Study on Online Therapy Services for Adolescents with Anxiety and Depressive Disorders

This text was translated from German by AI / (DeepL Pro)

Anxiety and depressive disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in adolescence, and the number of people affected is rising. Furthermore, both conditions increase the risk of developing the other disorder. In Germany, however, only about 10 to 20 percent of children and adolescents suffering from disorders requiring treatment receive adequate care. Online therapy services offer a way to provide more treatments—especially since adolescents are open to technological solutions.

Whether online therapy services are effective for adolescents with anxiety and depressive disorders has not yet been specifically investigated in German-speaking countries. This is where the new study comes in. At the same time, it aims to examine the effectiveness of a transdiagnostic treatment approach that focuses on factors that play a role in various mental health problems. These include, for example, difficulties in managing one’s own feelings and emotions.

Tina In-Albon, professor of clinical psychology and psychotherapy for children and adolescents at the University of Mannheim, is conducting the study “Transdiagnostic guided online treatment for adolescents with anxiety and depressive disorders: a randomized controlled trial” together with Dr. Daniela Schwarz from the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau. Adolescents aged 14 to 18 will receive ten online sessions over a total period of eight to twelve weeks and will be supported by e-coaches throughout the process. The study will begin shortly and will run for three years.