Results
Referência(s)