Williams et al (2013)

Question 1

What was the aim?

Answer 1

To see if a combined treatment of a 7 day cognitive bias modification training program with internet CBT after for 10 weeks would reduce symptoms of depression

Question 2

Did they compare the data to a control group?

Answer 2

Yes

Question 3

How did they measure improvement?

Answer 3

Using self report data

Question 4

What was the minimum sample size for each group?

Answer 4

21

Question 5

Where were participants recruited from?

Answer 5

The Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression

Question 6

How were they screened before taking part?

Answer 6

By completing online questionnaires

Question 7

How were they diagnosed?

Answer 7

Using a telephoned diagnostic interview

Question 8

How many participants in total?

Answer 8

69 but 53 actually took part

Question 9

How many participants in the intervention group?

Answer 9

38, 26 acutally completed it

Question 10

How many participants in the wait list control?

Answer 10

31, 27 actually completed it

Question 11

What did the WLC group do?

Answer 11

Completed iCBT after the intervention group had done their cognitive bias modification training and their iCBT

Question 12

What primary measures did they use to gather data?

Answer 12

• Beck Depression Inventory
• Depression Scale of Patient Health
• Kessler Psychological Distress Scale
• Ambiguous scenarios test

Question 13

What secondary measures did they use to gather data?

Answer 13

• World Health Organisation disability assessment
• State Trait Anxiety Inventory
• Repetitive Thinking Questionnaire

Question 14

What % of significant change was found in the intervention group compared to the WLC?

Answer 14

Intervention - 27%

WLC - 0.07%

Question 15

What is cognitive bias modification?

Answer 15

A computerised training program, individuals presented with scenarious that could have multiple interpretations , , they are always resolved in a positive manner

Question 16

What did the combined intervention of iCBT and CBM help to reduce?

Answer 16

Distress, disability and anxiety

Question 17

What the the WLC group do?

Answer 17

Completed primary and secondary intial tests and then waited 10 weeks before doing iCBT and then questionnaires after

Question 18

What did the intervention group do?

Answer 18

Completed primary and secondary initial tests and then had a 7 day course of CBM followed by iCBT for 10 weeks and then more questionnaires

Question 19

How do we know the CBM had an effect?

Answer 19

The ambiguous scenarios test slightly increased suggesting there was a slight increase in positive interpretations

Question 20

Is the study generalisable?

Answer 20

Large sample size makes the sample more representative of the entire population although can only be generalised to the western world

Question 21

What controls were put in place?

Answer 21

• All completed the same primary and secondary measures
• 10 weeks between treatment - standardised
• All screened

Question 22

How might the data not be reliable?

Answer 22

Uses self report data which means there might be social disarability bias, may have felt like they SHOULD have improved so might have lied

Question 23

Why could it be said to be reliable?

Answer 23

Multiple different questionnaires that seem to show improvement for the intervention group, shows consistency

Question 24

What is the issue is with temporal validity?

Answer 24

Unable to establish whether the same patterns would be found weeks later as depression can be cyclical meaning that they may not feel the same if it was repeated

Question 25

What is the application of the study?

Answer 25

could reduce the time between diagnosis and treatment and potentially save lives

Question 26

Does it have ecological validity?

Answer 26

Took place at participants’ homes in a comfortable environment meaning that the environment probably wouldn’t have affected results

Question 27

What increases validity?

Answer 27

That interviews as well as questionnaires were used

Question 28

What limits validity?

Answer 28

Unable to establish if overall final change was due to one program or the combination of both. CBM could have impacted the effectivenss of iCBT

Question 29

What prevents the influence of individual differences?

Answer 29

Looked to see if there were any significant differences between genders, those who took medication and age and there weren’t

Question 30

How are ethics improved?

Answer 30

69 patients all gave informed consent before the study began and were put through a screening process to check their suitablity for treatment

Question 31

Was the overall outcome beneficial?

Answer 31

Yes, ultimately helps participants fight depression when otherwise they would have been waiting for treatment