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Meta-Analysis
. 2019 Jun;22(2):147-171.
doi: 10.1007/s10567-018-0271-8.

Technology Delivered Interventions for Depression and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Rebecca Grist  1   2 , Abigail Croker  3 , Megan Denne  3 , Paul Stallard  4   3
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Technology Delivered Interventions for Depression and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Rebecca Grist et al. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2019 Jun.

Abstract

Depression and anxiety are common during adolescence. Whilst effective interventions are available treatment services are limited resulting in many adolescents being unable to access effective help. Delivering mental health interventions via technology, such as computers or the internet, offers one potential way to increase access to psychological treatment. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to update previous work and investigate the current evidence for the effect of technology delivered interventions for children and adolescents (aged up to 18 years) with depression and anxiety. A systematic search of eight electronic databases identified 34 randomized controlled trials involving 3113 children and young people aged 6-18. The trials evaluated computerized and internet cognitive behavior therapy programs (CBT: n = 17), computer-delivered attention bias modification programs (ABM: n = 8) cognitive bias modification programs (CBM: n = 3) and other interventions (n = 6). Our results demonstrated a small effect in favor of technology delivered interventions compared to a waiting list control group: g = 0.45 [95% CI 0.29, 0.60] p < 0.001. CBT interventions yielded a medium effect size (n = 17, g = 0.66 [95% CI 0.42-0.90] p < 0.001). ABM interventions yielded a small effect size (n = 8, g = 0.41 [95%CI 0.08-0.73] p < 0.01). CBM and 'other' interventions failed to demonstrate a significant benefit over control groups. Type of control condition, problem severity, therapeutic support, parental support, and continuation of other ongoing treatment significantly influenced effect sizes. Our findings suggest there is a benefit in using CBT based technology delivered interventions where access to traditional psychotherapies is limited or delayed.

Keywords: Adolescent; Anxiety; Child; Depression; Review; Technology.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
PRISMA flow diagram of results and publication selection
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Risk of bias graph. Review authors’ judgements about each risk of bias item presented as percentages across all included studies
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Forest Plot of meta-analysis on technology delivered interventions for depression and anxiety in adolescents compared to control conditions
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Funnel Plot
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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