Disorders - Anxiety Disorders
Batista, J., Marinai, J. C., Gouveia, M., Oliveira, J.
T., Goncalves, M. M.
Background: There are a plethora of studies on expressive writing and positive writing interventions, but few have
addressed the combination of both paradigms. Additionally, research on the role of ambivalence toward change in the context of writing-based
interventions is lacking. Ambivalence toward change is a natural movement of approaching and avoiding change that may occur in various situations. In
psychotherapy, its resolution is associated with successful outcomes.\rAim: This study tested the efficacy of a combination of expressive and
positive writing paradigms in an internet-based intervention to improve university students' mental health. Additionally, focusing participants on a
current, unresolved problem allowed us to explore the possible role of ambivalence toward change as a mediator of the intervention's results.
\rMethods: We recruited 172 participants who were randomly divided into experimental (n = 85) and control (n = 87) groups. The intervention consisted
of the identification of a current problem and four writing tasks on consecutive days. Assessment was conducted at baseline and posttest in both
groups and at follow-up in the experimental group. Participants in the experimental condition were also assessed after each task. Measures of
anxiety, depression, rumination, ambivalence toward change, distress, and wellbeing (optimism, affect, and satisfaction with life) were collected.
\rResults: Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed that participants in the experimental group had a significant decrease from baseline to
posttest in ambivalence toward change and rumination when compared with the control group. These results were maintained at follow-up. No differences
were found in the remaining measures. Within the experimental group, ambivalence toward change, rumination, and distress significantly decreased
throughout the intervention and the exploratory mediation analysis indicated that ambivalence toward change partially mediated the improvements in
rumination and distress.\rDiscussion: Considering different perspectives about a current problem and using a combination of expressive and positive
writing fostered the reduction of ambivalence toward change and rumination. Ambivalence toward change reduction after the second writing task may
have created optimal conditions for the subsequent decrease in rumination and distress. Future studies should replicate this finding and dismantle
the components that are more adequate in changing these variables.
, 13 : 874600
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Other Psychological Interventions, Creative expression: music, dance, drama, art, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Basso, M., Johnstone, N., Knytl, P., Nauta,
A., Groeneveld, A., Cohen-Kadosh, K.
This systematic review brings together human psychobiotic
interventions in children and adolescents (aged 6-25 years) to evaluate the efficacy of pre- and probiotic supplements on stress, anxiety, and
cognitive outcomes. Psychobiotic interventions in animal studies highlighted sensitivity to effects during development and maturation in multiple
domains from emotion to cognitive processing. Several translational psychobiotic interventions in humans have been carried out to assess effects on
emotion and cognition during childhood and into adulthood. The findings illustrate that there are limited consistent psychobiotic effects in
developing human populations, and this is proposed to be due to heterogeneity in the trials conducted. Consequentially, it is recommended that three
specific factors are considered in future psychobiotic trials: (1) Specificity of population studied (e.g., patients, developmental age), (2)
specificity of intervention, and (3) homogeneity in outcome measures.
Nutrients, 14(3) : 30
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions
(any), Other biological interventions
Baourda, V. C., Brouzos, A,, Mavridis, D., Vassilopoulos, S. P., Vatkali,
E., Boumpouli, C.
This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to provide a
comprehensive evaluation of randomized controlled trials of psychoeducational group interventions targeting anxiety symptoms in youths. We
systematically searched for articles and located twelve studies that collectively included 1132 subjects. Analyses showed an overall effect of -0.47
(95% CI -0.75 to -0.19) on the Standardized Mean Difference (SMD) scale, suggesting that psychoeducation effectively reduces anxiety symptoms in
children and adolescents. However, the I2 index was 86.4% revealing the presence of substantial heterogeneity. These results suggest that
psychoeducation may be a promising alternative for the prevention and/or treatment of anxiety disorders in youths. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022
APA, all rights reserved)
Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 47(1) : 22-
42
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Psychoeducation
Babbage, C. M., Jackson, G. M., Davies, E. B., Nixon, E.
BACKGROUND: Levels of well-being are declining, whereas rates
of mental health problems remain high in young people. The World Health Organization defines mental health as not merely the absence of mental
disorder but also includes social and psychological well-being as integral to positive mental health, highlighting that mental health is applicable
to young people with mental health conditions and those without a diagnosis of a mental health condition. Reduced mental well-being have been
identified in studies of young people with clinical populations, as well as in populations consisting of nonclinical young people. Self-help digital
interventions can be delivered at mass at a low cost and without the need for trained input, thereby facilitating access to support for well-being.
Self-help interventions are effective in young people with mental health conditions, but systematic reviews of such studies have been limited to
randomized controlled trials, have not included reduced well-being as an inclusion criterion, and do not consider engagement factors such as
retention.\rOBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to systematically review all controlled studies of digitally delivered, self-administered
interventions for young people aged 9 to 25 years, with perceived or clinically diagnosed reduced psychological well-being. Participant retention and
effectiveness of the interventions were also explored.\rMETHODS: A systematic search of the PsycInfo, EMBASE, Cochrane, Scopus, and MEDLINE databases
from inception to 2021, reference searches of relevant papers, and gray literature was carried out for digitally controlled studies conducted with
young people with perceived or clinically diagnosed reduced well-being, aimed at improving psychological well-being. Data were extracted to identify
the effectiveness and retention rates of the interventions and the quality of the studies.\rRESULTS: Overall, 1.04% (12/1153) of studies met the
inclusion criteria: 83% (10/12) of studies were randomized controlled trials and 17% (2/12) were controlled pre-post studies. Most (6/12, 50%)
studies aimed to improve symptoms of depression; 3 interventions aimed at both anxiety and depressive symptoms and 2 studies aimed at improving
social functioning difficulties. Owing to the high risk of bias across interventions and lack of similar outcome measures, a meta-analysis was not
conducted. Retention rates across studies were regarded as good, with moderate to high retention. Overall, the findings indicated that predominantly
self-administered self-help interventions improved well-being in the areas targeted by the intervention and identified additional areas of well-being
that were positively affected by interventions. Few interventions supported psychological well-being that was different from those used by young
people with a clinical diagnosis of mental illness or young people from neurodiverse backgrounds.\rCONCLUSIONS: The findings, along with the
advantages of self-help interventions, highlight the need for upscaling self-help interventions to better support vulnerable populations of young
people who experience poor psychological well-being.\rTRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42019129321; https://tinyurl.com/4fb2t4fz.
JMIR Mental
Health, 9(8) : e25716
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention), Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Service Delivery & Improvement, Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT), Psychoeducation, Other Psychological Interventions, Attention/cognitive bias
modification, Self-help, Technology, interventions delivered using technology (e.g. online, SMS)
Ascone, L., Garcia-Forlim, C., Gallinat, J., Kuhn, S.
BACKGROUND: Animal studies have shown beneficial effects of probiotic supplementation on the hippocampus (HC) and cognitive
performance. Evidence in humans is scarce. It was hypothesised that probiotic supplementation is associated with enhanced hippocampal (HC) regional
grey matter volume (rGMV), as well as HC functional connectivity (FC). Relatedly improvements in mnestic and navigational performance, or emotional
well-being, were expected to be observed in healthy human volunteers. METHOD(S): A randomised-controlled, double-blind trial (RCT) was conducted in N
= 59 volunteers (age Mean = 27.1, s.d. = 6.7), applying a multi-strain probiotic (Vivomixx) v. non-probiotic milk-powder placebo, each with 4.4
g/day, for 4 weeks. Volumetric data was extracted from 3T structural magnetic resonance images of total HC and -subfields. Voxel-based morphometry
(VBM) and FreeSurfer-based analyses were performed. Potential neuroplastic change beyond HC was explored using whole-brain-VBM for white- and GMV.
Seed-based FC was calculated based on HC. Cognitive tests included visual, map-based, object-location, and verbal memory, and spatial navigation.
Mental health status (stress, anxiety, depression, and emotion-regulation) was assessed using self-reports. RESULT(S): There were no changes in HC-
total, -subfield GMV, or FC, through probiotics. VBM revealed no changes at a whole-brain-level. There were no effects on cognitive performance or
mental health. Evidence in favor of the null-hypothesis, using Bayesian statistics, was consistent. CONCLUSION(S): The applied multi-strain probiotic
did not elicit any effects concerning hippocampal structural plasticity, cognition, or mental well-being in young, healthy adults. For future
studies, longer application/observation RCTs, perhaps in stressed, otherwise psychologically/ cognitively vulnerable, or ageing groups, with well-
founded strain selection and investigation of mechanism, are advised.
Psychological medicine, : 1-11
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Vitamins and supplements
Arnardottir, A., Skarphedinsson, G.
Aim: Cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered first-line treatments for childhood anxiety disorders (ADs). The objective of this current analysis was to conduct
a network meta-analysis to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of CBT, pharmacotherapy, and the combination of the two in treating pediatric ADs.
Method(s): The studies included consisted of randomized controlled trials evaluating non-selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g. clomipramine),
SSRIs, selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors, CBT, or a combination of CBT and pharmacotherapy. Studies were eligible for inclusion if
participants were 18 years or younger. Result(s): A total of 86 studies were included, with a total of 7594 participants, of which 41.51% were
females. For remission, all three treatments were significantly more effective than both placebo (ORs ranging from 0.07 and 0.18) and wait-list (ORs
ranging from 0.06 and 0.16). In terms of the severity of anxiety symptoms, all treatment forms were significantly more effective for reducing anxiety
than wait-list (standardized mean differences (SMDs) ranging from 0.98 and 2.91). Only pharmacotherapy was significantly more effective in reducing
anxiety symptoms than placebo (SMD = 2.01, 95% confidence interval, 1.02 to 3.01). Overall, the results demonstrate that CBT, pharmacotherapy, and
their combination are effective treatments for childhood ADs. There was no significant difference between the three treatment forms. However, CBT was
associated with lower attrition rates. Conclusion(s): CBT, pharmacotherapy, and the combination of the two should all be considered to treat youths
with ADs. However, potential risks and benefits should be considered before devising a treatment plan. Copyright © 2022 The Nordic Psychiatric
Association.
, :
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Disorder established (diagnosed disorder)
-
Treatment and intervention: Biological Interventions
(any), Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Tricyclic antidepressants, Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
(SNRIs), Antidepressants
(any), Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT)
Arkin-Alvarado-Garcia, P.
A., Soto-Vasquez, M. R., Rosales-Cerquin, L. E.
Background: As the COVID-19
pandemic progresses, mental health begins to be affected. In this sense, practical and low-cost solutions are necessary to minimize the impact on the
population. Aim(s): This study aimed to determine the effect of a mindfulness-based online intervention for mental health during times of COVID-19.
Method(s): A quasi-experimental study was carried out with pre-test and post-test measurements in a sample of 62 participants divided into an
experimental group whose members were administered a 12-session mindfulness online program, and a control group on the waiting list. The Zung Self-
Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) was used to assess anxiety, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) to measure depression, and the Perceived Stress
Scale (PSS-14) to determine stress levels. Result(s): The levels of anxiety, depression, and stress decreased after the intervention, finding
significant differences between the groups and study phases (P < 0.05). In addition, moderate changes in anxiety (d = 0.849, g = 0.847) and
depression (d = 0.533, g = 0.530) were found, as well as important changes in stress reduction (d = 1.254, g = 1.240). Conclusion(s): There is
evidence of a potential for the use of mindfulness program to reduce stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in stressful situations such as the
COVID-19 pandemic. Copyright © 2022 Indian Journal of Psychiatry.
, 64(3) : 264-
268
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Mindfulness based
therapy
Aranberri-Ruiz, A., Aritzeta,
A., Olarza, A., Soroa, G., Mindeguia, R.
Primary school students suffer from high levels of anxiety and stress.
Having emotional regulation abilities can help them to manage challenging emotional situations. Conscious and slow breathing is a physiological,
emotional regulation strategy that is feasible for primary school students to learn. Following Polyvagal Theory and PMER Theory, this research
presents the results of a breath-focused heart rate variability biofeedback intervention. The intervention aimed to reduce anxiety and physiological
and social stress in primary school children. A total of 585 students (46.4% girls and 53.6% boys) from the same public school, aged between 7 and 12
years (M = 8.51; SD = 1.26), participated in this study. To assess the impact of training, a mixed design was used with two groups (Treatment and
Control groups), two evaluation phases (Pretest and Post-test), and three educational cycles (first, second and third cycles). To examine heart rate
variability, emWave software was used and anxiety and social stress were measured by the BASC II test. The results showed that after the
intervention, the students learned to breathe consciously. Moreover, they reduced their levels of anxiety (M(SD)pretest = 12.81(2.22) vs.
M(SD)posttest = 13.70(1.98)) and stress (M(SD)pretest = 12.20(1.68) vs. M(SD)posttest = 12.90(1.44)). The work also
discusses the limitations and benefits of this type of intervention in primary schools.
International Journal of Environmental Research & Public Health [Electronic
Resource], 19(16) : 17
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any)
- Type: Controlled clinical trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Meditation
Ang, W. H. D., Lau, S. T., Cheng, L. J., Chew, H. S. J., Tan, J. H., Shorey, S., Lau, Y.
Our review explores the effectiveness of resilience interventions on improving resilience,
reducing depressive symptoms, and overcoming stress symptoms among higher education students. We conducted a systematic search in 10 electronic
English and Chinese language databases. Twenty-nine randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review.
Effect sizes from 25 RCTs were calculated for meta-analysis and metaregression. The results of a random effects model reveal that resilience
interventions are effective in improving resilience with small effect size (g = .32, 95% CI [.15, .49]), reducing depressive symptoms with small
effect size (g = .25, 95% CI [.06, 44]), and overcoming stress (g = .22, 95% CI [.08, .32]). Subgroup analyses conclude that effect sizes of
resilience interventions comprising skills that enhance social competency are statistically significantly larger than those of interventions without.
In addition, the effect sizes are larger when resilience interventions used synchronous communication and delivered through a mixture of didactic and
dialectic approaches. Metaregression reveals that trials rated with low scores in the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument
considerably influence scores in resilience. Our meta-analysis supports the use of resilience interventions as a universal prevention strategy among
higher education students. This review ends with implications for practice and directions for further research on developing resilience
interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement The results of this meta-analysis concluded that
resilience interventions can potentially build resilience and reduce depressive and stress symptoms among higher education students. Interventions
were more effective when they focused on building students' social competency, used synchronous communication, and delivered through a mixture of
didactic and dialectic approaches. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
, 114(7) : 1670 - 1694
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Skills training, Other Psychological Interventions
Andrews, J. L., Birrell, L., Chapman, C., Teesson, M., Newton, N., Allsop, S., McBride, N., Hides, L., Andrews, G., Olsen, N., Mewton, L., Slade,
T.
BACKGROUND: Lifetime trajectories of mental ill-health are often established
during adolescence. Effective interventions to prevent the emergence of mental health problems are needed. In the current study we assessed the
efficacy of the cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)-informed Climate Schools universal eHealth preventive mental health programme, relative to a
control. We also explored whether the intervention had differential effects on students with varying degrees of social connectedness. METHOD(S): We
evaluated the efficacy of the Climate Schools mental health programme (19 participating schools; average age at baseline was 13.6) v. a control group
(18 participating schools; average age at baseline was 13.5) which formed part of a large cluster randomised controlled trial in Australian schools.
Measures of internalising problems, depression and anxiety were collected at baseline, immediately following the intervention and at 6-, 12- and 18-
months post intervention. Immediately following the intervention, 2539 students provided data on at least one outcome of interest (2065 students at
18 months post intervention). RESULT(S): Compared to controls, we found evidence that the standalone mental health intervention improved knowledge of
mental health, however there was no evidence that the intervention improved other mental health outcomes, relative to a control. Student's social
connectedness did not influence intervention outcomes. CONCLUSION(S): These results are consistent with recent findings that universal school-based,
CBT-informed, preventive interventions for mental health have limited efficacy in improving symptoms of anxiety and depression when delivered alone.
We highlight the potential for combined intervention approaches, and more targeted interventions, to better improve mental health outcomes.
Psychological medicine, : 1-10
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: Universal prevention
-
Treatment and intervention: Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT), Other Psychological Interventions
Amanvermez, Y., Zhao, R., Cuijpers, P., de Wit, L. M., Ebert, D.
D., Kessler, R. C., Bruffaerts, R., Karyotaki, E.
Background: College students face several
sources of stress. Self-guided stress management interventions offer an excellent opportunity for scaling up evidence-based interventions for self-
management of these stresses. However, little is known about the overall effects of these interventions. Increasing this understanding is essential
because self-guided stress management interventions might be a cost-effective and acceptable way of providing help to this important segment of the
population during a critical life course stage. Method(s): We carried out a systematic literature search of bibliographical databases (PubMed,
PsycINFO, Embase, and Cochrane Library) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of self-guided stress management interventions published up through
April 2020. We conducted two separate meta-analyses for perceived stress, depression, and anxiety. The first included interventions for general
college student samples. The second included studies for students with high levels of perceived stress. Result(s): The first meta-analysis included
26 studies with 29 intervention-control comparisons based on a total of 4468 students. The pooled effect size was small but statistically significant
(g = 0.19; 95% CI [0.10, 0.29]; p < 0.001). Results showed moderate heterogeneity across studies [I2 = 48%; 95% CI (19, 66%)]. The second
meta-analysis, included four studies based on a total of 491 students with high levels of stress. The pooled effect size was small but statistically
significant (g = 0.34; 95% CI [0.16, 0.52]; p < 0.001). Results showed no heterogeneity across studies (I2 = 0%; 95% CI [0, 79%]), but
risk of bias was substantial. Discussion(s): Our results suggest that self-guided stress management programs may be effective when compared to
control conditions, but with small average effects. These programs might be a useful element of a multi-component intervention system. Given the
psychological barriers to treatment that exist among many college students, self-help interventions might be a good first step in facilitating
subsequent help-seeking among students reluctant to engage in other types of treatment. More studies should be conducted to investigate these
interventions, sample specifications, mediating effects, and individual-level heterogeneity of effects. Copyright © 2022 The Authors
Internet Interventions, 28 (no pagination) :
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Systematic reviews
-
Stage: Universal prevention, At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Psychological Interventions
(any), Cognitive & behavioural therapies (CBT), Mindfulness based
therapy, Self-help, Relaxation
Alvarado-Garcia, P. A. A., Soto-Vasquez, M. R., Rosales-Cerquin, L. E., Rodrigo-Villanueva, E. M., Jara-Aguilar, D. R., Tuesta-Collantes, L.
Introduction: The aim of this research was to determine the anxiolytic and antidepressant-like effects
of the essential oils from Foeniculum vulgare aerial parts and seeds. Method(s): The oils were extracted by hydro-distillation using a modified
Clevenger-type apparatus and chemical composition was performed by Gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection (GC-FID) and Gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Furthermore, an experimental trial was conducted, where 117 participants were divided into three groups,
comprising a waiting list control group and two experimental groups treated with essential oils. The anxiety and depression indexes were evaluated by
Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Result(s): chemical analysis showed that trans-Anethole was the
main component, both in the essential oil from aerial parts (35.5%) and seeds (79.2%). Anxiety and depression scores showed a decrease in posttest
study phase in comparison with pretest in all experimental groups (p<0.05), except for depression scores in the group treated with essential oil from
aerial parts (p>0.05). Small changes were found in the case of anxiety for group treated with essential oils from aerial parts (d = 0.41; DELTA=
0.40) while moderate (d = 0.86; DELTA = 0.85) and small (d = 0.38; DELTA = 0.39) changes were found for anxiety and depression respectively, in the
group treated with essential oil from seeds. Conclusion(s): The essential oil from Foeniculum vulgare seeds is more effective to relief anxiety than
depression while the essential oil from Foeniculum vulgare aerial parts only exhibit small changes for anxiet Copyright © 2022 Phcogj.Com. This is an
open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license.
Pharmacognosy Journal, 14(2) : 425-
431
- Year: 2022
- Problem: Anxiety Disorders (any), Depressive Disorders
- Type: Randomised controlled trials
-
Stage: At risk (indicated or selected prevention)
-
Treatment and intervention: Complementary & Alternative
Interventions (CAM), Other complementary & alternative
interventions