Behavioral Activation vs. Physical Activity: A Randomized Controlled Trial

In a new study that was accepted today we had randomized 286 participants with major depression into one of five conditions. 1) physical activity without a treatment rational, 2) physical activity with a treatment rational, 3) Lewinshon’s model of behavioral activation, 4) Martell’s model of behavioral activation, or 5) wait-list control. All groups (including the … Läs mer!

Experiences of Playscan: Interviews with users of a responsible gambling tool

Online gambling, encompassing a wide variety of activities and around-the-clock access, can be a potential risk factor for gamblers who tend to gamble excessively. Yet, the advent of online gambling has enabled responsible gambling features that may help individuals to limit their gambling behaviour. One of these is tools that track gamblers’ behaviour, performs risk … Läs mer!

GamTest: Psychometric evaluation and the role of emotions in an online self-test for gambling behavior

Recent increases in gambling at online sites have made gambling more available, which may contribute to an increase in gambling problems. At the same time, online gambling provides opportunities to introduce measures intended to prevent problem gambling. GamTest is an online test of gambling behavior that provides information that can be used for giving players … Läs mer!

Creating state of the art, next-generation Virtual Reality exposure therapies for anxiety disorders using consumer hardware platforms: Design considerations and future directions

Decades of research and more than 20 randomized controlled trials show that Virtual Reality exposure therapy (VRET) is effective in reducing fear and anxiety. Unfortunately, few providers or patients have had access to the costly and technical equipment previously required. Recent technological advances in the form of consumer VR systems (e.g. Oculus Rift and Samsung … Läs mer!

Congratulations Kristoffer NT Månsson (who defended his PhD thesis today)

Today the psychologist and PhD student Kristoffer NT Månsson brilliantly defended his PhD thesis in Linköping University. The thesis was entitled “Restructuring the socially anxious brain: Using magnetic resonance imaging to advance our understanding of effective cognitive behaviour therapy for social anxiety disorder”. Philippe Goldin from University of California served as an excellent opponent. We, … Läs mer!

Structural but not functional neuroplasticity one year after effective cognitive behaviour therapy for social anxiety disorder

Effective psychiatric treatments ameliorate excessive anxiety and induce neuroplasticity immediately after the intervention, indicating that emotional components in the human brain are rapidly adapTable Still, the interplay between structural and functional neuroplasticity is poorly understood, and studies of treatment-induced long-term neuroplasticity are rare. Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (using 3 T MRI) was performed … Läs mer!

Internet-delivered acceptance-based behavior therapy for generalized anxiety disorder: A pilot study

Internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) has been developed and tested for treating persons with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). A new form of CBT focuses on acceptance (of internal experiences or difficult psychological content), mindfulness and valued actions. To date this form of CBT has not been delivered via the internet for persons with GAD. The … Läs mer!

Features and functionality of the Iterapi platform for internet-based psychological treatment

The purpose of this article is to describe an internet-based platform for improving symptoms and quality of life for people with psychological and behavioural health problems such as depression, anxiety, phobia, psychological trauma, hearing loss and tinnitus. The online platform, called Iterapi, was developed at the Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning at Linköping University, … Läs mer!

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with a smartphone

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can be effective in treating anxiety disorders, yet there has been no study on Internet-delivered ACT for social anxiety disorder (SAD) and panic disorder (PD), nor any study investigating whether therapist guidance is superior to unguided self-help when supplemented with a smartphone application. Until now. In a new trial, that … Läs mer!

Coping style as a moderator of perfectionism and suicidal ideation

Suicide is a serious and growing public health problem and remains an unnecessary cause of death globally. In Iran, the highest prevalence of acute and chronic suicidal ideation is among young people aged 16 to 24. Today we had a study accepted for publication in Journal of Rational-Emotive & Cognitive-Behavior Therapy. The paper investigates the … Läs mer!