Initial effectiveness of an ICBT-protocol for GAD in psychiatric care – A feasibility-pilot study

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a common and debilitating anxiety disorder with a chronic course and a low rate of spontaneous remission. Previous internet-delivered treatments for GAD in clinical routine care has been shown to be effective but tend to use a mix of many different treatment com...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Vilgot Huhn, Erik Andersson, Tove Wahlund, Erik Forsell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Internet Interventions
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782925000181
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849706100346060800
author Vilgot Huhn
Erik Andersson
Tove Wahlund
Erik Forsell
author_facet Vilgot Huhn
Erik Andersson
Tove Wahlund
Erik Forsell
author_sort Vilgot Huhn
collection DOAJ
description Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a common and debilitating anxiety disorder with a chronic course and a low rate of spontaneous remission. Previous internet-delivered treatments for GAD in clinical routine care has been shown to be effective but tend to use a mix of many different treatment components, often based in several theoretical models. Another approach could be to instead develop more focused and theory driven treatments, potentially allowing the protocol to be shorter and less demanding for patients. In this pilot-feasibility-trial we implemented a treatment focusing on one target core construct (intolerance of uncertainty) at the internet psychiatry clinic in Stockholm. The treatment was administered to 22 individuals with GAD. We found a significant reduction in GAD symptoms of similar effect size to previous studies of CBT and ICBT for GAD in routine clinical care. Patients rated overall high levels of treatment satisfaction and treatment credibility. Only two patients dropped out from the treatment. Among the remaining patients a median of 7.5 out of 8 modules were completed. We conclude that the treatment protocol is preliminarily effective, acceptable to patients and clinicians, and feasible to implement in routine psychiatric care.
format Article
id doaj-art-4860a3f7907a496aa70dd70db9239099
institution DOAJ
issn 2214-7829
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Internet Interventions
spelling doaj-art-4860a3f7907a496aa70dd70db92390992025-08-20T03:16:18ZengElsevierInternet Interventions2214-78292025-06-014010081710.1016/j.invent.2025.100817Initial effectiveness of an ICBT-protocol for GAD in psychiatric care – A feasibility-pilot studyVilgot Huhn0Erik Andersson1Tove Wahlund2Erik Forsell3Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden; Corresponding author at: Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden; Division of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenDivision of Psychology, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenCentre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Stockholm Health Care Services, Region Stockholm, Stockholm, SwedenGeneralized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a common and debilitating anxiety disorder with a chronic course and a low rate of spontaneous remission. Previous internet-delivered treatments for GAD in clinical routine care has been shown to be effective but tend to use a mix of many different treatment components, often based in several theoretical models. Another approach could be to instead develop more focused and theory driven treatments, potentially allowing the protocol to be shorter and less demanding for patients. In this pilot-feasibility-trial we implemented a treatment focusing on one target core construct (intolerance of uncertainty) at the internet psychiatry clinic in Stockholm. The treatment was administered to 22 individuals with GAD. We found a significant reduction in GAD symptoms of similar effect size to previous studies of CBT and ICBT for GAD in routine clinical care. Patients rated overall high levels of treatment satisfaction and treatment credibility. Only two patients dropped out from the treatment. Among the remaining patients a median of 7.5 out of 8 modules were completed. We conclude that the treatment protocol is preliminarily effective, acceptable to patients and clinicians, and feasible to implement in routine psychiatric care.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782925000181Generalized anxiety disorderRoutine careICBTCBTIntolerance of uncertainty
spellingShingle Vilgot Huhn
Erik Andersson
Tove Wahlund
Erik Forsell
Initial effectiveness of an ICBT-protocol for GAD in psychiatric care – A feasibility-pilot study
Internet Interventions
Generalized anxiety disorder
Routine care
ICBT
CBT
Intolerance of uncertainty
title Initial effectiveness of an ICBT-protocol for GAD in psychiatric care – A feasibility-pilot study
title_full Initial effectiveness of an ICBT-protocol for GAD in psychiatric care – A feasibility-pilot study
title_fullStr Initial effectiveness of an ICBT-protocol for GAD in psychiatric care – A feasibility-pilot study
title_full_unstemmed Initial effectiveness of an ICBT-protocol for GAD in psychiatric care – A feasibility-pilot study
title_short Initial effectiveness of an ICBT-protocol for GAD in psychiatric care – A feasibility-pilot study
title_sort initial effectiveness of an icbt protocol for gad in psychiatric care a feasibility pilot study
topic Generalized anxiety disorder
Routine care
ICBT
CBT
Intolerance of uncertainty
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214782925000181
work_keys_str_mv AT vilgothuhn initialeffectivenessofanicbtprotocolforgadinpsychiatriccareafeasibilitypilotstudy
AT erikandersson initialeffectivenessofanicbtprotocolforgadinpsychiatriccareafeasibilitypilotstudy
AT tovewahlund initialeffectivenessofanicbtprotocolforgadinpsychiatriccareafeasibilitypilotstudy
AT erikforsell initialeffectivenessofanicbtprotocolforgadinpsychiatriccareafeasibilitypilotstudy