Digital programmes may raise self-belief for brain or nerve illness

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   The review covered 16 trials with 1674 people, most often with multiple sclerosis. Their average ages were about 38 to 56, and most trials were in the USA.

2. 02

   What they did

   Most programmes were online sessions, lasting 4 to 24 weeks, and most had a human coach. Eight used cognitive behavioural ideas and three used social cognitive theory. Nine compared them with a waiting group or no treatment; the rest used usual care or another activity.

3. 03

   What happened

   Compared with other groups, people on the programmes had less depression, anxiety and tiredness. They also had more self-belief, but social cognitive programmes did not clearly help. The paper says partly digital programmes did better, but its numbers do not clearly show that.

What the review found

1. Helped

   Across five trials, programmes built on theory raised self-belief more than waiting or usual care did.

   Pooled analysis of 5 studies · vs people who waited or got usual care · they rated themselves · ⚠ most studies had serious flaws; results look too good to be true; the studies disagreed a lot; whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited

2. Helped

   In two trials, programmes that taught about illness and problem solving raised self-belief more than waiting did.

   • Action: Learn how the problem workstested
   • Action: Solve problems step by steptested

   Pooled analysis of 2 studies · vs people who waited or got nothing · they rated themselves · ⚠ most studies had serious flaws; whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited

3. No difference

   In three trials, social cognitive programmes did not clearly raise self-belief more than waiting did.

   Pooled analysis of 3 studies · vs people who waited or got usual care · they rated themselves · ⚠ most studies had serious flaws; results look too good to be true; the studies disagreed a lot; whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited

Source