SUPPORT FEATURES FOR ONLINE COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY INTERVENTIONS FOR ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS: A SCOPING REVIEW

Abstract

Adolescent and young Canadians are a group with the highest rates of symptoms of anxiety and depression. Such conditions, when unaddressed, negatively impact the development of a person, restricting their chances of attaining a fulfilling future and career. Even when deciding to reach out to access care, the process can be a challenging one with many barriers along the way. Online therapies in the form of online Cognitive Behavioural Therapies, have shown to be a promising format for some, but have faced some shortcomings with low uptake and variable results. Adding guidance and support to such therapies has been shown to help address these barriers. The objective of this research is to explore how support is currently provided for online cognitive behaviour therapies for anxiety and depression, targeting adolescents and young adults. To achieve this objective a scoping review methodology was utilized to identify relevant articles. The approach taken in a scoping review methodology allows for identification of a wide range of articles, which was necessary in this case because research isolating support features from other interventions is very limited. The scoping review identified fifty articles to be reviewed, and they were analyzed using a framework created for this review. The framework covered human, delivery, and design factors. Consultations with five key informants was also used to identify more findings related to the themes identified in the framework and to complement the findings from the articles in the scoping review. The resulting picture identified the field of support for online CBT for anxiety and depression in adolescents and young adults, covering a field with a great diversity ranging from virtual guides to face-to-face support from therapists. The features were organized into groups of ‘toolkits’ that can be considered by CBT developers for different situations and needs.