%0 Journal Article
%@ 2368-7959
%I JMIR Publications
%V 10
%N 
%P e51102
%T Efficacy of an Electronic Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program Delivered via the Online Psychotherapy Tool for Depression and Anxiety Related to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Pre-Post Pilot Study
%A Moghimi,Elnaz
%A Stephenson,Callum
%A Agarwal,Anika
%A Nikjoo,Niloofar
%A Malakouti,Niloufar
%A Layzell,Gina
%A O'Riordan,Anne
%A Jagayat,Jasleen
%A Shirazi,Amirhossein
%A Gutierrez,Gilmar
%A Khan,Ferwa
%A Patel,Charmy
%A Yang,Megan
%A Omrani,Mohsen
%A Alavi,Nazanin
%+ Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen's University, 166 Brock Street, Kingston, ON, K7L 5G23, Canada, 1 6135443310, nazanin.alavitabari@kingstonhsc.ca
%K mental health
%K depression
%K anxiety
%K cognitive behavioral therapy
%K online
%K COVID-19
%K efficacy
%K electronic cognitive behavioral therapy
%K online psychotherapy tool
%K pandemic
%K evidence-based treatment
%D 2023
%7 25.12.2023
%9 Original Paper
%J JMIR Ment Health
%G English
%X Background: Lockdowns and social distancing resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic have worsened the population’s mental health and made it more difficult for individuals to receive care. Electronic cognitive behavioral therapy (e-CBT) is a cost-effective and evidence-based treatment for anxiety and depression and can be accessed remotely. Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the efficacy of online psychotherapy tailored to depression and anxiety symptoms during the pandemic. Methods: The pilot study used a pre-post design to evaluate the efficacy of a 9-week e-CBT program designed for individuals with depression and anxiety affected by the pandemic. Participants were adults (N=59) diagnosed with major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, whose mental health symptoms initiated or worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The online psychotherapy program focused on teaching coping, mindfulness, and problem-solving skills. Symptoms of anxiety and depression, resilience, and quality of life were assessed. Results: Participants demonstrated significant improvements in symptoms of anxiety (P=.02) and depression (P=.03) after the intervention. Similar trends were observed in the intention-to-treat analysis. No significant differences were observed in resilience and quality-of-life measures. The sample comprised mostly females, making it challenging to discern the benefits of the intervention in males. Although a pre-post design is less rigorous than a controlled trial, this design was selected to observe changes in scores during a critical period. Conclusions: e-CBT for COVID-19 is an effective and accessible treatment option. Improvements in clinical symptoms of anxiety and depression can be observed in individuals whose mental health is affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04476667; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04476667 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/24913 
%M 37993984
%R 10.2196/51102
%U https://mental.jmir.org/2023/1/e51102
%U https://doi.org/10.2196/51102
%U http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37993984