The use of computers to deliver cognitive behaviour therapy for depression has official backing – but is ineffective, according to the findings of a British research project today.
Computer programmes have been tested as a way of cutting the costs of therapy and widening access.
The treatments are backed by guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.
But a study involving some 691 patients has found "little or no benefit" compared with usual GP care.
Researchers at Hull York Medical School involved some 83 general practices in the project, reported in The BMJ.
They found patients reluctant to use the computer programmes even though they had weekly calls from technicians to encourage them to participate.
Researcher Dr Elizabeth Littlewood said: "Current NICE guidelines recommend the use of cCBT as a treatment for depression, but there was a need to carry out a large trial to judge the value of these treatments as they are offered in the NHS.
"Our findings show that cCBT is likely to be an ineffective form of low-intensity treatment for depression and an inefficient use of finite healthcare resources.
“Despite the high level of technical support and weekly encouragement to use the computer packages, there was general low adherence and engagement with this form of treatment. It seems that participants often want more clinical support in addition to therapy.”
Writing in the journal Professor Christopher Dowrick, from Liverpool University, said the trial does not provide evidence to overturn the NICE guidelines.
He adds the findings suggest that "guided self help is not the panacea that busy GPs and cost conscious clinical commissioning groups would wish for."
Computerised cognitive behaviour therapy (cCBT) as a treatment for depression in primary care (The REEACT trial): a large scale pragmatic randomised controlled trial. BMJ 12 November 2015 [abstract]
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