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At the same time, clinicians are often better at tailoring content to the particular needs of individual patients. “The strengths of computer delivered therapy and those of the human therapist are complementary, and this synergy benefits the patient,” says Dr. Nunes. At the three- and six-month follow-ups, the TES participants no longer showed significantly higher levels of abstinence than the treatment as-usual group, suggesting the need for providing access to the web-based interventions over longer periods of time, and more emphasis on relapse prevention, says Dr. Nunes. 

Pros and cons of digitized therapies

Researchers have noted that it’s challenging to train clinicians to deliver cognitive behavioral interventions in a consistent manner. While therapists may stray from the scripted material, “the computer always delivers the same content faithfully,” Dr. Nunes says. “ The strengths of computer-delivered therapy and those of the human therapist are complementary, and this synergy benefits the patient. “ - Dr. Edward Nunes, New York State Psychiatric Institute

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