Efficacy of online psychology in anxiety and depression
On many occasions finding a place in the tight weekly schedule to go to therapy can be very complicated. On the other hand, even if we manage to have time, sometimes the meeting in person can be difficult for many people who have anxiety or depression. Online psychology can be the most effective solution to these problems.
Patients can receive therapy through online psychology whenever and wherever they want . From online psychology can provide confidence, confidentiality and comfort. These elements are essential to be able to help people who need psychological intervention, but are reluctant to go to the psychologist's face-to-face consultation.
- Related article: "Types of psychological therapies"
The effectiveness of online psychology
Online psychology, since the last decades, is a way of getting psychotherapy to people who they are overwhelmed by problems of anxiety and depression .
As well as face-to-face cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and third-generation behavioral therapies (ACT, Behavioral Activation, Mindfulness, ...) are also effective online for people with depression, and anxiety.
The pioneering countries and the development in Spain
The pioneer countries in online psychology are, USA, Canada and Australia. In Canada more than half of psychologists use online psychology in their work (Simms, Gibson and O'Donnell, 2011).
In Spain it is considered that the beginning of online psychology appeared in the year 2000, with 1% of all psychotherapeutic treatments. The year 2010 marks a turning point in the development of online psychology in Spain being present in 12% of psychological treatments. In 2013 the launch of online psychological therapy is considered with 26% of all psychotherapeutic interventions (González-Peña, P., Torres, R., Del Barrio, V., and Olmedo, M., 2017).
- Maybe you're interested: "The 9 benefits of online psychological therapy"
The studies and institutions
The psychologist Andreas Maercker of the University of Zurich conducted a study with people suffering from depression in 2013 in which he concludes that online psychology It is equally effective that face-to-face .
We found in another study carried out by the American Psychiatric Association that concluded that online psychotherapy had results equivalent to those achieved in face-to-face psychology. On the other hand, the mentioned study found a similar level of satisfaction in the patients who were treated both online and in person.
Gratzer chief psychiatrist of the Mental Health service of Scarborough Hospital (Toronto) and his team reviewed studies on the effectiveness of online psychotherapy conducted between 2000 and 2012. According to these studies, patients who used online psychotherapy they had better results than those who used face-to-face psychology .
In the journal JAMA Psychiatry (until 2013 Archives of General Psychiatry), a study was published that evaluated how online psychology affects the well-being of physicians in training. Resident doctors have a heavy workload, including nights and weekends, and accumulated stress can lead to depression and thoughts of suicide. Resident doctors who received half-hour online psychology sessions had fewer depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts.
The psychologists Cohen and Kerr of the University of Arizona published in 1999 a study on the effectiveness of online psychology for the treatment of anxiety disorder in students and concluded that there is no difference in the level of effectiveness between online psychology or face verified with the psychometric instrument the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory .
Institutions of recognized prestige such as the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine of Harvard University, the National Institute of Mental Health of the United States and the British Journal of Psychiatry, consider that online psychotherapy is as effective as face-to-face psychological care.
However, online psychology It is not recommended for people with severe mental disorder .
Our experience
From our clinical experience of seven years in www.rizaldos.com of online psychology practice with more than 1200 sessions and about 100 people treated by videoconference, we corroborated the efficacy of the data presented above.
The result of our patient satisfaction surveys shows a significant level of satisfaction of the online psychology patient when it comes to treating their anxiety and depression problems.
For all the above mentioned in this article the online psychology is today a means of doing adequate psychotherapy , to provide efficacy in psychological treatment in people who are affected by anxiety and depression.
