The efficacy of group cognitive-behavioural therapy plus duloxetine for generalised anxiety disorder versus duloxetine alone

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 316-324
Author(s):  
Zhi-Juan Xie ◽  
Nan Han ◽  
Samuel Law ◽  
Zhi-Wen Li ◽  
Shu-Yan Chen ◽  
...  

AbstractObjective:To explore whether and how group cognitive-behavioural therapy (GCBT) plus medication differs from medication alone for the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD).Methods:Hundred and seventy patients were randomly assigned to the GCBT plus duloxetine (n=89) or duloxetine group (n=81). The primary outcomes were Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) response and remission rates. The explorative secondary measures included score reductions from baseline in the HAMA total, psychic, and somatic anxiety subscales (HAMA-PA, HAMA-SA), the Hamilton Depression Scale, the Severity Subscale of Clinical Global Impression Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning, and the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 4-week, 8-week, and 3-month follow-up.Results:At 4 weeks, HAMA response (GCBT group 57.0% vs. control group 24.4%, p=0.000, Cohen’s d=0.90) and remission rates (GCBT group 21.5% vs. control group 6.2%, p=0.004; d=0.51), and most secondary outcomes (all p<0.05, d=0.36−0.77) showed that the combined therapy was superior. At 8 weeks, all the primary and secondary significant differences found at 4 weeks were maintained with smaller effect sizes (p<0.05, d=0.32−0.48). At 3-month follow-up, the combined therapy was only significantly superior in the HAMA total (p<0.045, d=0.43) and HAMA-PA score reductions (p<0.001, d=0.77). Logistic regression showed superiority of the combined therapy for HAMA response rates [odds ratio (OR)=2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02−4.42, p=0.04] and remission rates (OR=2.80, 95% CI 1.27−6.16, p=0.01).Conclusions:Compared with duloxetine alone, GCBT plus duloxetine showed significant treatment response for GAD over a shorter period of time, particularly for psychic anxiety symptoms, which may suggest that GCBT was effective in changing cognitive style.

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 621-625
Author(s):  
Jo Hall ◽  
Stephen Kellett ◽  
Manreesh Kaur Bains ◽  
Heather Stonebank ◽  
Shonagh Scott

AbstractBackground:Group psychotherapy for older adults with generalised anxiety disorder is an under-researched area.Aim:This report describes a mixed method evaluation of the acceptability and feasibility of an Overcoming Worry Group.Method:The Overcoming Worry Group was a novel adaptation of a cognitive behavioural therapy protocol targeting intolerance-of-uncertainty for generalised anxiety disorder, tailored for delivery to older adults in a group setting (n = 13).Results:The adapted protocol was found to be acceptable and feasible, and treatment outcomes observed were encouraging.Conclusions:This proof-of-concept study provides evidence for an Overcoming Worry Group as an acceptable and feasible group treatment for older adults with generalised anxiety disorder.


2007 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Finian O'Brien ◽  
Nollaig Olden ◽  
Maria Migone ◽  
Barbara Dooley ◽  
Louise Atkins ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectives: This study evaluated the effectiveness of group cognitive behavioural therapy (GCBT) for the treatment of anxiety disorders in children over an initial period of 12 weeks and to one-month follow-up. Parents of the children receiving GCBT participated in adjunctive psycho-education sessions and the effect of these sessions on parental anxiety was also evaluated.Methods: Participants were 12 children, six male and six female, aged between 11 and 15 years who were attending a child mental health service. Participants were interviewed with their parents and anxiety symptoms assessed, using the following measures: Anxiety Disorder Interview Schedule – revised, the Children's Depression Inventory, the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale, the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory and the Child Behaviour Checklist. Parental anxiety levels were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale. The 12 children were randomly assigned into two age- and sex-matched groups. While the first group received therapy, the second group acted as a treatment-as-usual control (TAU) group. The second group began group cognitive behavioural therapy after the 10-week waiting period. All participants and their parents provided structured feedback on the intervention.Results: Group cognitive behavioural therapy was significantly effective in reducing both child-reported depressive symptoms, and anxiety on the physiological, worry and total anxiety subscales of the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale. There were associated significant increases in the childrens' subjective levels of general and total self-esteem, that relating to their self-confidence with peers and when engaging in social and academic pursuits. Diagnosis of anxiety disorder reduced by an average of 67% immediately post-treatment, and by 72% by the onemonth follow-up period. Parents reported significant reductions in their children's levels of internalising symptoms, thought and attention problems. However, parents reported no significantly positive changes in their own levels of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms.Conclusions: Group cognitive-behavioural therapy is a useful and clinically effective intervention for the treatment of anxiety disorder in children.


BJPsych Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (5) ◽  
pp. 393-400 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans M. Nordahl ◽  
Thomas D. Borkovec ◽  
Roger Hagen ◽  
Leif E. O. Kennair ◽  
Odin Hjemdal ◽  
...  

BackgroundCognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) is the treatment of choice for generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), yielding significant improvements in approximately 50% of patients. There is significant room for improvement in the outcomes of treatment, especially in recovery.AimsWe aimed to compare metacognitive therapy (MCT) with the gold standard treatment, CBT, in patients with GAD (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00426426).MethodA total of 246 patients with long-term GAD were assessed and 81 were randomised into three conditions: CBT (n = 28), MCT (n = 32) and a wait-list control (n = 21). Assessments were made at pre-treatment, post-treatment and at 2 year follow-up.ResultsBoth CBT and MCT were effective treatments, but MCT was more effective (mean difference 9.762, 95% CI 2.679–16.845, P = 0.004) and led to significantly higher recovery rates (65% v. 38%). These differences were maintained at 2 year follow-up.ConclusionsMCT seems to produce recovery rates that exceed those of CBT. These results demonstrate that the effects of treatment cannot be attributed to non-specific therapy factors.Declaration of interestA.W. wrote the treatment protocol in MCT and several books on CBT and MCT, and receives royalties from these. T.D.B. wrote the protocol in CBT and has published several articles and chapters on CBT and receives royalties from these. All other authors declare no competing interests.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 745-750
Author(s):  
Justin W. Weeks ◽  
M. Taylor Wilmer ◽  
Carrie M. Potter ◽  
Elizabeth M. Waldron ◽  
Mark Versella ◽  
...  

AbstractBackground:Our aim was to develop a brief cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) protocol to augment treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). This protocol focused specifically upon fear of positive evaluation (FPE). To our knowledge, this is the first protocol that has been designed to systematically target FPE.Aims:To test the feasibility of a brief (two-session) CBT protocol for FPE and report proof-of-principle data in the form of effect sizes.Method:Seven patients with a principal diagnosis of SAD were recruited to participate. Following a pre-treatment assessment, patients were randomized to either (a) an immediate CBT condition (n = 3), or (b) a comparable wait-list (WL) period (2 weeks; n = 4). Two WL patients also completed the CBT protocol following the WL period (delayed CBT condition). Patients completed follow-up assessments 1 week after completing the protocol.Results:A total of five patients completed the brief, FPE-specific CBT protocol (two of the seven patients were wait-listed only and did not complete delayed CBT). All five patients completed the protocol and provided 1-week follow-up data. CBT patients demonstrated large reductions in FPE-related concerns as well as overall social anxiety symptoms, whereas WL patients demonstrated an increase in FPE-related concerns.Conclusions:Our brief FPE-specific CBT protocol is feasible to use and was associated with large FPE-specific and social anxiety symptom reductions. To our knowledge, this is the first treatment report that has focused on systematic treatment of FPE in patients with SAD. Our protocol warrants further controlled evaluation.


BMJ Open ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. e018345 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Nordh ◽  
Sarah Vigerland ◽  
Lars-Göran Öst ◽  
Brjánn Ljótsson ◽  
David Mataix-Cols ◽  
...  

ObjectivesSocial anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in youth, with a prevalence of about 3%–4% and increased risk of adverse long-term outcomes, such as depression. Cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) is considered the first-line treatment for youth with SAD, but many adolescents remain untreated due to limited accessibility to CBT. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a therapist-guided internet-delivered CBT treatment, supplemented with clinic-based group exposure sessions (BIP SOFT).DesignA proof-of-concept, open clinical trial with 6-month follow-up.ParticipantsThe trial was conducted at a child and adolescent psychiatric research clinic, and participants (n=30) were 13–17 years old (83% girls) with a principal diagnosis of SAD.Intervention12 weeks of intervention, consisting of nine remote therapist-guided internet-delivered CBT sessions and three group exposure sessions at the clinic for the adolescents and five internet-delivered sessions for the parents.ResultsAdolescents were generally satisfied with the treatment, and the completion rate of internet modules, as well as attendance at group sessions, was high. Post-treatment assessment showed a significant decrease in clinician-rated, adolescent-rated and parent-rated social anxiety (d=1.17, 0.85 and 0.79, respectively), as well as in general self-rated and parent-rated anxiety and depression (d=0.76 and 0.51), compared with pretreatment levels. Furthermore, 47% of participants no longer met Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) criteria for SAD at post-treatment. At a 6-month follow-up, symptom reductions were maintained, or further improved, and 57% of participants no longer met criteria for SAD.ConclusionTherapist-guided and parent-guided internet-delivered CBT, supplemented with a limited number of group exposure sessions, is a feasible and promising intervention for adolescents with SAD.Trial registration numberNCT02576171; Results.


2005 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Echeburúa ◽  
Karmele Salaberría ◽  
Paz de Corral ◽  
Raúl Cenea ◽  
Tomás Berasategui

The aim of this paper was to test the long-term contribution of cognitive-behavioural therapy to the treatment of mixed anxiety-depression disorder. Fifty-seven patients, selected according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, were assigned to: 1) cognitive-behavioural therapy; 2) combined therapy (drug and cognitive-behavioural therapy); or 3) a standard drug therapy control group. A multigroup experimental design with repeated measures of assessment (pretreatment, posttreatment, and 3-, 6- and 12 month follow-ups) was used. Most patients who were treated (71%) in experimental groups showed significant improvement at the 12-month follow-up, but there were no differences between the two therapeutic modes. No improvement was shown by the control-group participants at the 6-month follow-up. The results of the present trial do not support the beneficial effects of drug therapy by itself for this disorder. Finally, several topics that may contribute to future research in this field are discussed.


Author(s):  
Yuko Urao ◽  
Ikuyo Ohira ◽  
Takako Koshiba ◽  
Shin-ichi Ishikawa ◽  
Yasunori Sato ◽  
...  

Abstract Background In Japan, ‘Journey of the Brave’, a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-based anxiety preventive education programme, was previously developed and its effectiveness examined in two small-scale controlled trials. These studies had some limitations, including a small number of participants and not having regular classroom teachers as programme facilitators. Therefore, we conducted a large-scale controlled trial, with teachers as programme implementers. Methods Twenty-seven elementary schools participated: 1622 and 1123 children were allocated to the intervention and control groups, respectively. The intervention group received a programme comprising ten 45-min sessions, while the control group underwent the regular school curriculum. Anxiety symptoms among participants were assessed using the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS) at three stages (pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up). Results Following primary analysis, estimated mean changes in SCAS from baseline to follow-up were − 4.91 (95% CI − 5.91, − 3.90) in the intervention group and − 2.53 (95% CI − 3.52, − 1.54) in the control group; the group difference was 2.37 (95% CI 1.42, 3.33, p < 0.0001). Children in the intervention group showed significant reduction in their anxiety score versus children in the control group. Conclusions The results showed a statistically significant anxiety score reduction in the intervention group, thus verifying the programme’s effectiveness. Trial registration The University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN): UMIN000032517. Registered 10 May 2018—Retrospectively registered, https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000037083


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