Computer-Based Psychotherapy

BACKGROUND

Mental health disorders are widespread in the United States, costing the nation, as it does many other nations, billions of dollars in lost income, reduced productivity, and disability. In the United States, mental health disorders account for four of the ten leading causes of lost productivity, and the annual cost in income not earned due to mental health disorders is $193 billion. Successful treatment of mental disorders generally returns individuals to productivity levels comparable to those who have no history of mental health problems. However, only 22% of U.S. workers with high levels of psychological distress receive treatment.3 Providing mental health services to persons who need it would improve the United States’ productivity and the overall wellness of the population. These changes would, in turn, increase the competitiveness of U.S. goods sold abroad, improve our balance of trade, and lead to improvement in national morale.

Barriers to the Dissemination of Evidence-Based Treatments

Although effective EBTs for mental health disorders exist, there are barriers to their widespread dissemination in the...