Computerised therapy for treating anxiety

A small clinical trial suggests cognitive bias modification (CBM), a potential anxiety therapy delivered entirely on a computer, may be as effective as in-person therapy or drugs for treating social anxiety disorder.

According to a press release, a Brown University-led research team found participants believed the therapy to be credible and acceptable. Participants in the pilot study, published in online journal Depression and Anxiety, improved their scores on a standardised measure of anxiety and on public speaking after completing two simple exercises twice a week, for a total of four weeks.