The GAP-CBT Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A mixed-methods examination of adults’ activity and experiences between sessions of cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety or depression (The GAP-CBT Study)
IRAS ID
332137
Contact name
Graham Thew
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Oxford / Research Governance, Ethics & Assurance
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Millions of people in the UK struggle with anxiety and depression. These problems have a large negative impact on our physical and mental health and are costly in financial terms and to society.
The most common psychological treatment for anxiety and depression is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT. There is strong evidence that CBT is effective for these problems. NHS Talking Therapies are the main provider of mental health treatments in England, including CBT. In 2021/22 they treated 664,000 people. Just over half recovered, and around two-thirds showed at least some improvement. But this means that many did not fully recover, and some did not show any reliable benefit, so it is crucial to find ways to improve treatment.
Whilst CBT is a ‘talking’ therapy, it also involves practical tasks that are vital for overcoming problems. For example, someone anxious about social situations might learn strategies for chatting with others. Patients are encouraged to practise what they have learned between therapy sessions. However, many patients struggle with this. It is hard to remember and apply what you have learned, especially if anxiety and depression reduce your concentration and motivation. Unfortunately, patients do not typically receive any support from their therapist between sessions. Lack of such support could be a major contributor to patients leaving treatment early or being unable to make progress.
Currently, we know little about what patients do between sessions, how they use their learning, what they find helpful or difficult, and how this impacts their progress. We need to understand this so we can design ways to support patients between sessions, using efficient digital methods. This study will explore patients’ use of between-session time using online surveys and interviews.REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/NW/0358
Date of REC Opinion
10 Dec 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion