Internet- and mobile-based interventions for the treatment of specific phobia: A systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis

Abstract

Internet- and mobile-based interventions (IMIs) are being developed for a wide range of psychological disorders and they showed their effectiveness in multiple studies. Specific phobia (SP) is one of the most common anxiety disorders, and research about IMIs for their treatment has also been conducted in recent years. The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review and preliminary meta-analysis exploring IMIs for the treatment of SP. A comprehensive search conducted in five different databases identified 9 studies (4 pre-post studies, 5 randomized controlled trials) with 7 Internet-based interventions and 2 mobile-based interventions. Results showed that exposure was the main component of all interventions, and that animal phobia was the most common subtype. Samples included children, adolescents, and adults. A preliminary meta-analysis of the included studies showed that participants receiving IMIs experienced a significant reduction of SP symptoms from pre- to post-treatment (g = 1.15). This systematic review found that there is already some evidence in the literature supporting the potential benefits of IMIs for SP. However, the number of studies included is small and more research should be carried out in the field.