Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Computerised CBT
Introduction
Overview
Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CCBT) delivers cognitive behavioral techniques to a computer-user to increase successful coping strategies and improve mental wellbeing. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (2006) describes CCBT as a “generic term for delivering CBT via an interactive computer interface delivered by a personal computer, internet or interactive voice response system”.
Official data from the World Health Organisation shows us that annually in the UK 7.7% of the population suffer from depression and 10% from anxiety. In the United States 9.5% of the population annually suffer from depression with 18.1% of the population suffering from anxiety. However, both depression and anxiety can be successfully treated in many cases, and with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy proving to be as effective as medication (Watkins & Williams, 1998) and a popular choice for sufferers any provision of CBT on a wider basis is desirable. Hence, computerised CBT programmes such as ‘Blues Begone’ may offer a unique opportunity to dramatically improve the lives of millions of people.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]