Tech-delivered CBT shows promise for alcohol treatment
Research Society on AlcoholismCognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on challenging and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviors, and is a proven treatment for alcohol use disorder. However, the training and expert supervision needed to deliver consistent, high-quality face-to-face sessions is costly, limiting the widespread implementation of CBT in clinical practice. Delivering CBT through technology-based platforms, such as web-based programs and mobile apps, has potential to provide widespread and low-cost access to this evidence-based intervention ─ but it’s important to establish that tech-based CBT is as effective for alcohol treatment as the in-person format. A new report published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research systematically examines the evidence for tech-based delivery of CBT for alcohol use by combining data from multiple published studies, using a statistical technique known as meta-analysis.