A pilot study of a clinician-guided internet-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety and depression among Arabs in Australia, presented in both English and Arabic languages

The present pilot study examined the efficacy and acceptability of an internet-delivered Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (iCBT) intervention delivered in both English and Arabic languages to Arab Australians, aged 18 and over, with symptoms of depression and anxiety. Thirteen participants with at least mild symptoms of depression on the (Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item; PHQ-9; total scores ≥ 5) or anxiety (Generalised Anxiety Disorder 7-item; GAD-7; total scores ≥ 5) accessed the online Arabic Wellbeing Course, which consisted of five online lessons delivered over eight weeks with weekly clinician support. Measures of depression, anxiety, distress and disability were administered at pre-treatment, post-treatment and 3-month follow-up. Data were analysed using generalised estimation equation (GEE) modelling. Seventy-seven percent (10/13) of participants completed the five lessons over eight weeks, with 10/13 providing post-treatment and 3-month follow-up data. Participants improved significantly across all outcome measures, with large within-group effect sizes based on estimated marginal means (Cohen's d) at post-treatment (d = 1.18 to 1.62) and 3-month follow-up (d = 1.28 to 1.72). In addition, 40% and 38% of participants obtained, at least, a 50% improvement in symptoms of both anxiety and depression at 3-month follow-up respectively. Participants rated the Arabic Wellbeing Course as acceptable, and 70% of those who completed follow-up questionnaires reported accessing the course in both English and Arabic languages. Notwithstanding the limitations of an open trial design, these results are encouraging and indicate that culturally modified clinician-guided internet-delivered versions of Western psychological interventions have the potential for increasing access to treatment for Arabic-speaking Australians, and potentially other groups.