Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – Overview (CBT-O)

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a talking therapy. It can be delivered by specialist CB therapists (high intensity CBT), by non-psychologists with specific training or via self-help materials (low intensity CBT). Face to face CBT can be delivered in a group or individual based setting. CBT was originally used to treat mood disorders such as depression and anxiety, however its application has progressed for use across a plethora of physical as well as mental health problems from Schizophrenia to low back pain.

The effectiveness of CBT has been examined within thousands of randomised control trials (RCTs). These have subsequently been synthesised into hundreds of systematic reviews which can pool the results of several RCTs within a common health problem or a specific population. The aim of the CBT-O project is to map and synthesise all systematic reviews of RCTs examining CBT's effectiveness.

CBT-O OBJECTIVES:

1. Create an evidence map of all the available systematic reviews of RCTs examining CBT's effectiveness across all populations, all health problems and all settings.

2. Group the evidence by the World Health Organisation's International Classification of Diseases structure (Version 11 released June 2018).

3. Group the evidence by four common outcomes, which cut across all health problems

a. Health Related Quality of Life
b. Depression
c. Anxiety
d. The most common physical outcome reported e.g. pain or physical functioning

4. In addition, we are producing a framework of generalisability f for the evidence. Here we will develop recommendations for possible generalisation. For example, if there is consistent high quality evidence to support the effectiveness of CBT for reducing depression in women with breast cancer, but a paucity of evidence for the use of CBT in women with cervical cancer. We will examine the possibility that the evidence from the breast cancer population can be generalised to the cervical cancer population.

The CBT-O team will be guided by an expert consultation group which consists of clinical academics (CBT therapists), research academics and patients who use CBT. To avoid any undue influences the ECG are not permitted to be involved in data extraction but guide the research team with regards to developing the protocol, structuring the evidence synthesis and helping to disseminate the findings in a clinically meaningful manner.