TY - JOUR

T1 - A Transdiagnostic Internet-based Maintenance Treatment Enhances the Stability of Outcome after Inpatient Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

T2 - A Randomized Controlled Trial

AU - Ebert, David

AU - Tarnowski, Torsten

AU - Gollwitzer, Mario

AU - Sieland, Bernhard

AU - Berking, Matthias

PY - 2013/6/1

Y1 - 2013/6/1

N2 - Background: High relapse rates following acute treatment for common mental health disorders support the importance of developing maintenance phase interventions. Internet-based interventions have been effective for a broad range of mental disorders, but less is known about their potential to enhance long-term outcomes of traditional face-to-face therapy. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to evaluate a transdiagnostic Internet-based maintenance treatment (TIMT) with the purpose of fostering long-term effects of inpatient psychotherapy. Method: In this pragmatic randomized controlled trial, a sample of 400 inpatients with affective, neurotic, and/or behavioral disorders was assigned to either 12 weeks of TIMT + treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU-only following hospital discharge. TIMT consists of a self-management module, asynchronous patient-coach communication, online patient support group, and online-based monitoring of psychopathological symptoms. Self-ratings of psychopathological symptoms were conducted at the beginning of inpatient treatment (t1), at discharge from inpatient treatment/start of TIMT (t2), and at 3-month (t3) and 12-month follow-ups (t4). Results: The TIMT + TAU group was superior to the TAU-only group with regard to differences in change of general psychopathological symptom severity from discharge to 3-and 12-month follow-up. Moreover, participants of the TIMT + TAU group showed less frequent symptom deteriorations and were more often in remission/recovery than controls. Conclusion: TIMT effectively enhances long-term outcome of inpatient psychotherapy.

AB - Background: High relapse rates following acute treatment for common mental health disorders support the importance of developing maintenance phase interventions. Internet-based interventions have been effective for a broad range of mental disorders, but less is known about their potential to enhance long-term outcomes of traditional face-to-face therapy. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to evaluate a transdiagnostic Internet-based maintenance treatment (TIMT) with the purpose of fostering long-term effects of inpatient psychotherapy. Method: In this pragmatic randomized controlled trial, a sample of 400 inpatients with affective, neurotic, and/or behavioral disorders was assigned to either 12 weeks of TIMT + treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU-only following hospital discharge. TIMT consists of a self-management module, asynchronous patient-coach communication, online patient support group, and online-based monitoring of psychopathological symptoms. Self-ratings of psychopathological symptoms were conducted at the beginning of inpatient treatment (t1), at discharge from inpatient treatment/start of TIMT (t2), and at 3-month (t3) and 12-month follow-ups (t4). Results: The TIMT + TAU group was superior to the TAU-only group with regard to differences in change of general psychopathological symptom severity from discharge to 3-and 12-month follow-up. Moreover, participants of the TIMT + TAU group showed less frequent symptom deteriorations and were more often in remission/recovery than controls. Conclusion: TIMT effectively enhances long-term outcome of inpatient psychotherapy.

KW - Health sciences

KW - Continuation treatment

KW - Inpatient psychotherapy

KW - Internet therapy

KW - Internet-based guided self-help

KW - Maintenance treatment

KW - Pragmatic trial

KW - Relapse prevention

KW - Stepped care

KW - Transdiagnostic treatment

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp= 2-s2.0-84878358894&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1159/000345967

DO - 10.1159/000345967

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 23736751

VL - 82

SP - 246

EP - 256

JO - Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics

JF - Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics

SN - 1423-0348

IS - 4

ER -