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BackgroundEmerging adulthood is often associated with mental health problems. About one in three university students report symptoms of depression and anxiety that can negatively affect their developmental trajectory concerning work, intimate relationships, and health. This can interfere with academic performance, as mood and anxiety disorders are key predictors of dropout from higher education. A treatment gap exists, where a considerable proportion of students do not seek help for mood and anxiety symptoms. Offering internet interventions to students with mental health problems could reduce the treatment gap, increase mental health, and improve academic performance. A meta-analysis on internet interventions for university students showed small effects for depression and none for anxiety. Larger trials are recommended to further explore effects of guidance, transdiagnostic approaches, and individual treatment components.MethodsThis study will offer 1200 university students in Sweden participation in a three-armed randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating a guided or unguided transdiagnostic internet intervention for mild to moderate depression and anxiety, where the waitlist control group accesses the intervention at 6-month follow-up. Students reporting suicidal ideation/behaviors will be excluded and referred to treatment within the existing healthcare system. An embedded study within the trial (SWAT) will assess at week 3 of 8 whether participants in the guided and unguided groups are at higher risk of failing to benefit from treatment. Those at risk will be randomized to an adaptive treatment strategy, or to continue the treatment as originally randomized. Primary outcomes are symptoms of depression and anxiety. Follow-ups will occur at post-treatment and at 6-, 12-, and 24-month post-randomization. Between-group outcome analyses will be reported, and qualitative interviews about treatment experiences are planned.DiscussionThis study investigates the effects, Funding Agencies|Vetenskapsrdet

Background: Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ICBT) for mental health issues has been successfully implemented in routine health care settings, and research indicates that ICBT can also be applied to decrease problematic alcohol use in workplace settings. However, studies investigating the feasibility of implementing ICBT in a workplace setting have been lacking. Objective: The current study aims to investigate the feasibility of delivering ICBT for problematic alcohol use within an employee assistance program (EAP). Methods: The study has a quantitative naturalistic design, quantitively comparing ICBT and face-to-face treatment, and allowing for qualitative interviews with employees and employers. Recruitment of participants follows a five-session in-person psychological assessment at an EAP regarding an employee's presumed problematic alcohol consumption. All assessed employees referred to ICBT or face-to-face treatment will be offered participation in the study. Interviews will be held with employees and their employer representatives following ICBT to elucidate both stakeholders' experience and perception of ICBT and its context. Outcome comparisons between ICBT and face-to-face treatment will be assessed quantitatively using a Reliable Change Index and analysis of variance. Thematic analysis and Grounded Theory will be used to analyze the interview material. Results: The study is set to begin in April 2020 and to end in September 2021. The aim is to recruit up to 150 participants to the quantitative part of the study and 45 participants (15 employees and 30 employer representatives) to the qualitative part of the study. Conclusions: The current study will provide knowledge that is lacking and urgently needed on how to implement ICBT for problematic alcohol use in a workplace setting.

Background: Swedish national guidelines recommend that all health care settings systematically screen patients for alcohol use and illicit substance use. When hazardous use is identified, it should immediately be addressed, preferably through brief interventions (BI). It is well known that the prevalence of alcohol use and illicit substance use among psychiatric patients is high, but it is not known to what extent screening and BI are routinely carried out in such clinics.Methods: Two online surveys investigating the use of screening and BI for alcohol and illicit substances were constructed; one for psychiatric outpatient clinic directors and one for staff at these clinics. The main analyses were calculated as simple frequencies. In secondary analyses, we investigated the associations between substance abuse training, type of clinic and screening/BI delivery. For these analyses, the Chi square test was used.Results: Most clinic directors reported that they have guidelines to screen for alcohol (93.1%) and illicit substance use (78.9%) at initial assessment. Fifty percent reported having guidelines for delivering BI when identifying hazard-ous alcohol use (35.9% for hazardous illicit substance use). Among staff, 66.6% reported always screening for alcohol use and 57.8% reported always screening for illicit substance use at initial assessment. Further, 36.7% reported that they usually deliver BI when identifying hazardous alcohol use (35.7% for hazardous illicit substance use). Secondary analyses indicated that staff with substance abuse training were significantly more likely to screen for alcohol use than staff without such training. Further, staff at psychosis clinics were significantly less likely to screen for both alcohol and substance use than staff at both general and specialist psychiatric clinics.Conclusions: Most clinic directors reported having clear guidelines for staff to screen for alcohol use and illicit substance use, but fewer staff memb

Background Face-to-face brief interventions for problem drinking are effective, but they have found limited implementation in routine care and the community. Internet-based interventions could overcome this treatment gap. We investigated effectiveness and moderators of treatment outcomes in internet-based interventions for adult problem drinking (iAIs). Methods and findings Systematic searches were performed in medical and psychological databases to 31 December 2016. A one-stage individual patient data meta-analysis (IPDMA) was conducted with a linear mixed model complete-case approach, using baseline and first follow-up data. The primary outcome measure was mean weekly alcohol consumption in standard units (SUs, 10 grams of ethanol). Secondary outcome was treatment response (TR), defined as less than 14/21 SUs for women/men weekly. Putative participant, intervention, and study moderators were included. Robustness was verified in three sensitivity analyses: a two-stage IPDMA, a one-stage IPDMA using multiple imputation, and a missing-not-at-random (MNAR) analysis. We obtained baseline data for 14,198 adult participants (19 randomised controlled trials [RCTs], mean age 40.7 [SD = 13.2], 47.6% women). Their baseline mean weekly alcohol consumption was 38.1 SUs (SD = 26.9). Most were regular problem drinkers (80.1%, SUs 44.7, SD = 26.4) and 19.9% (SUs 11.9, SD = 4.1) were binge-only drinkers. About one third were heavy drinkers, meaning that women/men consumed, respectively, more than 35/50 SUs of alcohol at baseline (34.2%, SUs 65.9, SD = 27.1). Post-intervention data were available for 8,095 participants. Compared with controls, iAI participants showed a greater mean weekly decrease at follow-up of 5.02 SUs (95% CI -7.57 to -2.48, p < 0.001) and a higher rate of TR (odds ratio [OR] 2.20, 95% CI 1.63-2.95, p < 0.001, number needed to treat [NNT] = 4.15, 95% CI 3.06-6.62). Persons above age 55 showed higher TR than their younger counterparts (OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.

Background: A large proportion of individuals with alcohol problems do not seek psychological treatment, but access to such treatment could potentially be increased by delivering it over the Internet. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is widely recognized as one of the psychological treatments for alcohol problems for which evidence is most robust. This study evaluated a new, therapist-guided internet-based CBT program (entitled ePlus) for individuals with alcohol use disorders. Methods: Participants in the study (n = 13) were recruited through an alcohol self-help web site (www.alkoholhjalpen.se) and, after initial internet screening, were diagnostically assessed by telephone. Eligible participants were offered access to the therapist-guided 12-week program. The main outcomes were treatment usage data (module completion, treatment satisfaction) as well as glasses of alcohol consumed the preceding week, measured with the self-rated Timeline Followback (TLFB). Participant data were collected at screening (T0), immediately pre-treatment (T1), post-treatment (T2) and 3 months post-treatment (T3). Results: Most participants were active throughout the treatment and found it highly acceptable. Significant reductions in alcohol consumption with a large within-group effect size were found at the three-month follow-up. Secondary outcome measures of craving and self-efficacy, as well as depression and quality of life, also showed significant improvements with moderate to large within-group effect sizes. Conclusions: Therapist-guided internet-based CBT may be a feasible and effective alternative for people with alcohol use disorders. In view of the high acceptability and the large within-group effect sizes found in this small pilot, a randomized controlled trial investigating treatment efficacy is warranted.

This observational study examined user characteristics, intervention use patterns, and variables associated with reductions in alcohol consumption for anonymous Internet help-seekers using a Web-based self-help program. A Web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program with eight modules delivered over 10 weeks was offered to participants with at least hazardous use of alcohol according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) (n = 4165). At baseline and 10-week follow-up, participants completed the Timeline-followback (TLFB), AUDIT, Drug Use Disorders Identification Test (DUDIT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D), World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-abbreviated version (WHOQOL-BREF), Readiness to Change Questionnaire (RCQ), and Readiness Ruler. Follow-up completers and non-completers were compared at baseline, and follow-up completer outcomes were reported. Predictors of change in drinking behavior were evaluated at follow-up. Registered users were 41.88 years old on average (SD = 12.36), and 52 % were women; the mean baseline number of drinks during the past week was 27.27 (SD = 17.92) with 62 % in the AUDIT category of probable dependence and only 7 % having low-risk consumption according to public health guidelines. At follow-up (n = 1043), 53 % showed a clinically significant change to a lower level of alcohol use (chi(2) = 254.403, p < 0.001); the mean alcohol consumption fell (t = 22.841, p < 0.001) and the proportion with low-risk consumption rose to 40 %. Being male, scoring higher on baseline readiness, completing the program, and accessing other support predicted low-risk drinking and clinically significant change to a lower level of alcohol use at follow-up. A publicly available Web-based program for managing problematic alcohol use attracted users with considerable alcohol- and health-related problems, which were changed to lower severity for follow-up completers.

Background The Internet has increasingly been studied as mode of delivery for interventions targeting problematic alcohol use. Most interventions have been fully automated, but some research suggests that adding counselor guidance may improve alcohol consumption outcomes. Methods An eight-module Internet-based self-help program based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was tested among Internet help-seekers. Eighty participants with problematic alcohol use according to the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT; scores of >= 6 for women and >= 8 for men) were recruited online from an open access website and randomized into three different groups. All groups were offered the same self-help program, but participants in two of the three groups received Internet-based counselor guidance in addition to the self-help program. One of the guidance groups was given a choice between guidance via asynchronous text messages or synchronous text-based chat, while the other guidance group received counselor guidance via asynchronous text messages only. Results In the choice group, 65% (13 of 20 participants) chose guidance via asynchronous text messages. At the 10-week post-treatment follow-up, an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis showed that participants in the two guidance groups (choice and messages) reported significantly lower past week alcohol consumption compared to the group without guidance; 10.8 (SD = 12.1) versus 22.6 (SD = 18.4); p = 0.001; Cohen's d = 0.77. Participants in both guidance groups reported significantly lower scores on the AUDIT at follow-up compared to the group without guidance, with a mean score of 14.4 (SD = 5.2) versus 18.2 (SD = 5.9); p = 0.003; Cohen's d = 0.68. A higher proportion of participants in the guidance groups said that they would recommend the program compared to the group without guidance (81% for choice; 93% for messages versus 47% for self-help). Conclusion Self-help programs for problematic alcohol use can be more e