Lonesome no more? A two-year follow-up of internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for loneliness
The current study sought to investigate the long-term effects of an internet-administered programme based on CBT principles for which the initial efficacy has been reported in Käll, Jägholm, et al. (In press). Seventy-three participants who were recruited on the basis of experiencing frequent and pr...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Internet Interventions |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782919301265 |
| _version_ | 1830454751851970560 |
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| author | Anton Käll Ulrika Backlund Roz Shafran Gerhard Andersson |
| author_facet | Anton Käll Ulrika Backlund Roz Shafran Gerhard Andersson |
| author_sort | Anton Käll |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The current study sought to investigate the long-term effects of an internet-administered programme based on CBT principles for which the initial efficacy has been reported in Käll, Jägholm, et al. (In press). Seventy-three participants who were recruited on the basis of experiencing frequent and prolonged loneliness were contacted to complete questionnaires measuring loneliness, quality of life, and symptoms of psychopathology two years after the conclusion of the initial treatment period. Additional items regarding use of the treatment techniques and strategies contained in the programme during the follow-up period was included. In total, 44 participants provided data for the loneliness measure at follow-up. The outcome data were analyzed with a piecewise mixed effects model to provide estimates of change for the continuous measures. Linear multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between use of treatment techniques and reliable change on the primary outcome measure. The results showed decreases in loneliness during the follow-up period for the sample as a whole. Additionally, an increase in quality of life and a decrease in social anxiety were noted, but no significant changes of depressive symptoms or generalized anxiety. Effect sizes for the observed changes from baseline to follow-up were in the moderate to large range for all measures. Reported use of the treatment techniques was not significantly related to reliable change in loneliness after the two-year period. In conclusion, the results of the study support the utility of internet-based CBT targeting loneliness and indicate that the benefits from the intervention can be enduring. Keywords: Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy, Loneliness, CBT, Guided self-help |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T09:30:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f2a8282773b94970b6bc632d41083b96 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2214-7829 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T09:30:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Internet Interventions |
| spelling | doaj.art-f2a8282773b94970b6bc632d41083b962022-12-21T19:08:46ZengElsevierInternet Interventions2214-78292020-03-0119Lonesome no more? A two-year follow-up of internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for lonelinessAnton Käll0Ulrika Backlund1Roz Shafran2Gerhard Andersson3Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Corresponding author at: Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, SE-581 83 Linköping, Sweden.Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, SwedenUCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandDepartment of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, SwedenThe current study sought to investigate the long-term effects of an internet-administered programme based on CBT principles for which the initial efficacy has been reported in Käll, Jägholm, et al. (In press). Seventy-three participants who were recruited on the basis of experiencing frequent and prolonged loneliness were contacted to complete questionnaires measuring loneliness, quality of life, and symptoms of psychopathology two years after the conclusion of the initial treatment period. Additional items regarding use of the treatment techniques and strategies contained in the programme during the follow-up period was included. In total, 44 participants provided data for the loneliness measure at follow-up. The outcome data were analyzed with a piecewise mixed effects model to provide estimates of change for the continuous measures. Linear multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between use of treatment techniques and reliable change on the primary outcome measure. The results showed decreases in loneliness during the follow-up period for the sample as a whole. Additionally, an increase in quality of life and a decrease in social anxiety were noted, but no significant changes of depressive symptoms or generalized anxiety. Effect sizes for the observed changes from baseline to follow-up were in the moderate to large range for all measures. Reported use of the treatment techniques was not significantly related to reliable change in loneliness after the two-year period. In conclusion, the results of the study support the utility of internet-based CBT targeting loneliness and indicate that the benefits from the intervention can be enduring. Keywords: Internet-based cognitive behavior therapy, Loneliness, CBT, Guided self-helphttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782919301265 |
| spellingShingle | Anton Käll Ulrika Backlund Roz Shafran Gerhard Andersson Lonesome no more? A two-year follow-up of internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for loneliness Internet Interventions |
| title | Lonesome no more? A two-year follow-up of internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for loneliness |
| title_full | Lonesome no more? A two-year follow-up of internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for loneliness |
| title_fullStr | Lonesome no more? A two-year follow-up of internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for loneliness |
| title_full_unstemmed | Lonesome no more? A two-year follow-up of internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for loneliness |
| title_short | Lonesome no more? A two-year follow-up of internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy for loneliness |
| title_sort | lonesome no more a two year follow up of internet administered cognitive behavioral therapy for loneliness |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782919301265 |
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