Gruver 1

Eyanna Gruver
Professor Poulakos
PSY 103
30 Oct. 2012
Journal Review
1) Perini, S., Titov, N., Andrews, G., (2009) Clinician-assisted Internet-based treatment is
effective for depression: Randomized controlled trial. Australian and New Zealand
Journal of Psychiatry, 43, 571-578.
2) The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy of an internet-based clinician assisted
computerized cognitive behavioral treatment program for depression.
3) The theoretical framework of this study is cognitive behavioral.
4) The hypothesis was that the treatment group participants would show significant improvement on
measures of depression and reductions on disability relative to controls and that the participants
would rate the procedure as acceptable.
5) The study had a correlation, experiment, and survey design.
6) The variables were gender, age, marital status, education, employment status, previously discussed
symptoms with health professionals, taking medication, hours of internet use (on average) per week,
and confidence using computers and internet.
7) The PHQ-9, the Beck Depression Inventory-II [29], the Positive and Negative Affect Scales [30], the
Kessler 10 [31], and the Sheehan Disability Scales [32] were all measures administered one week
prior to the trial. They were all re-administered one week post-treatment and the PHQ-9 and the Beck
Disability Inventory were administered mid-treatment.
8) The participants were selected via a website. They had to click a link to apply. They had to complete a
questionnaire. Applicants who did not meet all the criteria in the questionnaire were eliminated from
the sample. Applicants who did meet the criteria were asked to fill out another questionnaire about
demographic details and treatment history. Those who applied for the Sadness program moved on.
Those who met the new inclusion criteria (48 people out of the original sample of 420) were
randomized into treatment or waitlist control groups. These 48 were the sample used for the study.
9) The statistical analyses used include ANOVAs and x2 tests, as well as the ITT design for posttreatment.

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10) The hypothesis that participants would show significant improvements on measures of depression
was supported. The hypothesis that there would be reductions on measures of disability was not
supported. There were no differences in disability levels between groups after treatment. The last
hypothesis, that participants would find the treatment program acceptable, was supported. 74% of
participants completed the program and 82% of said group reported that they were either very
satisfied or mostly satisfied with the program. 18% were neutral about the program and no
participants said they were dissatisfied with the program.
11) The limitations included the small sample size, the low completion rate of post-treatment
questionnaires, and the time of year during which the study was conducted( the end of the year, which
they believe hindered the participants motivation). They would have used a larger sample and
different strategies for collecting data.
12) A limitation would be that they should have been a bit more lenient on who could participate in the
study. This would have solved their issue of not having a larger sample size.
13) I would like to know why it is that people arent motivated to go to face to face treatment and are
more willing to complete computerized treatment. Is it because of their schedules? Is it because they
would rather not talk face to face with a person and find computerized treatment to be less
intimidating?