What question did this study set out to answer?

To evaluate the 12- and 24-month associations of guided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) with anxiety symptoms in children compared with digital psychoeducation.

August 16, 2026JAMA Network OpenOpen Access

Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Telephone Coaching for Anxiety in Children

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Authors

ASAndre Sourander KKKatri KaajalaaksoUniversity of Turku TKTarja Korpilahti-LeinoUniversity of Turku

Discussion

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Implication

Randomized trial demonstrates sustained anxiety symptom reduction in school children receiving guided internet-based therapy, indicating durable long-term efficacy.

Key Points

To evaluate the 12- and 24-month associations of guided internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) with anxiety symptoms in children compared with digital psychoeducation.
Two-year follow-up of a randomized clinical trial involving 465 Finnish schoolchildren aged 10 to 13 years (median age 11 years; 71% girls) screened with baseline Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) score ≥22.
Participants received either a 10-module guided iCBT program with telephone coaching or digital psychoeducation, with outcomes evaluated using linear mixed-effects models for repeated measures.
At 12 months, the iCBT group showed significantly greater improvement in child-reported SCARED-C scores (mean difference 4.5 points; 95% CI, 2.2–6.8; P < .001; Cohen d = 0.35) and parent-reported SCARED-P scores (mean difference 3.4 points; 95% CI, 1.8–5.1; P < .001; Cohen d = 0.36).
At 24 months, significant reductions favored iCBT for both SCARED-C (mean difference 4.4 points; 95% CI, 1.7–7.1; P = .001; Cohen d = 0.29) and SCARED-P (mean difference 2.3 points; 95% CI, 0.1–4.5; P = .04; Cohen d = 0.19).
Significant gains favoring iCBT occurred in anxiety subscales, including social anxiety at 12 months (mean change difference 1.6 points; 95% CI, 1.0–2.3; Cohen d = 0.45), while parental mental health showed no statistically significant differences.

Cite This Study

Sourander et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a817a4cf2fb91fc834ae074 https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.29195

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Implication

Randomized trial demonstrates sustained anxiety symptom reduction in school children receiving guided internet-based therapy, indicating durable long-term efficacy.

Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Telephone Coaching for Anxiety in Children

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Telephone Coaching for Anxiety in Children

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Cite This Study

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