Feasibility of Self-Guided Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for University Students During COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to test the feasibility and efficacy of a self-guided online cognitive behaviour therapy (iCBT) for university students in Hong Kong during COVID-19. Method: One group pre-post-test design with convenient sampling was adopted in this study, involving 84 university students who received a newly developed iCBT within an 8 week intervention period. The iCBT offered eight online modules for students to learn the skills of CBT at home through an online platform which was accessible any time anywhere anonymously with technical support only. Standardized assessment tools were used for outcomes assessment at the pre- and post-intervention periods. Results: Three quarters of participants completed all iCBT modules. The results of paired t-tests showed that, after completing the iCBT, participants showed reduction in anxiety, depression, and perceived stress. Conclusion: This study provides preliminary evidences to support the feasibility and efficacy of the self-guided iCBT for university students during COVID-19.

The Effectiveness of Digital-Based Psychotherapy in Overcoming Psychological Problems in College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

“…From the 12 articles identified, two studies were conducted in Germany ( Bruhns et al, 2021 ; Harrer et al, 2021 ) Italy ( Celia et al, 2021 ; Cellia et al, 2021 ), and Finland ( Dumarkaite et al, 2021 ; Rackoff et al., 2022 ) as well as one study each from Lithuania ( De Fabritiis et al, 2022 ), Hong Kong ( Raevuori et al, 2021 ), Tunisia ( Young et al, 2022 ), Canada ( Lerardi et al, 2022 ), China ( Ritvo et al, 2021 ), and the United States ( Sun et al, 2021 ). All study results explore the effectiveness of various digital-based psychological interventions by focusing on psychological disorders in the form of stress, depression, and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…Digital psychotherapeutic interventions are provided in the form of E-modules that can be accessed through websites or smartphone applications (containing text, images, videos, and psychotherapy audios) as well as online meetings with psychotherapy experts through video conferencing sites/applications . Digital psychotherapy has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, worry, emotional fatigue, PTSD, and CPTSD, and can improve students’ resilience, emotional regulation competence , self-compassion, and self-esteem ( Bruhns et al, 2021 ; Celia et al, 2021 ; Dumarkaite et al, 2021 ; Harrer et al, 2021 ; Krifa et al, 2021 ; Lahtinen et al., 2021 ; Lerardi et al, 2022 ; Rackoff et al, 2020 ; Raevuori et al, 2021 ; Ritvo et al, 2021 ; Sun et al, 2021 ; Young et al, 2022 ). Therefore, the use of digital-based psychotherapy is worth considering with various evidence that the intervention is effective in overcoming psychological problems in students.…”

A therapist-guided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy program for Hong Kong university students with psychological distress: A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

“…Moreover, very few iCBT studies can be found for Chinese population. Preliminary evidence shows that iCBT is effective in reducing anxiety, depression, and perceived stress for Hong Kong university students ( Young et al, 2022 ). Thus, positive effects of iCBT would be expected for Chinese university students.…”

“…However, most iCBT programs were developed in non-Chinese languages, with a select few in Chinese, such as “TourHeart” ( Mak et al, 2017 ; Tsoi et al, 2022 ) and “The Little Prince is Depressed” ( Wong et al, 2012 ), but they mainly promote mental health, and provide psychoeducation resources and online assessment tools with few interactive components and minimal therapist support (coaching). Young et al (2022) recently developed an iCBT program for Hong Kong university students, but it is self-guided with technical support only. For Chinese clients, the design of web-based mental health service programs is suggested to be easy to navigate and understand, user-centered and therapist-guided for self-help, add life examples that resonate with local clients, and have more interactive features and less text ( Patel et al, 2017 ; Tsoi et al, 2022 ; Young et al, 2022 ).…”

“… Young et al (2022) recently developed an iCBT program for Hong Kong university students, but it is self-guided with technical support only. For Chinese clients, the design of web-based mental health service programs is suggested to be easy to navigate and understand, user-centered and therapist-guided for self-help, add life examples that resonate with local clients, and have more interactive features and less text ( Patel et al, 2017 ; Tsoi et al, 2022 ; Young et al, 2022 ). Therefore, this project developes a therapist-guided and video-based iCBT program that is linguistically and culturally appropriate for Chinese university students in Hong Kong and will evaluate its effectiveness in improving mental health outcomes, particularly in reducing psychological distress.…”