A systematic review of internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for alcohol misuse 

Internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (ICBT) has the potential to reduce the harms of alcohol misuse, particularly for individuals who are unable or unwilling to access face-to-face therapy. A review aimed to provide an overview of characteristics, programme content and outcomes among published studies on ICBT for alcohol misuse.
A systematic review was conducted of research databases for all relevant articles published from 1980 to January 2019. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included if (i) an ICBT intervention targeting alcohol misuse was delivered; (ii) participants were aged 18 years or older; and (iii) primary outcomes were quantity of drinking.
A qualitative analysis was conducted on the content of the ICBT programs. Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. Most studies included participants from the general population, while
studies conducted within clinic settings with diagnosed individuals were rare. The programmes were similar in terms of included modules (categories most commonly included were alcohol information, preparing for change, skills training, wellbeing). Small effects were seen in studies on self-guided ICBT, while therapist-guided ICBT rendered small to large effects.
The review indicates that ICBT has a significant effect in reducing alcohol consumption. Larger studies evaluating ICBT compared to active control groups especially within clinic settings are warranted, the authors comment.
Source: A systematic review of internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for alcohol misuse: study characteristics, program content and outcomes. Hadjistavropoulos HD, Mehta S, Wilhelms A, Keough MT, Sundström C. Cogn Behav Ther. 2019 Oct 10:1-20. Open access.