Overview of Design Approaches in The Cool Teens CD and Other Computer Programs for Adolescent Anxiety

The Cool Teens CD-ROM is an 8-module self-help treatment program for adolescents with anxiety, for use over approximately 12 weeks on a home computer. Participant feedback in a recently reported study showed generally high satisfaction with the multimedia content, the modules, and the delivery format of the CD-ROM. In the emerging area of computer-based cognitive behavioural therapy (CCBT), no one program or its evaluation is likely to provide all of the answers to the key research question in the field: what are the most appropriate and effective formats for the delivery of CCBT to young people? Therefore, it is also important to learn from the design and outcomes reported for programs being developed for adolescents by other research groups. Every program has its own unique overall delivery format and purpose, and data from each one can provide an overall picture of the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches. This paper provides an overview of several design and implementation approaches used in other programs that have been developed recently for teenagers with anxiety and related disorders