Can online therapy match Face-to-Face care for problem drinking?
NCT ID NCT02671019
First seen Sep 15, 2026 · Last updated Sep 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
Researchers are testing whether a five-module internet-based treatment program with therapist support works as well as the same treatment given face-to-face in specialized addiction care. The trial enrolls adults in Stockholm County who drink harmfully or show signs of alcohol dependence. Participants are randomly assigned to either the online program or five in-person sessions, and researchers track changes in alcohol consumption, mental health, quality of life, and treatment costs.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a five-module internet-based treatment program for harmful alcohol use, with therapist support
- What this could lead to
- If the online program works as well as in-person care, it could give more people a private, flexible way to get help for harmful drinking at lower cost.
- What could go wrong
- The online format may not suit everyone, and some people may drop out before finishing. Results from one Swedish county may not apply everywhere.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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303 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2015
- Finished
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Mar 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years or older * 16 points on Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test or at least 3 criteria on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) for Alcohol Dependence * Resident in Stockholm County Exclusion Criteria: * Lack of understanding of the Swedish language. * Doctor's assessment that there is a risk for severe withdrawal symptoms, risk for suicide or mental illness requiring separate care. * Doctor's assessment that there is a need for medication for alcohol dependence.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Karolinska Institutet
Stockholm, 171 77, Sweden
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