This review examines the application of online interventions to the treatment of obesity. The unprecedented prevalence rates of overweight and obesity worldwide are indicative of the need to develop efficacious treatment alternatives. While research suggests that diet, physical activity and behaviour therapy are core components of effective obesity treatment programs, their ability to penetrate large portions of the population is limited. The empirically verified effectiveness of online interventions for disorders such as depression and social phobia, coupled with unparalleled rates of internet access, suggest that online interventions for overweight and obesity are a feasible and logical treatment modality. A limited number of randomised controlled trials reviewed in this article have evaluated the efficacy of this treatment alternative. Results are promising and encourage further use, development and empirical research in this area.

The present study investigated the role of experiential avoidance in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following war-related stress. Eighty-four civilian war survivors were assigned to one of three PTSD groups — current PTSD, recovered PTSD and non-PTSD. Groups were subsequently compared in regard to experiential avoidance. Results indicated significantly higher rates of experiential avoidance and psychological distress in the current PTSD group as compared with the recovered PTSD and non-PTSD groups. The recovered PTSD and non-PTSD groups did not significantly differ.

The purpose of this study was to examine the convergent validity and test–retest reliability of the Oxford Physical Activity Questionnaire (OPAQ), a self-administered questionnaire designed to assess the activity patterns of adolescents. The test–retest reliability of the OPAQ was assessed by administering the questionnaire on two occasions separated by 1 week (N = 87, mean age = 13.1 ± .9). Intraclass correlation (ICC) was used to examine the test–retest reliability of the OPAQ. The convergent validity of the OPAQ was evaluated using Caltrac accelerometers worn consecutively for 4 days (N = 51, mean age = 12.6 ± .5). Spearman's rank-order correlation was used to examine the convergent validity of the questionnaire. ICCs ranged from .76 to .91 and reliability was higher for males (r = .89) than females (r = .78). Correlations between self-reported physical activity and Caltrac accelerometer counts were related to vigorous physical activity (r = .33, p = .01) and moderate to vigorous activity (r = .32, p = .02). The OPAQ has excellent test–retest reliability and acceptable validity in comparison to other measures of youth physical activity.

The present study describes the outcomes of a manualised treatment for generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) in female adolescents that combined traditional cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) with an interpersonal skills (IP) component. The CBT component included psychoeducation, somatic management, cognitive restructuring, exposure therapy and problem-solving. The IP component targeted interpersonal avoidance, passive and aggressive interpersonal styles, and co-rumination. Four female adolescents with a principal diagnosis of GAD participated in 10 weekly 1-hour sessions. Adolescent- and parent-report diagnostic interviews and questionnaires were completed at pre-, mid-, and posttreatment, and at 3-months follow-up. Reductions in GAD and depressive symptoms and improvements in interpersonal functioning for all participants on both adolescent- and parent-report measures suggest that the combination of CBT and IP can benefit adolescent girls with GAD.

The case history of a woman with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) with contamination fears is presented. These contamination fears centred on her fear of contamination by fat and fatty substances as she worried about gaining weight. Previous treatment with graded exposure had shown no clinically significant benefits. She was admitted to a specialist unit for the treatment of OCD as an inpatient. Due to the previous failure of the recognised psychological treatments for OCD it was decided to use the new psychoeducational approach of danger ideation reduction therapy (DIRT). This treatment resulted in an improvement in her OCD symptoms despite the fact that the emphasis of the treatment was on the risk of bacteria and dirt. It is believed that this is the first documented case of DIRT being used for a patient with anorexia nervosa and OCD.