Mental Health Online (formerly Anxiety Online) - SAD Online

Description:

The Mental Health Online program provides information, assessment and treatment for a range of anxiety disorders. After registration online, an e-PASS assessment is completed to determine the type and severity of anxiety being experienced, as well as other disorders such as depression.  From this assessment, appropriate treatment options will be recommended, which may include one of the Mental Health Online programs.  These comprise 12 weekly modules and have two forms: a free self-help program for mild cases and a therapist-assisted program for moderate to severe cases (for a fee). The latter includes email contact with an eTherapist. The programs use CBT techniques, with the SAD program providing information about social anxiety, relaxation training, training to develop more constructive thoughts, exposure therapy (both real and imagined) to help reduce social anxiety, and help maintaining improvements. After completion of the program, follow-up assessments are carried out once per year for five years to monitor your progress 

Service URL:
Agency Responsible:
National eTherapy Centre, Swinburne University of Technology.

Details

Format:
Website.
Intervention Type:
Psychological – CBT.
Course Length:
Long (more than 5 modules). Comprising weekly modules for 12 weeks
Support Option:
Clinical support. For fee-paying program as well as a free self-help program

Target Audience

Primary Category:
Social anxiety.
Target Audience:
Adult.
Language:
English.

Access

Fee:
Free. Free for self-help version, fee-based for version involving support from an eTherapist
Access:
Open: With registration.
Contact Details:

contactus@mentalhealthonline.org.au

Research evidence

Research Trials:
1
Research RCTs:
0
Outcome Summary:

The effectiveness of the different Mental Health Online programs have been evaluated in one study. Participants were offered one of five programs, depending on their reported symptoms. The SAD program was completed by 50 participants and post assessments revealed significant improvements in relation to SAD clinical disorder severity ratings (d=.84, p<.001), the toal number of SAD diagnoses (d=.50 p=.02), confidence levels in managing one's own mental health (d=.70, p<.001) and quality of life (d=.51, p=.01). Therefore, such findings do indeed provide some evidence in support of the efficacy of the SAD program. However, in the absence of a control group, it is not possible to draw firm conclusions.


Recommended rating, reviewer 1:

There is evidence that the site might work. More conclusive studies are needed.
Recommended rating, reviewer 2:

There is evidence that the site might work. More conclusive studies are needed.

Read more about Beacon's Smiley Rating System.

Research paper citations

Efficacy Study

Klein, B., Meyer, D., Austin, D.W., Kyrios, M. (2011) Anxiety Online - A virtual clinic: preliminary outcomes following completion of five fully automated treatment programs for anxiety disorders and symptoms. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 13 (4): e89.

Additional References

AL-Asadi, A.M., Klein, B., & Meyer, D. (2014). Posttreatment Attrition and Its Predictors, Attrition Bias, and Treatment Efficacy of the Anxiety Online Programs. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 16(10): e232.

AL-Asadi, A.M., Klein, B., & Meyer, D. (2014). Pretreatment Attrition and Formal Withdrawal During Treatment and Their Predictors: An Exploratory Study of the Anxiety Online Data. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 16(6): e152.

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Last Updated: July 5th 2018