An interventional study of Web-based CBT guided self-help Interventions in Depression and Anxiety, sponsored by Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists. Completed at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-11-19.
Sponsored by Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists · Not applicable, Interventional, and Health services research
This study aims to (1) develop a CBT-based transcultural, transdiagnostic interactive web app and (2) assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of this intervention.
Three-quarters of the global burden of mental disorders, including depression and anxiety, lies in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) (WHO, 2017). However, the treatment gap for common mental disorders in LMICs is significant, with an estimated 90% of people in these settings unable to access appropriate mental health care (Vos et al., 2015).
Despite the strong evidence supporting effectiveness in several disorders, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) remains underutilized internationally due to the limited availability of comprehensive training programmes and qualified CBT-trained staff. (Myhr \& Payne, 2006). However, self-help and GSH can be delivered online and have been found to be effective and feasible for individuals with depression and anxiety (Andrews et al., 2018). Furthermore, leveraging the unprecedented increase in cell phone users and internet technologies, as well as the decline in prices of handheld mobile devices, may overcome barriers to care and address the substantial mental health treatment gap in these settings (Lambert \& Littlefield, 2009; Lewis et al., 2012; UN Foundation-Vodafone Foundation Partnership, 2020; WHO, 2011). We, therefore, propose the development and evaluation of a CBT-based transcultural, transdiagnostic interactive web app to address symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress.
8,055 studies on the registry are indexed under Depression; 1,643 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 50 is below the median of 84 across 6,718 interventional studies indexed under Depression.
Browse Depression studies →Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists is the lead sponsor of 13 studies on the registry; 9 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
In the experimental group, a web-based application intervention will be provided.
Behavioral: Web-based CBT guided self-help Interventions
In the control group, the patients screened for depression or anxiety received treatment as usual (TAU). TAU consisted of standard care under the responsible family physician. TAU in low-income countries largely consists of pharmacological treatment with anti-depressant medication and follow-up in an outpatient clinic.
An existing CBT-based transdiagnostic self-help manual (Naeem et al., 2014) that has been used successfully in RCTs (Amin et al., 2020; Naeem et al., 2014) and has been used as an online intervention (http://khushiorkhatoon.com/) will be further adapted. The intervention consists of seven modules, including cognitive restructuring, problem-solving and behavioural activation.
Feasibility of CBT-based transcultural, transdiagnostic interactive web app will be assessed
Feasibility \\will be assessed through trial procedure, recruitment, retention and informal feedback from participants.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Acceptability of CBT-based transcultural, transdiagnostic interactive web app will be assessed
Acceptability will be assessed through trial procedure, recruitment, retention and informal feedback from participants.
Time frame: 12 weeks
Clinical Measures
The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) will be used to measure Anxiety and Depression. The HADS is a rating scale consisting of 14 items, Each of the items is scored on a 4-point Likert scale from 0 (not present) to 3 (considerable). The sum of the individual items provides subscale scores on the HADS-D and the HADS-A, which may range between 0 and 21. A cut-off point of ≥8 for each of the constituent subscales is used to indicate probable caseness.
Time frame: 12 weeks
The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0)
The WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0) will measure the functioning and disability. It covers 6 Domains, the scores assigned to each of the items - "none" (0), "mild" (1) "moderate" (2), "severe" (3) and "extreme" (4) - are summed.
Time frame: 12 weeks
This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Pakistan Association of Cognitive Therapists