Acceptability of internet‐delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for adults with symptoms of obsessive‐compulsive disorder: A meta‐analysis
Shifra Waks, Karen Moses, Bethany M. Wootton- Clinical Psychology
- General Medicine
Abstract
Objectives
Obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental health disorder. Internet‐delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) is demonstrated to be effective for OCD; however little is known about the acceptability of the treatment. Therefore the aim of this study was to examine the acceptability of ICBT for adults with OCD symptoms using a meta‐analytic approach.
Method
Seventeen studies (N = 1661; Mage range = 28–41 years; 58%–93% female) were included in this analysis.
Results
The random effects pooled estimates indicated that 16.3% (95% CI: 9.8%–25.7%) of participants did not commence the treatment once they were enrolled in the study, 27.6% (95% CI: 19.0%–38.2%) did not complete the treatment, and 27.0% (95% CI: 18.2%–38.0%) did not complete the post‐treatment questionnaires of the study. The mean score on the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire ranged from 22.4 to 26.5. Overall, pooled estimates indicated that 81.6% (95% CI: 76.1%–86.0%) of participants were satisfied with the ICBT intervention and 84.7% (95% CI: 72.8%–92.0%) indicated that they would recommend the treatment to a friend. Some of the acceptability moderator analyses indicated that self‐guided ICBT interventions had lower levels of acceptability compared with clinician‐guided interventions. However, given low power, these results should be considered preliminary.
Conclusions
This study has important implications in the dissemination of ICBT for OCD.